bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lingual location of Sweet's syndrome: A case report
Authors: Messirdi Selma , Tabeti-Bentahar Cherifa Faiza , Benaouf Souad , Khelifa Moussa , Mebarki Kaddour , Bouzouina Fatma
Published: February 2024

Context: Sweet's syndrome is a rare acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis and idiopathic in two-thirds of cases. The pathophysiological mechanisms of Sweet's syndrome are poorly understood. Observation: A 35 yr old female patient has been referred from the Dermatology Department to the Oral and Surgery Department, University Hospital Center of Oran (Algeria), for a lingual nodule. For medical history, the patient had a Sweet's syndrome diagnosed 1 yr ago and a rheumatoid arthritis treated with corticosteroids. An excisional biopsy of the lingual nodule was performed and the anatomopathological result revealed a pyogenic granuloma associated with polymorphonuclear neutrophilic vasculitis in the context of Sweet's syndrome. Discussion and conclusion: Sweet's syndrome is characterized by a constellation of clinical symptoms, biological and histological abnormalities and is manifested by the sudden appearance of painful skin lesions in the form of asymmetric erythematous papules, nodules or plaques. In the context of Sweet's syndrome, faced with an oral with cutaneous lesions a correlation and/or manifestation of neutrophilic dermatosis must be suspected.
Viruserkrankungen im Ayurveda am Beispiel des Long-Covid-Syndroms
Authors: Nagersheth Kalyani
Published: February 2024

Die ayurvedische Medizin stellt eine ergänzende Behandlungsmethode für Patient*innen dar, die vom Long-Covid-Syndrom betroffen sind. Im Ayurveda werden den Menschen sogenannte 3 Dosas zugeordnet: Vata, Pitta und Kapha. Dosas lassen sich übersetzen als „krankmachende Faktoren“. Auch die Symptome von Covid-19 wie Fieber, Kurzatmigkeit oder Schmerzen können den 3 Dosas zugeordnet werden. Heilpflanzen wie langer Pfeffer, Weihrauch oder Ashwagandha lassen sich zur Behandlung der Symptome einsetzen.
Gigantisches Chorionkarzinom bei einer multiparen Frau in der postpartalen Periode
Authors: Tskhay Vitaly , Kupriyanova Yulia , Kuzmina Svetlana , Vershinin Igor , Grebennikova E. K. , Khorzhevskii Vladimir A. , Khudyakov Alexander , Terjung Arne , Friedrich Michael
Published: February 2024

Das Chorionkarzinom ist eine seltene Erkrankung aus der Gruppe der bösartigen gestationstrophoblastischen Tumoren. Das klinische Bild wird von starken Gebärmutterblutungen, einer
inadäquaten Größenzunahme oder fehlenden Involution der Gebärmutter geprägt. Die Diagnose wird jedoch oft erst bei Vorliegen von Fernmetastasen in Leber, Lunge oder Gehirn gestellt. Dieser Artikel
stellt einen Fall eines riesigen Chorionkarzinoms vor, das bei einer multiparen Patientin 6 Monate nach dem letzten Partus diagnostiziert wurde.
Gallenblasenmetastase eines malignen Melanoms
Authors: Strick Alexander , Busch Hans , Friedhoff Klaus
Published: February 2024

Anamnese und klinischer Befund Ein 56-jähriger Patient stellte sich mit rezidivierenden rechtsseitigen Oberbauchschmerzen in unserer Sprechstunde vor. Bei sonst allgemeinem Wohlbefinden präsentierte er ein weiches Abdomen bei insgesamt unauffälligem Untersuchungsbefund. Außer einer Appendektomie sowie Exzision eines malignen Melanoms am Ellenbogen vor einigen Jahren bestanden keine weiteren Vorerkrankungen oder Voroperationen.

Untersuchungen Ein bereits extern angefertigtes CT des Abdomens zeigte eine Cholezystolithiasis sowie eine unklare Wandverdickung der Gallenblase. Laborchemisch konnten keine relevanten Auslenkungen festgestellt werden.

Diagnose, Therapie und Verlauf Nach unkomplizierter Cholezystektomie erfolgte histopathologisch im Präparat der Nachweis einer Metastase des vor Jahren behandelten malignen Melanoms. Im angeschlossenen Staging wurden außerdem weitere pulmonale Metastasen diagnostiziert und im weiteren Verlauf in palliativer Intention reseziert.

Folgerung Gallenblasenmetastasen sind eine Rarität – einige Studien lassen aber gerade beim malignen Melanom eine hohe Dunkelziffer vermuten.

Entsprechende Beschwerden bei onkologischer Anamnese sollten also eine aufmerksame Diagnostik zur Folge haben und die Indikation zur Cholezystektomie sollte großzügig gestellt werden.
Plasma Glucose Concentrations in Different Sampling Tubes Measured on
Different Glucose Analysers
Authors: Pleus Stefan , Beil Alexandra , Baumstark Annette , Haug Cornelia , Freckmann Guido
Published: February 2024

Introduction The German Diabetes Association recommends using sampling
tubes with citrate and fluoride additives to diagnose diabetes by oral glucose
tolerance test to inhibit glycolysis. The effect of different tubes on
measurement results was assessed.

