bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long non-coding RNA CTSLP8 mediates ovarian cancer progression and chemotherapy resistance by modulating cellular glycolysis and regulating c-Myc expression through PKM2
Authors: Li Xiaoduan , Zhang Yi , Wang Xinjing , Lin Feikai , Cheng Xi , Wang Ziliang , Wang Xipeng
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital roles in tumor progression and resistance. Ovarian cancer (OC), a common gynecological cancer, is associated with poor prognosis as it can progress to peritoneal metastasis and develop resistance to chemotherapy. This study aimed to examine the role of lncRNAs in the development of chemotherapy resistance in OC.

Methods

The clinical samples were divided into chemotherapy-sensitive and chemotherapy-resistant groups based on the chemotherapy response at follow-up. The glycolysis levels in the two groups were analyzed using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning and immunohistochemistry. GEO dataset analysis revealed the expression of CTSLP8 in chemotherapy-resistant patients with OC. Two pairs of normal and diamminodichloroplatinum (DDP)-resistant cells were transfected with CTSLP8 overexpression and knockdown constructs to examine the functions of CTSLP8 in the OC cells and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The in vivo effect of CTSLP8 overexpression and knockdown on the chemotherapy response of tumors was examined using a mouse subcutaneous tumor model. The tissue chips were subjected to fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining to examine the correlation among CTSLP8 expression, DDP resistance, and prognosis in OC.

Results

The dataset analysis demonstrated that CTSLP8 was upregulated in chemotherapy-resistant tumor tissues. CTSLP8 promoted the proliferation and development of DDP resistance in the OC cells. Moreover, CTSLP8 promoted c-Myc expression by facilitating the binding of PKM2 to the promoter region of c-Myc, thereby upregulating glycolysis. The analysis of tissue chips revealed that the upregulation of CTSLP8 was associated with the development of DDP resistance and poor prognosis in patients with OC.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that CTSLP8 forms a complex with PKM2 to regulate c-Myc, and this action results in the upregulation of cellular glycolysis, consequently promoting OC progression and development of chemotherapy resistance.

Headlights

1. CTSLP8 was upregulated in the chemotherapy-resistant tumor tissues.

2. CTSLP8 promoted the proliferation and cisplatin resistance in the OC cells.

3. CTSLP8 promoted glycolysis by facilitating the binding of PKM2 to the promoter region of c-Myc.

4. Inhibition of CTSLP8 or the combination of c-Myc inhibitors with cisplatin were potential therapeutic strategies for chemotherapy-resistant of OC.
Towards a Validation Methodology for Macroeconomic Agent-Based Models
Authors: Tieleman Sebastiaan
Published: September 2021

Agent-based models provide a promising new tool in macroeconomic research. Questions have been raised, however, regarding the validity of such models. A methodology of macroeconomic agent-based model (MABM) validation, that provides a deeper understanding of validation practices, is required. This paper takes steps towards such a methodology by connecting three elements. First, is a foundation of model validation in general. Second is a classification of models dependent on how the model is validated. An important distinction in this classification is the difference between mechanism and target validation. Third, is a framework that revolves around the relationship between the structure of models of complex systems with emergent properties and validation in practice. Important in this framework is to consider MABMs as modelling multiple non-trivial levels. Connecting these three elements provides us with a methodology of the validation of MABMs and allows us to come to the following conclusions regarding MABM validation. First, in MABMs, mechanisms at a lower level are distinct from, but provide input to higher levels of mechanisms. Since mechanisms at different levels are validated in different ways we can come to a specific characterization of MABMs within the model classification framework. Second, because the mechanisms of MABMs are validated in a direct way at the level of the agent, MABMs can be seen as a move towards a more realist approach to modelling compared to DSGE.
Antecedents of Deviant Behavior: Psychological and Non-Psychological Factors and Ethical Justifications
Authors: Di Carlo Emiliano
Published: September 2021

An integrative model of ethical justifications in organizations is proposed. The model recognizes the roles of psychological and non-psychological factors on the link between ethical theories and the ethical reasoning and, consequently, on the way operators justify themselves when accused of being against (or not favoring) the good of the company. This study wants to contribute to highlighting the benefits of the prevention of deviant behavior through a more profound comprehension of its antecedents. The analysis confirms the complexity of human beings, and the need for an integrated approach that leads to clarity and coherence among tools (e.g. mission, code of ethics, incentive system), people and among both people and tools. A central role is played by the dissemination of a culture that considers the firm as a real entity, with its own interest, that is separated from that of its stakeholders and which brings the purpose of the common good.
1H R1ρ relaxation dispersion experiments in aromatic side chains
Authors: Dreydoppel Matthias , Lichtenecker Roman J. , Akke Mikael , Weininger Ulrich
Published: September 2021