Materials and Methods In a first study, an oral glucose tolerance test was
performed on 41 participants without anamnestically known diabetes. Venous blood
was sampled in two different tubes with citrate/fluoride additives from
different manufacturers and one with only lithium-heparin additive. A second
study with 42 participants was performed to verify the initial results with an
adapted design, in which a third tube with citrate buffer was used, and glucose
measurements were performed on two additional devices of another analyser model.
Samples were centrifuged either immediately (<5 min incubation time) or after
20 min or 4 h. All glucose measurements were performed in plasma. Glucose
concentrations in lithium-heparin tubes with<5 min incubation time served as
baseline concentrations.

Results In the first study, glucose concentrations in one of the
citrate/fluoride tubes were similar to the baseline. In the other
citrate/fluoride tube, markedly lower concentrations (approximately − 5 mg/dL
(− 0.28 mmol/L)) were measured. This was reproduced in the verification study
for the same analyser, but not with the other analyser model. Lithium-heparin
tubes centrifuged after 20 and 240 min showed systematically lower glucose
concentrations.

Conclusions The results confirm that glycolysis can be effectively
inhibited in citrate/fluoride-containing sampling tubes. However, glucose
measurement results of one analyser showed a relevant negative bias in tubes
containing liquid citrate buffer.
Treatment of Anorectal Malformations in German Hospitals: Analysis of National Hospital Discharge Data from 2016 to 2021
Authors: Wilms Miriam , Jenetzky Ekkehart , Märzheuser Stefanie , Busse Reinhard , Nimptsch Ulrike
Published: February 2024

Background Anorectal malformations (ARMs) are complex congenital anomalies. The corrective operation is demanding and schedulable. Based on complete national data, patterns of care have not been analyzed in Germany yet.

Methods All cases with ARM were analyzed (1) at the time of birth and (2) during the hospital stay for the corrective operation, based on the national hospital discharge data (DRG statistics). Patient's comorbidities, treatment characteristics, hospital structures, and the outcome of corrective operations were analyzed with respect to the hospitals' caseload.

Results From 2016 to 2021, 1,726 newborns with ARM were treated at the time of birth in 388 hospitals. Of these hospitals, 19% had neither a pediatric nor a pediatric surgical department. At least one additional congenital anomaly was present in 49% of cases and 7% of the newborns had a birthweight below 1,500 g.

In all, 2,060 corrective operations for ARM were performed in 113 hospitals in the same time period. In 24.5% of cases, at least one major complication was documented. One-third of the operations were performed in 56 hospitals, one-third in 20 hospitals, and one-third in 10 hospitals with median annual case numbers of 2, 5, and 10, respectively.

Hospitals with the highest caseload operated cloacal defects more often than hospitals with the lowest caseload (7 vs. 2%) and had more early complications than hospitals with the lowest caseload (30 vs. 21%). This difference was not statistically significant after risk adjustment.

Conclusions Children with ARM are multimorbid. Early complications after corrective surgery are common. Considering the large number of hospitals with a very low caseload, centralization of care for the complex and elective corrective surgery for ARM remains a key issue for quality of care.
Stagnation and De-segregation: The Expansion of Palestinian Arabs Education in Israel
Authors: Bar-Haim Eyal
Published: February 2024

Since the 1990s, Israel has gone through a significant academic educational expansion. However, the part of the Israeli citizen Palestinian Arab population in this expansion was delayed until the last decade. The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of the delayed participation of the Arab population in academic educational expansion. Using age-period-cohort models and labor force surveys from 1995 until 2021, I present the trends in the increasing participation of Palestinian Arabs and Jews in academic education. The results suggest that the primary cause of this increase was a change in gender norms that enabled Palestinian Arab women to engage more fully in educational pursuits. The differences among the Arab population (Muslims, Druze, and Christians) are also discussed.
Utilising the communication for development approach to prevent online child trafficking in Thailand
Authors: Kranrattanasuit Naparat
Published: February 2024

In Thailand, predators use online and offline methods to exploit migrant children as forced labourers in various industries, including shrimp and seafood processing, construction and agriculture. This study examines the current status of online child trafficking and considers how the communication for development (C4D) approach can be utilised to prevent these crimes. This study reviews papers and reports published in Thailand and abroad on online child and human trafficking, prevention methods and C4D. Moreover, the study used purposive sampling and interviewed Thai government officials and representatives from non-government organisations (NGOs) with expertise in migration issues. The findings reveal that human traffickers deceive migrant children into online child labour and trafficking through unregulated online channels. However, the Thai government has collaborated with local and international NGOs to apply C4D to reach out to children seeking employment in safe online spaces to prevent child trafficking. This paper argues that C4D is helpful for raising public awareness of the threats posed by human trafficking. Simultaneously, specific labour groups employ C4D Plus, which may be applicable in the prevention of online child trafficking.
Dimensions for a scale to evaluate the initial responses by organisational leaders against the pandemic
Authors: Bozkurt Bilgehan
Published: February 2024

Although there is a need for empirical studies to examine pandemic leadership, the existing scales of leadership assessment are controversial. The purpose, here, is to propose dimensions that could set foundations for an “organisational leadership evaluation scale” that evaluates the scientific significance of initial responses by organisational leaders against “the novel Coronavirus pandemic”. The research question is a practical one: “How can organisational leaders lead their organisations as a pandemic that has just started is increasingly raising concerns on health?”. Review research and a systematic review of the pre-pandemic publications about leadership, organisation, pandemic and health among various electronic scientific databases (e.g., Web of Science, Scopus, etc.) motivate new knowledge. The dimensions of what would have been a significant initial response to the pandemic are broadly emphasising health, having a global understanding, recognising competencies, not losing control and prioritising trust. These gender-neutral and style-free dimensions could form the dimensions of an “organisational leadership evaluation scale”. To perform, there is a need to support learning and “depth of knowledge” and to oppose superficiality, “convenience information” and “knowledge deficit”.
The spark of synchronization in heterogeneous networks of chaotic maps
Authors: Montalbán Antonio , Corder Rodrigo M.
Published: February 2024

We investigate the emergence of synchronization in heterogeneous networks of chaotic maps. Our findings reveal that a small cluster of highly connected maps is responsible for triggering the spark of synchronization. After the spark, the synchronized cluster grows in size and progressively moves to less connected maps, eventually reaching a cluster that may remain synchronized over time. We explore how the shape of the network degree distribution affects the onset of synchronization and derive an expression based on the network construction that determines the expected time for a network to synchronize. Understanding how the network design affects the spark of synchronization is particularly important for the control and design of more robust systems that require some level of coherence between a subset of units for better functioning. Numerical simulations in finite-sized networks are consistent with this analysis.
A contrastive analysis of English deverbal -er synthetic compounds and their Italian
equivalents
Authors: Mattiello Elisa
Published: February 2024

This study deals with English synthetic compounds ending in -er, such as heartbreaker,
time-killer, and bodybuilder, and their Italian equivalents. Synthetic compounds are very productive
in Germanic languages (e.g. E. heartbreaker, G. Herzensbrecher, D.
hartenbreker), but virtually absent in Romance languages, where various morphological forms and word-formation
strategies are used to render the same concepts (cf. It. rubacuori, Sp. rompecorazones, Fr.
tombeur). The analysis of English synthetic compounds still remains a controversial topic in morphological
accounts, with a lively theoretical debate between two mutually exclusive hypotheses, i.e. whether synthetic compounds have to be
analyzed as derivations (i.e. [[heart break] [-er]]) or as compounds (i.e.
[[heart] [break-er]]). In word-formation, they are part of transitional morphology, i.e.
they have an ambivalent status between derivation and compounding. This study explores a collection of about 100 English synthetic
compounds drawn from the English Lexicon Project database and compares them with their possible Italian
renditions. The contrastive analysis mainly aims at highlighting differences between the two morphological systems (cf. E.
time-killer/It. passatempo). Moreover, the study examines the translation procedures used to
render English synthetic compounds in OPUS2 Italian. Corpus-based results confirm that English and Italian display
language-specific constructions which may result in mis- or under-translation.
Design analysis of hybrid solar-wind renewable energy systems using water strider optimization
Authors: P Murugeswari , S Selvaperumal , S Nagalakshmi
Published: February 2024

Hybrid energy systems (HES) have the potential to reduce global warming and provide an affordable alternative to provide electricity access to remote regions. This paper proposes an optimal design of HES using water strider optimisation (WSO) with multi-objective parameters. A selection of appropriate components, sizing, radius index, pitch control, and battery bank size for a HES system is optimised with the WSO algorithm. The objective is to provide cost-efficient, dependable, and alternative energy optimisation in various load demand conditions. The designed parameters, including a battery bank of 2.5 kWh to 800 kWh, a solar photovoltaic (PV) array size of 50 kW to 300 kW in terms of load demand, a 2-axis tracking PV system with an area of 12 m2, and a wind turbine (WT) with a swept area of 22 m2 and a hub height of 12.3 m, make up an optimised HES. The single-family energy demand in India is the topic of this study, with a lifespan of 20 to 30 years.
Single-photon scattering and quantum entanglement of two giant atoms with azimuthal angle differences in a waveguide system
Authors: Huang 黄 Jin-Song 劲松 , Huang 黄 Hong-Wu 红武 , Li 李 Yan-Ling 艳玲 , Xu 徐 Zhong-Hui 中辉
Published: February 2024

We theoretically investigate coherent scattering of single photons and quantum entanglement of two giant atoms with azimuthal angle differences in a waveguide system. Using the real-space Hamiltonian, analytical expressions are derived for the transport spectra scattered by these two giant atoms with four azimuthal angles. Fano-like resonance can be exhibited in the scattering spectra by adjusting the azimuthal angle difference. High concurrence of the entangled state for two atoms can be implemented in a wide angle-difference range, and the entanglement of the atomic states can be switched on/off by modulating the additional azimuthal angle differences from the giant atoms. This suggests a novel handle to effectively control the single-photon scattering and quantum entanglement.
Multi-kilowatt cw laser power measurement comparison between national standards
Authors: Rogers Kyle , Williams Paul , Pastuschek Marcel , Lecher Holger , Kück Stefan , Lopez Marco , Lehman John
Published: February 2024