Aromatic side chains are attractive probes of protein dynamic, since they are often key residues in enzyme active sites and protein binding sites. Dynamic processes on microsecond to millisecond timescales can be studied by relaxation dispersion experiments that attenuate conformational exchange contributions to the transverse relaxation rate by varying the refocusing frequency of applied radio-frequency fields implemented as either CPMG pulse trains or continuous spin-lock periods. Here we present an aromatic 1H R1ρ relaxation dispersion experiment enabling studies of two to three times faster exchange processes than achievable by existing experiments for aromatic side chains. We show that site-specific isotope labeling schemes generating isolated 1H–13C spin pairs with vicinal 2H–12C moieties are necessary to avoid anomalous relaxation dispersion profiles caused by Hartmann–Hahn matching due to the 3JHH couplings and limited chemical shift differences among 1H spins in phenylalanine, tyrosine and the six-ring moiety of tryptophan. This labeling pattern is sufficient in that remote protons do not cause additional complications. We validated the approach by measuring ring-flip kinetics in the small protein GB1. The determined rate constants, kflip, agree well with previous results from 13C R1ρ relaxation dispersion experiments, and yield 1H chemical shift differences between the two sides of the ring in good agreement with values measured under slow-exchange conditions. The aromatic1H R1ρ relaxation dispersion experiment in combination with the site-selective 1H–13C/2H–12C labeling scheme enable measurement of exchange rates up to kex = 2kflip = 80,000 s–1, and serve as a useful complement to previously developed 13C-based methods.
Physicochemical properties and thermal behavior of nitrocellulose granules with eutectic mixtures of stabilizers
Authors: Cieślak Katarzyna , Gańczyk-Specjalska Katarzyna , Drożdżewska-Szymańska Katarzyna , Królikowska Marta , Jakubczak Marcin
Published: September 2021

Examinations of two-component mixtures, namely: triphenylamine + centralite I (TPA + CI) and triphenylamine + akardite II (TPA + AkaII) were carried out using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which served to determine phase diagrams. Experimental data were described with NRTL model and eutectic points for both systems were determined. For TPA + CI system, they were equal to xEu,TPA = 0.2899, TEu = 62.9 °C, whereas for TPA + AkaII system they amounted to xEu,TPA = 0.7868, TEu = 117.5 °C. Granules contain mixtures of eutectic composition were obtained. The physicochemical and thermal properties of resultant single base granules were studied. The helium density of both granules was approx. 1.47 g cm−3, the average dynamic force amounted to 0.55–0.60 bar−1 s−1, and the calorific value ranged from 3060 to 3095 J g−1. Both granules should be chemically stable for 10 years of storage at 25 °C; they meet the requirements of STANAG 4582 standard. DSC analysis of decomposition processes was used to determine kinetic parameters and to adjust the chemical reaction model of nth order with autocatalysis (CnB). Reaction order ranged from 2.6 to 3.0, while the activation energy was similar (197–198 kJ mol−1). Based on examination of thermal properties, it was observed that both eutectic mixtures of stabilizers prevent the decomposition reaction more efficiently than the use of individual compounds as stabilizers.
Deuterium-depleted water stimulates GLUT4 translocation in the presence of insulin, which leads to decreased blood glucose concentration
Authors: Molnár Miklós , Horváth Katalin , Dankó Tamás , Somlyai Ildikó , Kovács Beáta Zs. , Somlyai Gábor
Published: September 2021

Deuterium (D) is a stable isotope of hydrogen (H) with a mass number of 2. It is present in natural waters in the form of HDO, at a concentration of 16.8 mmol/L, equivalent to 150 ppm. In a phase II clinical study, deuterium depletion reduced fasting glucose concentration and insulin resistance. In this study, we tested the effect of subnormal D-concentration on glucose metabolism in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model. Animals were randomly distributed into nine groups to test the effect of D2O (in a range of 25–150 ppm) on glucose metabolism in diabetic animals with or without insulin treatment. Serum glucose, fructose amine-, HbA1c, insulin and urine glucose levels were monitored, respectively. After the 8-week treatment, membrane-associated GLUT4 fractions from the soleus muscle were estimated by Western blot technique. Our results indicate that, in the presence of insulin, deuterium depletion markedly reduced serum levels of glucose, -fructose amine, and –HbA1c, in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal concentration of deuterium was between 125 and 140 ppm. After a 4-week period of deuterium depletion, the highest membrane-associated GLUT4 content was detected at 125 ppm. These data suggest that deuterium depletion dose-dependently enhances the effect of insulin on GLUT4 translocation and potentiates glucose uptake in diabetic rats, which explains the lower serum glucose, -fructose amine, and –HbA1c concentrations. Based on our experimental data, deuterium-depleted water could be used to treat patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) by increasing insulin sensitivity. These experiments indicate that naturally occurring deuterium has an impact on metabolic regulations.
Explaining rule of rescue obligations in healthcare allocation: allowing the patient to tell the right kind of story about their life
Authors: Sinclair Sean
Published: September 2021

I consider various principles which might explain our intuitive obligation to rescue people from imminent death at great cost, even when the same resources could produce more benefit elsewhere. Our obligation to rescue is commonly explained in terms of the identifiability of the rescuee, but I reject this account. Instead, I offer two considerations which may come into play. Firstly, I explain the seeming importance of identifiability in terms of an intuitive obligation to prioritise life-extending interventions for people who face a high risk of an early death, and I explain this in turn with a fair innings-style principle which prioritises life-extending interventions for people expected to die young. However, this account is incomplete. It does not explain why we would devote the same resources to rescuing miners stuck down a mine even if they are elderly. We are averse to letting people die suddenly, or separated from friends and family. And so, secondly, I give a new account that explains this in terms of narrative considerations. We value life stories that follow certain patterns, classic patterns which are reflected in many popular myths and stories. We are particularly averse to depriving people of the opportunity to follow some such pattern as they approach death. This means allowing them to sort out their affairs, say goodbyes to family and friends, review their life, or come to terms with death itself. Such activities carry a lot of meaning as ways of closing our life story in the right way. So, for someone who has not been given much notice of their death, an extra month is worth much more than for other patients. Finally, I review the UK National Health Service's end of life premium, which gives priority to patients with short life expectancy. I suggest it falls short in terms of such considerations. For example, the NHS defines its timings in terms of how long the patient can expect to live as at the time of the treatment decision, whereas the timings should be specified in terms of time from diagnosis.
A DNA test for high incidence of soft scald and soggy breakdown postharvest disorders in Malus domestica Borkh
Authors: Miller Baylee A. , Tillman John R. , Howard Nicholas P. , Kostick Sarah A. , Evans Kate M. , Luby James J.
Published: September 2021

The ‘Honeycrisp’ apple, an economically important cultivar and breeding parent, is prone to soft scald and soggy breakdown postharvest physiological disorders. Phenotypic evaluation of soft scald is time consuming and costly, making it an excellent target for DNA-informed breeding. The objective of this study was to develop a DNA test for a soft scald and soggy breakdown quantitative trait locus (QTL) on linkage group two (LG2) that was characterized in a previous study. ‘Honeycrisp’ is homozygous for the undesirable high disorder incidence haplotype (HDI) at this QTL. In this study, sixteen single nucleotide polymorphism markers were evaluated for their associations with the HDI haplotype in a set of 132 unique cultivars and important breeding parents. A DNA test was successfully developed utilizing KASP™ (Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR) chemistry to identify the number of HDI haplotypes in individuals. This test had a 100% accuracy for detecting homozygous unfavorable HDI individuals and has an expected 88% accuracy over all three haplotype copy groups across the evaluated germplasm. This DNA test is a promising tool for minimizing the chances of selecting individuals that exhibit high incidence of soft scald postharvest disorder in ‘Honeycrisp’-related germplasm.
Intelligent spacing selection model under energy-saving constraints for the selection of communication nodes in the Internet of Things
Authors: Sun Jing-Shu , Zhu Teng , Wozniak Marcin
Published: September 2021

Current IoT communication node spacing selection process show may potential areas for improvements such as high delay ratio, high total energy consumption ratio, confusion of the optimal communication information band, intelligent spacing node design under the constraints of the energy-saving selection of IoT communication. Based on energy-saving constraints, the link status between nodes is evaluated through link stability and link quality. In order to prevent the generation of serious noisy nodes and frequency hopping data, the interference nodes under the intrusion of the Internet of Things are identified by determining transition amplitude of the noise nodes in the transmission data sequence. Finally, according to the calculation results of the optimal communication node selection, the design of the intelligent spacing selection model for the communication nodes of the Internet of Things is realized. The simulation results show that the established model not only reduces energy consumption of nodes, shortens the average transmission delay of nodes, but also improves anti-interference effect of node spacing selection.
Disambiguation in conversation: the case of disambiguating parentheticals
Authors: Predelli Stefano
Published: September 2021

This essay presents an analysis of the conversational role of disambiguation, with special attention to disambiguating parentheticals such as 'bats, the furry animals, are not easy to find'. The essay proposes an enriched representation of conversational states as pairs of an interpretation function and standard common belief, it represents disambiguations within the ensuing framework, and, on the basis of these conceptual tools, it proposes a systematic picture of the updates achieved by disambiguating parentheticas.
Artificial fairness? Trust in algorithmic police decision-making
Authors: Hobson Zoë , Yesberg Julia A. , Bradford Ben , Jackson Jonathan
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Test whether (1) people view a policing decision made by an algorithm as more or less trustworthy than when an officer makes the same decision; (2) people who are presented with a specific instance of algorithmic policing have greater or lesser support for the general use of algorithmic policing in general; and (3) people use trust as a heuristic through which to make sense of an unfamiliar technology like algorithmic policing.