We present here the first comparison between National Metrology Institutes of high accuracy continuous wave optical power measurements in the kilowatt regime. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) performed measurements with a power meter relying on photon momentum. The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) performed measurements with a modified off-the-shelf thermal power meter. The non-absorbing photon momentum measurement approach permits the two power meters to measure the same laser beam optical path simultaneously, resulting in a direct comparison of the meters supported by an optical system to accommodate differences in instrument settling times. The results show agreement within the expanded uncertainties for each instrument. NIST and PTB illustrate a degree of equivalence of 0.49% with an expanded uncertainty of 1.37% (k = 2) for an average result across all power levels.
Research and development of the high precision low field dipole magnet for CEPC Booster
Authors: Kang Wen , Zhou Jianxin , Li Yuhui , Dai Xuwen , Guo Runbing , Mu Zhihui , Pan Juntong , Yang Mei , Chen Fusan
Published: February 2024

In the Conceptual Design Report (CDR) stage of the Circular
Electron and Positron Collider (CEPC), the injection energy of the
Booster is 10 GeV and minimal working field of the dipole magnets
is only 29 G, the magnets with iron cores could not meet the
requirement of the field precision due to the remnant field. In the
CEPC Technical Design Report (TDR) stage, the injection energy of
the Booster is increased to 30 GeV and the minimal working field of
the dipole magnets is raised to 95 G so that the influence of the
remnant field becomes relatively small, the iron core dipole magnets
can be used for the Booster. In this paper, the technical design of
the CEPC Booster dipole magnets is described, the development and
test of a full scale prototype pure dipole magnet are presented.
Braided biomimetic PCL grafts for anterior cruciate ligament repair and regeneration
Authors: Kadyr Sanazar , Nurmanova Ulpan , Khumyrzakh Bakhytbol , Zhakypbekova Aida , Saginova Dina , Daniyeva Nurgul , Erisken Cevat
Published: February 2024

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a knee joint stabilizer with a limited regeneration capacity mainly because of low cellular content. State-of-the-art procedures are unable to restore the functions of the tissue as demonstrated by limited success rates. Regenerative engineering can offer a solution for restoring the functions of torn/ruptured ligaments provided that biomimetic grafts are available as grafts/scaffolds. However, a model construct to test behavior of cells to better understand the healing mechanism of ACL is still missing. This study, firstly, aimed at creating an injured rabbit ACL model. Then, the injured and healthy ACL tissues were characterized in terms of alignment and diameter distributions of collagen fibrils. Next, polycaprolactone (PCL) grafts were prepared from braided electrospun meshes and were characterized in terms of alignment and diameter distributions of fibers. Finally, biomechanical properties of ACL tissue and mechanical properties of PCL grafts were determined and compared. Findings demonstrated that distributions of the fiber diameters of PCL electrospun grafts were similar to diameter distribution of collagens of healthy and injured rabbit ACL. The novelty of this study relies on the determination of the diameter distribution of collagens of healthy and injured rabbit ACL tissues, and fabrication of PCL grafts with diameter distributions similar to that seen in healthy and injured ACLs. This study is significant because it addresses a worldwide clinical problem associated with millions of patients. The fibrous biomimetic graft designed in this study is different from the traditional grafts that exhibit unimodal distribution, and it is expected to have a significant contribution to ACL regeneration efforts.
Acceleration and interannual variability of creep rates in mountain permafrost landforms (rock glacier velocities) in the European Alps in 1995–2022
Authors: Kellerer-Pirklbauer Andreas , Bodin Xavier , Delaloye Reynald , Lambiel Christophe , Gärtner-Roer Isabelle , Bonnefoy-Demongeot Mylène , Carturan Luca , Damm Bodo , Eulenstein Julia , Fischer Andrea , Hartl Lea , Ikeda Atsushi , Kaufmann Viktor , Krainer Karl , Matsuoka Norikazu , Morra Di Cella Umberto , Noetzli Jeannette , Seppi Roberto , Scapozza Cristian , Schoeneich Philippe , Stocker-Waldhuber Martin , Thibert Emmanuel , Zumiani Matteo
Published: February 2024

Cryospheric long-term timeseries get increasingly important. To document climate-related effects on long-term viscous creep of ice-rich mountain permafrost, we investigated timeseries (1995–2022) of geodetically-derived Rock Glacier Velocity (RGV), i.e. spatially averaged interannual velocity timeseries related to a rock glacier (RG) unit or part of it. We considered 50 RGV from 43 RGs spatially covering the entire European Alps. Eight of these RGs are destabilized. Results show that RGV are distinctly variable ranging from 0.04 to 6.23 m a−1. Acceleration and deceleration at many RGs are highly correlated with similar behaviour over 2.5 decades for 15 timeseries. In addition to a general long-term, warming-induced trend of increasing velocities, three main phases of distinct acceleration (2000–2004, 2008–2015, 2018–2020), interrupted by deceleration or steady state conditions, were identified. The evolution is attributed to climate forcing and underlines the significance of RGV as a product of the Essential Climate Variable (ECV) permafrost. We show that RGV data are valuable as climate indicators, but such data should always be assessed critically considering changing local factors (geomorphic, thermal, hydrologic) and monitoring approaches. To extract a climate signal, larger RGV ensembles should be analysed. Criteria for selecting new RGV-sites are proposed.
Artificial tumor matrices and bioengineered tools for tumoroid generation
Authors: Liu Yung-Chiang , Chen Ping , Chang Ray , Liu Xingjian , Jhang Jhe-Wei , Enkhbat Myagmartsend , Chen Shan , Wang Hongxia , Deng Chuxia , Wang Peng-Yuan
Published: February 2024

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is critical for tumor growth and metastasis. The TME contains cancer-associated cells, tumor matrix, and tumor secretory factors. The fabrication of artificial tumors, so-called tumoroids, is of great significance for the understanding of tumorigenesis and clinical cancer therapy. The assembly of multiple tumor cells and matrix components through interdisciplinary techniques is necessary for the preparation of various tumoroids. This article discusses current methods for constructing tumoroids (tumor tissue slices and tumor cell co-culture) for pre-clinical use. This article focuses on the artificial matrix materials (natural and synthetic materials) and biofabrication techniques (cell assembly, bioengineered tools, bioprinting, and microfluidic devices) used in tumoroids. This article also points out the shortcomings of current tumoroids and potential solutions. This article aims to promotes the next-generation tumoroids and the potential of them in basic research and clinical application.
Study and simulation of GaInP single junction solar cell
Authors: Charane H , Mahrane A , Mesrane A , Mazouz H
Published: February 2024

This study aims to improve the electrical performances of the GaxIn1-xP single junction solar cell. To this objective, a single-junction solar cell GaxIn1-xP has been simulated with different doping concentrations and thicknesses of the emitter and base region in order to improve its conversion efficiency. The simulations have been done taking into account the optical, electrical and physical properties of the GaxIn1-xP according to the indium composition. The physical models such as the radiative, Auger and Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) recombination were also considered. The optimized single junction Ga0.04In0.96P (1.39 eV) solar cell structure achieved, showed, under standard conditions (1-sun, AM1.5, 300 K), a maximum conversion efficiency of 23.73%. Moreover, the effects of the thickness and the doping concentration of each region on the electrical parameters of the Ga0.04In0.96P solar cell were also studied.
Structure prediction of linear and cyclic peptides using CABS-flex
Authors: Badaczewska-Dawid Aleksandra , Wróblewski Karol , Kurcinski Mateusz , Kmiecik Sebastian
Published: February 2024

The structural modeling of peptides can be a useful aid in the discovery of new drugs and a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of life. Here we present a novel multiscale protocol for the structure prediction of linear and cyclic peptides. The protocol combines two main stages: coarse-grained simulations using the CABS-flex standalone package and an all-atom reconstruction-optimization process using the Modeller program. We evaluated the protocol on a set of linear peptides and two sets of cyclic peptides, with cyclization through the backbone and disulfide bonds. A comparison with other state-of-the-art tools (APPTEST, PEP-FOLD, ESMFold and AlphaFold implementation in ColabFold) shows that for most cases, AlphaFold offers the highest resolution. However, CABS-flex is competitive, particularly when it comes to short linear peptides. As demonstrated, the protocol performance can be further improved by combination with the residue–residue contact prediction method or more efficient scoring. The protocol is included in the CABS-flex standalone package along with online documentation to aid users in predicting the structure of peptides and mini-proteins.
MoDAFold: a strategy for predicting the structure of missense mutant protein based on AlphaFold2 and molecular dynamics
Authors: Zheng Lingyan , Shi Shuiyang , Sun Xiuna , Lu Mingkun , Liao Yang , Zhu Sisi , Zhang Hongning , Pan Ziqi , Fang Pan , Zeng Zhenyu , Li Honglin , Li Zhaorong , Xue Weiwei , Zhu Feng
Published: February 2024

Protein structure prediction is a longstanding issue crucial for identifying new drug targets and providing a mechanistic understanding of protein functions. To enhance the progress in this field, a spectrum of computational methodologies has been cultivated. AlphaFold2 has exhibited exceptional precision in predicting wild-type protein structures, with performance exceeding that of other methods. However, predicting the structures of missense mutant proteins using AlphaFold2 remains challenging due to the intricate and substantial structural alterations caused by minor sequence variations in the mutant proteins. Molecular dynamics (MD) has been validated for precisely capturing changes in amino acid interactions attributed to protein mutations. Therefore, for the first time, a strategy entitled ‘MoDAFold’ was proposed to improve the accuracy and reliability of missense mutant protein structure prediction by combining AlphaFold2 with MD. Multiple case studies have confirmed the superior performance of MoDAFold compared to other methods, particularly AlphaFold2.
HiTaxon: a hierarchical ensemble framework for taxonomic classification of short reads
Authors: Verma Bhavish , Parkinson John
Published: February 2024

Motivation

Whole microbiome DNA and RNA sequencing (metagenomics and metatranscriptomics) are pivotal to determining the functional roles of microbial communities. A key challenge in analyzing these complex datasets, typically composed of tens of millions of short reads, is accurately classifying reads to their taxa of origin. While still performing worse relative to reference-based short-read tools in species classification, ML algorithms have shown promising results in taxonomic classification at higher ranks. A recent approach exploited to enhance the performance of ML tools, which can be translated to reference-dependent classifiers, has been to integrate the hierarchical structure of taxonomy within the tool’s predictive algorithm.