Methods

An online experiment tested whether different decision-making methods, outcomes and scenario types affect judgements about the appropriateness and fairness of decision-making and the general acceptability of police use of this particular technology.

Results

People see a decision as less fair and less appropriate when an algorithm decides, compared to when an officer decides. Yet, perceptions of fairness and appropriateness were strong predictors of support for police use of algorithms, and being exposed to a successful use of an algorithm was linked, via trust in the decision made, to greater support for police use of algorithms.

Conclusions

Making decisions solely based on algorithms might damage trust, and the more police rely solely on algorithmic decision-making, the less trusting people may be in decisions. However, mere exposure to the successful use of algorithms seems to enhance the general acceptability of this technology.
Die Darstellung der katholischen und evangelischen Kirche in der Tagesschau
Authors: Thielmann Hannah , Schäfer Markus
Published: September 2021

Der persönliche Bezug zur Institution Kirche hat in den vergangenen Jahren in der deutschen Bevölkerung und auch bei Journalisten kontinuierlich abgenommen. Gleichzeit bleiben die gesellschaftliche Bedeutung der katholischen und evangelischen Kirche sowie ihr gesetzlich geregeltes Verhältnis zum Rundfunk bestehen. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht mithilfe einer quantitativen Inhaltsanalyse von 514Tagesschau-Beiträgen zu drei Messzeitpunkten (1998/99, 2008/09 und 2018/19) die Berichterstattung über die beiden großen christlichen Kirchen. Im Zentrum stehen dabei die Fragen, in welchen Kontexten bzw. bei welchen Ereignissen über Kirche im Zeitverlauf berichtet und wie positiv oder negativ sie in diesem Zusammenhang dargestellt wird. Es zeigt sich, dass sich die Relevanz der beiden Kirchen in derTagesschauin den letzten 20 Jahren nicht verändert hat, dass allerdings die katholische Kirche gegenüber der evangelischen Kirche überrepräsentiert ist und signifikant negativer dargestellt wird. Über Ereignisse wird häufiger berichtet als über Stellungnahmen, und die Tendenz der Kirchen-Beiträge ist im Laufe der Jahre signifikant negativer geworden.
An elliptical blade is not a true ellipse, but a superellipse–Evidence from two Michelia species
Authors: Li Yuping , Niklas Karl J. , Gielis Johan , Niinemets Ülo , Schrader Julian , Wang Rong , Shi Peijian
Published: September 2021

The shape of leaf laminae exhibits considerable diversity and complexity that reflects adaptations to environmental factors such as ambient light and precipitation as well as phyletic legacy. Many leaves appear to be elliptical which may represent a ‘default’ developmental condition. However, whether their geometry truly conforms to the ellipse equation (EE), i.e., (x/a)2 + (y/b)2 = 1, remains conjectural. One alternative is described by the superellipse equation (SE), a generalized version of EE, i.e., |x/a|n +|y/b|n = 1. To test the efficacy of EE versus SE to describe leaf geometry, the leaf shapes of two Michelia species (i.e., M. cavaleriei var. platypetala, and M. maudiae), were investigated using 60 leaves from each species. Analysis shows that the majority of leaves (118 out of 120) had adjusted root-mean-square errors of < 0.05 for the nonlinear fitting of SE to leaf geometry, i.e., the mean absolute deviation from the polar point to leaf marginal points was smaller than 5% of the radius of a hypothesized circle with its area equaling leaf area. The estimates of n for the two species were ˂ 2, indicating that all sampled leaves conformed to SE and not to EE. This study confirms the existence of SE in leaves, linking this to its potential functional advantages, particularly the possible influence of leaf shape on hydraulic conductance.
Methodology for an automatic and early manufacturing technology selection on a component level
Authors: Buechler Tobias , Schumacher Felix , Reimann Patrick , Zaeh Michael F.
Published: September 2021

Production systems of the automotive industry process parts that were previously designed and manufactured according to different manufacturing technologies. In car body architectures, additive manufacturing (AM) has become a relevant technology for supplementing conventional manufacturing technologies, e.g., casting or forming technologies. This paper presents a methodology for an automatic and objective early-stage analysis of part features and the subsequent identification of the parts’ most suitable manufacturing technology. For this purpose, a comprehensive database is required, in which several technological and economic parameters need to be derived and predicted, including part requirements, production inherences, expected lifecycle costs, as well as geometric information. Based on this, data screening allows to effectively evaluate the technological and economic potential for a component to be manufactured either conventionally or additively in early product development phases. One core element is the part requirements derivation and analysis within one novel module of the part screening methodology. Subsequently, the product development process and the production system can be adapted according to the identified, most promising manufacturing technologies. Hence, this early-stage decision allows for cost reduction through an increased planning reliability. This work thus contributes to a successful co-evolution of smart product development and the production processes.
Modifying strategies for SDF-1/CXCR4 interaction during mesenchymal stem cell transplantation
Authors: Jiang Qin , Huang Keli , Lu Fang , Deng Shaoping , Yang Zhenglin , Hu Shengshou
Published: September 2021