Results

Here, we introduce HiTaxon, an end-to-end hierarchical ensemble framework for taxonomic classification. HiTaxon facilitates data collection and processing, reference database construction and optional training of ML models to streamline ensemble creation. We show that databases created by HiTaxon improve the species-level performance of reference-dependent classifiers, while reducing their computational overhead. In addition, through exploring hierarchical methods for HiTaxon, we highlight that our custom approach to hierarchical ensembling improves species-level classification relative to traditional strategies. Finally, we demonstrate the improved performance of our hierarchical ensembles over current state-of-the-art classifiers in species classification using datasets comprised of either simulated or experimentally derived reads.

Availability and implementation

HiTaxon is available at: https://github.com/ParkinsonLab/HiTaxon.
Breastfeeding decreases the risk of developing psoriasis through to early adulthood
Authors: Das Debojyoti , Thimjo Joana , Lebena Andrea , Guo Annie , Enerbäck Charlotta , Ludvigsson Johnny
Published: February 2024

Background

Psoriasis is a genetically determined systemic skin disease, although environmental trigger factors are required for disease manifestation. Some of these triggers, such as stress, infections and drug exposure, have been identified.

Objectives

To explore the role of early nutrition as a risk factor for the development of psoriasis.

Methods

Parents in the All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) prospective birth cohort (n = 16 415) answered questionnaires at birth and when their children were aged 1 and 3 years. A diagnosis of psoriasis was determined from the Swedish National Patient Register and National Drug Prescription Register. Statistical analyses were conducted using custom-written R scripts.

Results

Individuals breastfed for < 4 months and who received infant formula before 4 months of age had a higher risk of psoriasis [odds ratio (OR) 1.84 (P = 0.02) and OR 1.88 (P = 0.02), respectively]. At the 3-year follow-up, the increased consumption of fish, especially from the Baltic Sea, increased the risk of psoriasis (OR 9.61; P = 0.003). In addition, the risk of psoriasis increased following the consumption of a large volume of milk (OR 2.53; P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Our study underscores, for the first time, the impact of very early nutrition on the manifestation of psoriasis through early adulthood. Exclusive breastfeeding for 4 months appears to be protective.
Impact of adrenal surgeon volume on outcome: analysis of 4464 operations from the United Kingdom Registry of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgery (UKRETS)
Authors: Rajan Sendhil , Patel Neil , Stechman Michael , Balasubramanian Sabapathy P , Mihai Radu , Aspinall Sebastian
Published: February 2024

Background

There is a surgeon volume–outcome effect in adrenal surgery but the threshold for high-volume surgeon remains controversial. This study aimed to determine predictors of high-risk adrenal operations and to explore whether these should be restricted to high-volume surgeons.

Methods

Patients undergoing adrenal surgery and registered in the United Kingdom Registry of Endocrine and Thyroid Surgery between 2004 and 2021 were analysed. Outcomes included postoperative complications, duration of hospital stay, and mortality. Factors included in multivariable analysis were age, sex, diagnosis, surgical approach, laterality, and surgeon volume. Patients with missing data were excluded.

Results

A total of 4464 of 6174 patients (72.3%) were analysed. Postoperative complications occurred in 418 patients (9.4%) and 14 (0.3%) died. Median duration of hospital stay was 3 (i.q.r. 2–5) days. Co-variables significantly associated with an increase or decrease in postoperative complications (P < 0.050) were age (OR 1.02, 95% c.i. 1.01 to 1.03), adrenal cancer (OR 1.64, 1.14 to 2.36), minimally invasive approach (OR 0.317, 0.248 to 0.405), bilateral surgery (OR 1.66, 1.03 to 2.69), and surgeon volume (OR 0.98, 0.96 to 0.99). An increase or decrease in mortality was associated with patient age (OR 1.08, 1.03 to 1.13), minimally invasive approach (OR 0.08, 0.02 to 0.27), and bilateral surgery (OR 6.93, 1.40 to 34.34). The incidence of postoperative complications was significantly lower above a threshold of 12 operations per year (P = 0.034) and 20 per year (P < 0.001), but not six per year (P = 0.540). Median duration of hospital stay was 2 days for surgeons doing over 20 operations per year, compared with 3 days for those undertaking fewer than 20, fewer than 12 or fewer than 6 operations per year.

Conclusion

Increasing surgical volume is associated with shorter hospital stay and fewer complications. This analysis supports the case for centralization of surgery for adrenal cancer and bilateral tumours to higher-volume surgeons performing a minimum of 12 operations per year.
Floral resources enhance fitness of the parasitoid Hadronotus pennsylvanicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) but not biological control of its host Leptoglossus zonatus (Heteroptera: Coreidae)
Authors: Straser Robert K , Daane Kent M , Stahl Judith M , Wilson Houston
Published: February 2024

The diet of adult parasitoid wasps is vital for their survival and reproduction. However, the availability of food resources, such as plant nectar, can vary widely in cropping systems, potentially affecting parasitoid fitness and thereby biological control of pests. The egg parasitoid Hadronotus pennsylvanicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is a potential biological control agent of the pistachio pest Leptoglossus zonatus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Coreidae). While H. pennsylvanicus is known to attack L. zonatus eggs in California, USA, parasitism rates in orchards are highly variable. Floral resource provisioning has the potential to enhance parasitoid longevity and thus improve parasitism rates, leading to reduced pest densities. Here, a combination of field and laboratory studies was used to assess the influence of flowering groundcovers on the reproductive fitness of H. pennsylvanicus and the abundance of L. zonatus. Evaluated groundcovers included oat (Avena sativa L.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.), white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench). Under laboratory conditions, buckwheat and mustard provided the greatest benefit to female H. pennsylvanicus longevity. However, females provided a buckwheat diet produced the greatest number of offspring over the course of their lifetime. In field trials, flowering groundcovers did not influence the abundance of H. pennsylvanicus nor parasitism rates on L. zonatus. While the availability of floral resources can improve the reproductive fitness of H. pennsylvanicus, the use of groundcovers in pistachio did not enhance biological control of L. zonatus.
Resting posture drives the evolution of agonistic displays in bats
Authors: Zhang Chunmian , Ji Ligen , Li Ziji , Lucas Jeffrey R , Feng Jiang , Sun Congnan , Jiang Tinglei
Published: February 2024

Agonistic displays are one of the most diverse social behaviors that have important functions in animal’s life history. However, their origin and driving factors have largely been unexplored. Here, we evaluated agonistic displays of 71 bat species across 10 families and classified these displays into two categories: (a) boxing displays where a bat attacks its opponent with its wrist and thumb and (b) pushing displays where a bat uses its head or body to hit a rival. We estimated the strength of the phylogenetic signal of the agonistic displays, revealed their origin, and tested the potential evolutionary relationships between agonistic behaviors and body size or resting posture (free hanging vs. contact hanging where the bat is in contact with some surface). We found that agonistic displays were phylogenetically conserved and that boxing displays are the ancestral state. Moreover, we found that bats with a free-hanging resting posture were more likely to exhibit boxing displays than pushing displays. In addition, bats with longer forearms do not have a higher propensity for boxing displays. This study expands our limited knowledge of the evolution of agonistic displays and highlights the importance of resting posture as a driving force in the diversity of agonistic displays.
The haplolethal gene wupA of Drosophila exhibits potential as a target for an X-poisoning gene drive
Authors: Lawler Clancy D , Nuñez Ana Karla Parra , Hernandes Natalia , Bhide Soumitra , Lohrey Isabelle , Baxter Simon , Robin Charles
Published: February 2024

A synthetic gene drive that targets haplolethal genes on the X chromosome can skew the sex ratio toward males. Like an “X-shredder,” it does not involve “homing,” and that has advantages including the reduction of gene drive resistance allele formation. We examine this “X-poisoning” strategy by targeting 4 of the 11 known X-linked haplolethal/haplosterile genes of Drosophila melanogaster with CRISPR/Cas9. We find that targeting the wupA gene during spermatogenesis skews the sex ratio so fewer than 14% of progeny are daughters. That is unless we cross the mutagenic males to X^XY female flies that bear attached-X chromosomes, which reverses the inheritance of the poisoned X chromosome so that sons inherit it from their father, in which case only 2% of the progeny are sons. These sex ratio biases suggest that most of the CRISPR/Cas9 mutants we induced in the wupA gene are haplolethal but some are recessive lethal. The males generating wupA mutants do not suffer from reduced fertility; rather, the haplolethal mutants arrest development in the late stages of embryogenesis well after fertilized eggs have been laid. This provides a distinct advantage over genetic manipulation strategies involving sterility which can be countered by the remating of females. We also find that wupA mutants that destroy the nuclear localization signal of shorter isoforms are not haplolethal as long as the open reading frame remains intact. Like D. melanogaster, wupA orthologs of Drosophila suzukii and Anopheles mosquitos are found on X chromosomes making wupA a viable X-poisoning target in multiple species.
An update on the biological parameters of the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Vigo Maria , Galimany Eve , Poch Patricia , Santos-Bethencourt Ricardo , Sala-Coromina Joan , Bahamón Nixon , Aguzzi Jacopo , Navarro Joan , Company Joan B
Published: February 2024

The Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus, is one of the most valuable fishery resources in many coastal countries of the Mediterranean Sea and the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. In the Mediterranean Sea, several stocks are being overexploited, with ecological, economic, and social consequences. To perform an adequate stock assessment and provide guidance on maximum sustainable yield, reliable biological parameters of the species are required. Considering that biological parameters may change over time in overexploited populations, in the present study, we updated key biological parameters for the N. norvegicus stock of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea: size at which 50% (L50) of females were in reproductive condition, length–weight relationship, and individual size structure. Moreover, daily landings were combined with the spatial position of the vessels tracked by their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), to obtain information on the geographical distribution and time series of Landings Per Unit Effort (LPUE), as well as total landings from 2008 to 2021. Our results suggest overexploitation of the resource, revealing a severe reduction in size at 50% maturity, an earlier spawning and brooding period, and a clear decrease of LPUE over time.
Prevalence, inequality and associated factors of overweight/obesity among Bangladeshi adolescents aged 15–19 years
Authors: Ahmed Md Sabbir , Khan Safayet , Islam Mansura , Islam Md Irteja , Hossain Md Musharraf , Khan Bayezid , Yunus Fakir Md
Published: February 2024