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation is regarded as a promising candidate for the treatment of ischaemic heart disease. The major hurdles for successful clinical translation of MSC therapy are poor survival, retention, and engraftment in the infarcted heart. Stromal cell-derived factor-1/chemokine receptor 4 (SDF-1/CXCR4) constitutes one of the most efficient chemokine/chemokine receptor pairs regarding cell homing. In this review, we mainly focused on previous studies on how to regulate the SDF-1/CXCR4 interaction through various priming strategies to maximize the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on ischaemic hearts or to facilitate the required effects. The strengthened measures for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of the SDF-1/CXCR4 interaction for mesenchymal stem cell transplantation included the combination of chemokines and cytokines, hormones and drugs, biomaterials, gene engineering, and hypoxia. The priming strategies on recipients for stem cell transplantation included ischaemic conditioning and device techniques.
The burden of colorectal cancer survivors in the Netherlands: costs, utilities, and associated patient characteristics
Authors: Mulder Frederike E. C. M. , van Roekel Eline H. , Bours Martijn J. L. , Weijenberg Matty P. , Evers Silvia M. A. A.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The aim of this study is to assess the societal burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivorship 2–10 years post-diagnosis in terms of (1) societal costs, and (2) quality of life/utilities, and to analyze associated patient characteristics.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional, bottom-up prevalence-based burden of disease study, conducted from a societal perspective in the Netherlands. In total, 155 CRC survivors were included. Utilities were measured by the EQ-5D-5L, using the Dutch tariffs. A cost questionnaire was developed to obtain cost information. Subgroup analyses were performed, based on patient characteristics and sensitivity analyses.

Results

Of all CRC survivors, 81(54%) reported no problems for mobility, 133(88%) for self-care, 98(65%) for daily activities, 59(39%) for pain/discomfort, and 112(74%) for anxiety/depression on the EQ-5D-5L. The average EQ-5D-5L utility score was 0.82 (SD = 0.2) on a scale from 0 (death) to 1 (perfect health). Significant differences in utility score were found for gender, tumor stage, number of comorbidities, and lifestyle score. The average societal costs per CRC survivor per 6 months were estimated at €971 (min = €0, max = €32,425). Significant differences in costs were found for the number of comorbidities.

Conclusions

This study shows a considerable burden of CRC survivors 2–10 years after diagnosis, in comparison with survivors sooner after diagnosis and with healthy individuals in the Netherlands.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Long-term care of CRC survivors should focus on improving the societal burden by identifying modifiable factors, as summarized in the WCRF/AICR lifestyle score, including body composition, physical activity, and diet.
Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 6 regulated by miR-27a-3p attenuates tumor proliferation in breast cancer
Authors: Lei J. , Guo S. , Li K. , Tian J. , Zong B. , Ai T. , Peng Y. , Zhang Y. , Liu S.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive molecule which participates in many physical and pathological processes. Although LPA receptor 6 (LPAR6), the last identified LPA receptor, has been reported to have diverse effects in multiple cancers, including breast cancer, its effects and functioning mechanisms are not fully known.

Methods

Multiple public databases were used to investigate the mRNA expression of LPAR6, its prognostic value, and potential mechanisms in breast cancer. Western blotting was performed to validate the differential expression of LPAR6 in breast cancer tissues and their adjacent tissues. Furthermore, in vitro experiments were used to explore the effects of LPAR6 on breast cancer. Additionally, TargetScan and miRWalk were used to identify potential upstream regulating miRNAs and validated the relationship between miR-27a-3p and LPAR6 via real-time polymerase chain reaction and an in vitro rescue assay.

Results

LPAR6 was significantly downregulated in breast cancer at transcriptional and translational levels. Decreased LPAR6 expression in breast cancer is significantly correlated with poor overall survival, disease-free survival, and distal metastasis-free survival, particularly for hormone receptor-positive patients, regardless of lymph node metastatic status. In vitro gain and loss-of-function assays indicated that LPAR6 attenuated breast cancer cell proliferation. The analyses of TCGA and METABRIC datasets revealed that LPAR6 may regulate the cell cycle signal pathway. Furthermore, the expression of LPAR6 could be positively regulated by miR-27a-3p. The knockdown of miR-27a-3p increased cell proliferation, and ectopic expression of LPAR6 could partly rescue this phenotype.