Background

The objective of the current study was to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of overweight/obesity among Bangladeshi adolescents aged 15–19 y and to identify whether wealth-related inequality exists for overweight/obesity among Bangladeshi older adolescents.

Methods

We analyzed publicly available national representative secondary data from the 2019–2020 Bangladesh Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Survey. This cross-sectional survey was carried out among 18 249 adolescents aged 15–19 y regardless of their marital status using a two-stage stratified sampling technique (the data of 9128 eligible adolescents were included in this analysis). The WHO reference population for body mass index-for-age (1+Z score) was considered as overweight/obesity.

Results

We found that girls had significantly (p<0.05) higher prevalence of overweight/obesity (11.63%) than boys (8.25%); however, their biological sex as well their age were not significantly associated with higher odds of overweight/obesity. Those who were in their higher grade (grade 11 and higher) in the school and had been exposed to media were more likely (1.67 and 1.39 times, respectively) to be overweight/obesity compared with primary grade (0–5) and those who experienced no media exposure, respectively. Inequality analysis revealed that adolescents belonging to wealthy households had significantly higher rates of overweight/obesity than those in poorer households (concentration index=0.093).

Conclusions

The study exhibited the multifaceted nature of overweight/obesity among Bangladeshi older teenagers, revealing that their school grade, exposure to media content and wealth-related inequality emerged as significant contributing factors. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and public health strategies to address the escalating burden of overweight and obesity in this age group.
Correlation between tibial and femoral bone and cartilage changes in end-stage knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Azari Fahimeh , Colyn William , Bellemans Johan , Scheys Lennart , van Lenthe G Harry
Published: February 2024

Knee osteoarthritis is a whole joint disease highlighting the coupling of cartilage and bone adaptations. However, the structural properties of the subchondral bone plate (SBP) and underlying subchondral trabecular bone (STB) in the femoral compartment have received less attention compared to the tibial side. Furthermore, how the properties in the femoral compartment relate to those in the corresponding tibial site is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the structural bone and cartilage morphology in the femoral compartment and investigate its association with those of the tibial plateau. Specifically, tibial plateaus and femoral condyles were retrieved from 28 patients with end-stage knee-osteoarthritis (OA) and varus deformity. The medial condyle of tibial plateaus and the distal part of the medial femoral condyles were micro-CT scanned (20.1 μm/voxel). Cartilage thickness (Cart.Th), SBP, and STB microarchitecture were quantified. Significant (P < <.001; 0.79 ≤ r ≤ 0.97) correlations with a relative difference within 10% were found between the medial side of the femoral and tibial compartments. The highest correlations were found for SBP porosity (r = 0.97, mean absolute difference of 0.50%, and mean relative difference of 9.41%) and Cart.Th (r = 0.96, mean absolute difference of 0.18 mm, and relative difference of 7.08%). The lowest correlation was found for trabecular thickness (r = 0.79, mean absolute difference of 21.07 μm, and mean relative difference of 5.17%) and trabecular number (r = 0.79, mean absolute difference of 0.18 mm−1, and relative difference of 5.02%). These findings suggest that the distal femur is affected by OA in a similar way as the proximal tibia. Given that bone adaptation is a response to local mechanical forces, our results suggest that varus deformity similarly affects the stress distribution of the medial tibial plateau and the medial distal femur.
Can social media combat gender inequalities in academia? Measuring the prevalence of the Matilda effect in communication
Authors: Song Yunya , Wang Xiaohui , Li Guanrong
Published: February 2024

This study sought to investigate whether scholarly impact and academic influence differ between men and women in the field of communication and the extent to which the gender gap has persisted on social media platforms, an arena increasingly used for research dissemination. Data were collected from 10,736 articles, published in prominent communication journals between 2012 and 2022, using a combination of three sources: OpenAlex, Altmetric, and Twitter. The gender of 6,827 first authors was identified using ChatGPT, with an accuracy of 0.94. The findings confirmed the presence of the Matilda effect, indicating a bias toward male scholars in terms of research performance, academic mobility, and online popularity. Furthermore, the study revealed uneven gains between male and female scholars in their use of social media for research dissemination. These results have implications for how science communities can effectively promote research on social media.
Patenting artificial intelligence: the High Court’s decision in Emotional Perception
Authors: Dinev Plamen
Published: February 2024

In Emotional Perception, the EWHC held that an artificial neural network implementing a media recommendation system did not engage the ‘computer program’ exclusion under the Patents Act 1977. Following the ruling, the UK Intellectual Property Office suspended its existing rules on AI patents and issued fresh guidance on the issue.