Conclusion

LPAR6 acts as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer and is positively regulated by miR-27a-3p.
Attacking the linear congruential generator on elliptic curves via lattice techniques
Authors: Gutierrez Jaime
Published: September 2021

In this paper we study the linear congruential generator on elliptic curves from the cryptographic point of view. We show that if sufficiently many of the most significant bits of the composer and of three consecutive values of the sequence are given, then one can recover the seed and the composer (even in the case where the elliptic curve is private). The results are based on lattice reduction techniques and improve some recent approaches of the same security problem. We also estimate limits of some heuristic approaches, which still remain much weaker than those known for nonlinear congruential generators. Several examples are tested using implementations of ours algorithms.
A partial skeleton of Septencoracias from the early Eocene London Clay reveals derived features of bee-eaters (Meropidae) in a putative stem group roller (Aves, Coracii)
Authors: Mayr Gerald
Published: September 2021

A partial skeleton of the putative stem group roller Septencoracias is described from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK). With an age of about 55 million years, the bones represent one of the earliest fossil records of a coraciiform bird. The new fossil reveals that the proximal pedal phalanges of the three anterior toes of Septencoracias exhibit markedly widened distal ends. This distinctive trait is not found in other representatives of the Coracii, but occurs in the Meropidae (bee-eaters). The quadrate likewise exhibit a derived characteristic of the Meropidae, and the beak is narrower than in rollers. These previously unnoticed features are of particular interest, because the Meropidae result as the sister taxon of the Coracii in sequence-based analyses. Calibrated molecular data suggest that the divergence between the Coracii and the Meropidae occurred at 55.6 Ma, with the new fossil being only slightly younger than this date. However, phylogenetic analyses recovered Septencoracias within the Coracii, so that the derived features shared with the Meropidae most likely are either plesiomorphic and were lost in the Coracii, or they represent parallelisms that evolved convergently in Septencoracias and the Meropidae. In any case, these traits suggest that Septencoracias differed from extant rollers in its ecological preferences and foraging mode.
Industrially relevant ethylene trimerization catalysts and processes
Authors: Salian Subhas Madavu , Bagui Mahuya , Jasra Raksh Vir
Published: September 2021

1-Hexene is one of the comonomers used to produce mainly low linear density polyethylene (LLDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The production of 1-hexene by ethylene trimerization method gained much interest in petrochemical industry due to its high selectivity towards 1-hexene in comparison to traditional ethylene oligomerization method. In literature, many catalyst systems are reported for ethylene trimerization reaction, but only few of them qualify for the commercial applications. In the present review, activity and selectivity of commercially viable catalyst systems and amount of polyethylene formed as a by-product on using these catalyst systems were discussed. Special attention is given to Chevron Phillips ethylene trimerization technology which is one of the dominant technologies in the production of 1-hexene. The challenges such as fouling issues at commercial plant due to polyethylene by-product formation were discussed and the progress made to overcome the challenges were also discussed. New generation nontoxic titanium catalysts look promising and challenges involved in commercializing these catalysts were presented in the review.

Graphic abstract
Bile acids increase intestinal marker expression via the FXR/SNAI2/miR-1 axis in the stomach
Authors: Wang Na , Wu Siran , Zhao Jing , Chen Min , Zeng Jiaoxia , Lu Guofang , Wang Jiaojiao , Zhang Jian , Liu Junye , Shi Yongquan
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Intestinal metaplasia (IM) is a precancerous lesion that increases the risk of subsequent gastric cancer (GC) development. Previously, miR-1 has been shown to play an essential role in the initiation of bile acid (BA)-induced IM. The objective of the present study was to investigate the mechanism underlying miR-1 inhibition by BA in gastric cells.

Methods

Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was used to identify molecules acting upstream of miR-1. The effects of deoxycholic acid (DCA), FXR and SNAI2 on the expression of intestinal markers were assessed using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. The expression level of major molecules was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in tissue microarrays. The transcriptional regulation of miR-1 was verified using luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays.

Results

We found that BA treatment caused aberrant expression of FXR and intestinal markers in gastric cells. Augmented FXR led to transcriptional activation of SNAI2, which in turn suppressed the miR-1 promoter. Moreover, we found that compared with normal tissues, the expression levels of both FXR and SNAI2 were increased and positively correlated with each other in IM tissues. Additionally, their expression showed an inverse correlation with that of miR-1 in IM tissues.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that FXR may be responsible for a series of molecular changes in gastric cells after BA treatment, and that the FXR/SNAI2/miR-1 axis exhibits a crucial role in BA-induced progression of IM. Blocking the FXR-oriented axis may provide a promising approach for IM or even GC treatment.
“A Window of Opportunity”: Parenting and Addiction in the Context of Pregnancy
Authors: Flykt Marjo Susanna , Salo Saara , Pajulo Marjukka
Published: September 2021

Purpose of Review

Maternal prenatal substance use presents a multilevel risk to child development and parenting. Although parenting interventions are increasingly integrated into substance use treatment, prenatal parenting processes have not received equal attention within these interventions. This article aims to synthesize the evidence on the specific prenatal risk factors affecting the development of early parenting of substance-using mothers, as well as interventions focusing on those factors.

Recent Findings

Both neurobiological and psychosocial risk factors affect the prenatal development of parenting in the context of maternal substance use. Maternal–fetal attachment, mentalization, self-regulation, and psychosocial risks are important in treatment and highly intertwined with abstinence. Although parenting interventions seem to be highly beneficial, most studies have not differentiated between pre- and postnatal interventions or described pregnancy-specific intervention elements.

Due to the salience of pregnancy in treating substance-using parents, interventions should begin prenatally and include pregnancy-specific parenting focus. Further research on prenatal interventions is warranted.
Does the association of therapeutic exercise and supplementation with sucrosomial magnesium improve posture and balance and prevent the risk of new falls?
Authors: Scaturro Dalila , Vitagliani Fabio , Terrana Pietro , Tomasello Sofia , Camarda Lawrence , Letizia Mauro Giulia
Published: September 2021

Background

Fracture of the proximal femur is the most feared complication of osteoporosis. Given the numerous physiological functions that magnesium performs in our body, in the literature there is a correlation between osteoporosis and low serum levels of magnesium.

Aim

Evaluate the incidence of hypomagnesemia in patients with lateral fragility fracture of the proximal femur, the possible correlation between serum magnesium levels and fractures, and the effectiveness of supplementing Sucrosomial® magnesium associated with therapeutic exercise on the outcome of these patients.

Methods

We divided the study into two parts. In the first part, we assessed the preoperative incidence of hypomagnesemia in patients using a blood test. In the second part, patients with hypomagnesemia were divided, in the post-operative period, into two groups, who received, respectively, only therapeutic exercise or oral supplementation with sucrosomial magnesium associated with therapeutic exercise.

Results

Half of the patients with fragility femoral fracture had hypomagnesemia, with a higher incidence of the subclinical form. From the comparison between the two groups, the T1 treatment group showed a significant improvement in blood levels of magnesium (2.11 ± 0.15 vs. 1.94 ± 0.11; p < 0.05), on the NRS scale (5.7 ± 0.81 vs. 6.6 ± 1.18; p < 0.05), the Tinetti scale (17.3 ± 1.15 vs. 15.2 ± 2.98; p < 0.05) and the SarQoL questionnaire (47.3 ± 5.21 vs. 44.9 ± 5.54; p < 0.05).

Conclusions

More attention would be needed in the diagnosis and correction of subclinical hypomagnesemia and not just the simple and clinically evident one, including hypomagnesemia among the modifiable risk factors for osteoporosis.
L’approccio con analoghi della somatostatina nelle neoplasie neuroendocrine associate a sindromi neoplastiche multi-endocrine ereditarie
Authors: Sesti Franz , La Salvia Anna , Grinzato Chiara , Mazzilli Rossella , Faggiano Antongiulio
Published: September 2021

Sommario

Le neoplasie neuroendocrine (NEN) sono un gruppo eterogeneo di tumori, a insorgenza sporadica o ereditaria nel contesto di sindromi neoplastiche genetiche. Gli analoghi della somatostatina (SSA) sono considerati il trattamento di prima linea per le forme ben differenziate, non resecabili chirurgicamente o metastatiche. In letteratura esistono pochissimi studi dedicati al trattamento con SSA nelle NEN ereditarie e la maggior parte dei dati deriva da casistiche miste con prevalenza di forme sporadiche e da piccole serie o casi clinici. La maggior parte dei dati riguardano i tumori neuroendocrini pancreatici associati a sindrome neoplastica multiendocrina di tipo 1 (MEN1). Questi tumori sembrano essere particolarmente sensibili agli SSA, data l’elevatissima espressione dei recettori somatostatinergici e lo stadio tumorale localizzato nella maggior parte dei casi. Alcuni studi su casistiche dedicate sembrano suggerire un utilizzo precoce degli SSA nella MEN1 come agenti anti-tumorali e anti-secretori.
The Effect of Protein Structure and Concentration on Tribocorrosion and Film Formation on CoCrMo Alloys
Authors: Taufiqurrakhman Mohamad , Neville Anne , Bryant Michael G.
Published: September 2021

The formation of tribochemical reaction layers, better known as tribofilms, on cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloys commonly used in orthopaedic applications has been hypothesized to reduce degradation owing to wear and corrosion. However, the mechanisms and pathways influencing tribofilm formation remain largely unknown. This study aims to develop a clearer understanding of the role of protein structures and its concentration on tribocorrosion and surface tribofilms formed on CoCrMo alloys during boundary regime sliding. A reciprocating tribometer with a three-electrode electrochemical cell was employed to simulate and monitor the tribocorrosion of CoCrMo in situ. As-received Foetal Bovine Serum (as-FBS) and pre-heated FBS at 70 °C for 1 h (de-FBS) were diluted with saline (0.9% NaCl) at different concentrations (25% and 75% v/v) and utilized as electrolytes during the tribocorrosion tests. The result shows that the denatured protein structure in electrolyte tends to reduce the volume losses due to wear and corrosion on the CoCrMo samples with an appreciation of the protein tribofilms. On the other hand, an increased protein concentration increased the total volume loss due to corrosive processes. A novel finding revealed in this study is that the tribocorrosion mechanism of the CoCrMo surface is dependent on the protein structure, concentration and sliding duration due to the change in surface condition.
Putting AI ethics to work: are the tools fit for purpose?
Authors: Ayling Jacqui , Chapman Adriane
Published: September 2021

Bias, unfairness and lack of transparency and accountability in Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, and the potential for the misuse of predictive models for decision-making have raised concerns about the ethical impact and unintended consequences of new technologies for society across every sector where data-driven innovation is taking place. This paper reviews the landscape of suggested ethical frameworks with a focus on those which go beyond high-level statements of principles and offer practical tools for application of these principles in the production and deployment of systems. This work provides an assessment of these practical frameworks with the lens of known best practices for impact assessment and audit of technology. We review other historical uses of risk assessments and audits and create a typology that allows us to compare current AI ethics tools to Best Practices found in previous methodologies from technology, environment, privacy, finance and engineering. We analyse current AI ethics tools and their support for diverse stakeholders and components of the AI development and deployment lifecycle as well as the types of tools used to facilitate use. From this, we identify gaps in current AI ethics tools in auditing and risk assessment that should be considered going forward.
Coarse ethics: how to ethically assess explainable artificial intelligence
Authors: Izumo Takashi , Weng Yueh-Hsuan
Published: September 2021

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into human society mandates that their decision-making process is explicable to users, as exemplified in Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics. Such human interpretability calls for explainable AI (XAI), of which this paper cites various models. However, the transaction between computable accuracy and human interpretability can be a trade-off, requiring answers to questions about the negotiable conditions and the degrees of AI prediction accuracy that may be sacrificed to enable user-interpretability. The extant research has focussed on technical issues, but it is also desirable to apply a branch of ethics to deal with the trade-off problem. This scholarly domain is labelledcoarse ethicsin this study, which discusses two issues vis-à-vis AI prediction as a type of evaluation. First, which formal conditions would allow trade-offs? The study posits two minimal requisites: adequately high coverage and order-preservation. The second issue concerns conditions that could justify the trade-off between computable accuracy and human interpretability, to which the study suggests two justification methods: impracticability and adjustment of perspective from machine-computable to human-interpretable. This study contributes by connecting ethics to autonomous systems for future regulation by formally assessing the adequacy of AI rationales.
Hard Times: Prostate Cancer Patients’ Experiences with Erectile Aids
Authors: Walker Lauren M. , Sears Carly S. , Santos-Iglesias Pablo
Published: September 2021

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) treatments commonly lead to erectile difficulties. While the mainstay treatment is erectile aids (EAs) to promote erectile recovery, some men never use these treatments and those whose do use EAs often abandon them in the long-term.

Aim

The goal of this study was to examine PCa patients’ experiences with EAs, to elucidate relationships between experiences with EAs on psychological and sexual well-being, and to explore benefits and drawbacks to EA use.

Methods

A self-report survey including validated questionnaires was administered to examine PCa patients’ use and perceptions of helpfulness of EAs, and to characterize associations between use, perceived helpfulness, and psychological and sexual well-being. The survey was followed by an open-ended prompt to explore participants’ experiences with EAs.

Outcomes

We surveyed 260 North American men, up to 25 years after receiving treatment for PCa. Three groups of patients were observed, including those who used EAs and perceived them to be helpful, those who used EAs and perceived them to be unhelpful, as well as a smaller group of patients who never used EAs.

RESULTS

Around 80% of the sample were using or had used EAs. Despite the high frequency of use, not all men found EAs helpful. Men who used EAs and found them unhelpful reported poorer psychological and sexual well-being compared to men who didn’t use aids or who used EAs but found them helpful. Results indicated both benefits and drawbacks to the use of EAs. Benefits related largely to the efficacy of the aid in promoting erections. A wide range of drawbacks were also reported.

Clinical Implications

Given the negative sexual and psychological impacts associated with using EAs and finding them unhelpful, we suggest that researchers and health care providers should take care to proactively address potential challenges that are common with EA use, and also to consider the risks of failed attempts with EAs.

Strengths & Limitations

By using both scaled and open-ended questions, a more nuanced picture of the relative benefits and limitations of EA use within the PCa population is presented. As responses were not mandatory, a subset of participants provided comments about the use of EAs. Additionally, the sample was quite homogenous, with mostly white, American and well-educated participants, so it therefore lacks generalizability to other populations.

CONCLUSION

This paper illustrates several challenges to EA use, while providing insight into reasons for abandonment of use of EAs.