bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Initiation of Continuous rhPTH Infusion With Insulin Pump in an Inpatient Setting
Authors: Lindsay Mart Faith , Winer Karen K , Johnson Karla , Wasserman Halley
Published: November 2023

Hypoparathyroidism is one of the few remaining hormonal insufficiencies not treated with replacement of its missing hormone. Conventional therapy involves multiple daily oral doses of calcium, active vitamin D, and magnesium, which is not only cumbersome for patients, but carries risk of nephrocalcinosis and is inadequate in patients with enteral malabsorption. Subcutaneous parathyroid hormone 1-34 (PTH[1-34]) has been tested as a hormonal replacement therapy for treatment of hypoparathyroidism. PTH(1-34) delivered by continuous infusion via insulin pump decreases or eliminates the need for oral medications, stabilizes serum and urine calcium at normal levels with minimal fluctuation, and significantly reduces PTH doses. In this case report, we describe the clinical application of PTH(1-34) via insulin pump in an adolescent with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 1 (APS1). Transition to a PTH pump reduced hospital admissions for calcium abnormalities and allowed our patient to discontinue all scheduled daily conventional therapy.
Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (Part II): Guidelines for Performing the Systematic Review
Authors: D’Souza Ryan S. , Barrington Michael J. , Sen Ananda , Mascha Edward J. , Kelley George A.
Published: November 2023

In Part I of this series, we provide guidance for preparing a systematic review protocol. In this article, we highlight important steps and supplement with exemplars on conducting and reporting the results of a systematic review. We suggest how authors can manage protocol violations, multiplicity of outcomes and analyses, and heterogeneity. The quality (certainty) of the evidence and strength of recommendations should follow the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. It is our goal that Part II of this series provides valid guidance to authors and peer reviewers who conduct systematic reviews to adhere to important constructs of transparency, structure, reproducibility, and accountability. This will likely result in more rigorous systematic reviews being submitted for publication to the journals like Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine and Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Pre-gelation staining expansion microscopy for visualisation of the Plasmodium liver stage
Authors: Atchou Kodzo , Berger Bianca Manuela , Heussler Volker , Ochsenreiter Torsten
Published: November 2023

Fluorescence and light microscopy are important tools in the history of natural science. However, the resolution of microscopes is limited by the diffraction of light. One possible method to circumvent this physical restriction is the recently developed expansion microscopy (ExM). However, the original ultrastructure ExM (U-ExM) protocol is very time-consuming, and some epitopes are lost during the process. In this study, we developed a shortened pre-gelation staining ExM (PS-ExM) protocol and tested it to investigate the Plasmodium liver stage. The protocol presented in this study allows expanding of pre-stained samples, which results in shorter incubation times, better preservation of some epitopes and the advantage that non-expanded controls can be performed alongside using the same staining protocol. The protocol applicability was accessed throughout the Plasmodium liver stage, showing isotropic five-fold expansion. Furthermore, we used PS-ExM to visualise parasite mitochondria as well as the association of lysosomes to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) as an example of visualising host–pathogen interaction. We are convinced that this new tool will be helpful for a deeper understanding of the biology of the Plasmodium liver stage.
Η θέση και ο ρόλος της Ρόδου και των νησιών της Δωδεκανήσου στο θαλάσσιο δίκτυο επαφών και ανταλλαγών του Νοτίου Αιγαίου με τη Μινωική Κρήτη, τη Μυκηναϊκή Ελλάδα, τα παράλια της Μ. Ασίας και τις περιοχές της Νοτιοανατολικής Μεσογείου την εποχή του χαλκού
Authors: Διακαντώνης Ηλίας
Published: November 2023

Το νοτιοανατολικό Αιγαίο της Ύστερης Εποχής του Χαλκού θα πρέπει να θεωρείται υπό το πρίσμα μιας δικής του -περισσότερο εσωτερικής- δυναμικής και όχι απλώς ως μυκηναϊκό υπερπόντιο τμήμα του ελληνικού ηπειρωτικού χώρου. Σε αυτό συνεπικουρεί η κατανόηση των σχέσεων μεταξύ των δύο περιοχών (του νοτιοανατολικού Αιγαίου και της ηπειρωτικής χώρας), όπως αυτές μαρτυρούνται από τα ταφικά σύνολα που έχουν έρθει στο φως. Η δημιουργία στη Ρόδο και η διάχυση στις υπόλοιπες περιοχές του νοτιοανατολικού Αιγαίου μιας νέας -ωστόσο μυκηναϊκής- ταυτότητας, είναι δυνατό να ανιχνευθεί μέσω του ροδιακού αποτυπώματος τόσο στα υπόλοιπα νησιά του νοτιοανατολικού Αιγαίου (Δωδεκάνησα) όσο και στη νοτιοδυτική παράκτια Ανατολία κατά την Ύστερη Εποχή του Χαλκού. Από τα μέχρι σήμερα ταφικά ανασκαφικά δεδομένα, φαίνεται -αρκετά καλά- ότι το νοτιοανατολικό Αιγαίο μπορεί να θεωρηθεί ως μια αυτόνομη (ή ημιαυτόνομη) μυκηναϊκή πολιτειακή οντότητα με το κέντρο της, τουλάχιστον κατά την ΥΕIIIA2 περίοδο να βρίσκεται στο νησί της Ρόδου και πιο συγκεκριμένα στην Ιαλυσό (περιοχή Τριάντα).
State sovereignty, statist bordering principles, and the statocentric spatio-political imaginary
Authors: Smoleński Jan
Published: November 2023

In this paper I investigate the process of modern State formation focusing on the spatiality of the State, bordering in particular, and its links to State sovereignty. The State has its double origin in the collapse of the faith-based unity of Respublica Christiana in Europe and in the colonial encounter with non-European peoples of the New World. Contrary to the theories of modern State formation that consider it to be a European endogenous process, I argue that colonialism was a necessary condition for the emergence of the modern State. In particular, colonialism was essential for the emergence of the notion of sovereign equality of States among European rulers, and of the statist bordering principles of fixity and clear inside/outside distinction that were first implemented in the New World. In the paper I trace how sovereignty and bordering come together in the political form of the State, trace theoretical and practical links between the two, and explore the statocentric spatio-political imaginary.
Climate migrations as a subject of the American national security policy
Authors: Anita Adamczyk , Mrozowska Sylwia
Published: November 2023

This article draws attention to the growing importance of climate migration as a subject of national security. The United States of America (USA) was cited as a global leader upon which the international community places its hopes in combating climate change. With this in mind, an analysis was conducted on the institutional and normative actions of the American administration during the presidency of Joe Biden, which were a direct response to the effects of the climate crisis. These actions show the increased involvement of the USA administration in trying to define climate migration as a serious national security problem. In the article, we argue that with the change in the presidency in 2021, there was an increased commitment to climate migrants accompanied by a growing awareness of climate change. In the analysis of the cognitive problem, research methods characteristic of the following sciences were used: political (decision-making method), legal (dogmatic method), and historical sciences. The article is descriptive and explanatory.
Calibrating Sales Forecasts in a Pandemic Using Competitive Online Nonparametric Regression
Authors: Simchi-Levi David , Sun Rui , Wu Michelle Xiao , Zhu Ruihao
Published: November 2023

Motivated by our collaboration with Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), a consumer packaged goods (CPG) company, we consider the problem of forecasting sales under the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Our approach combines nonparametric regression, game theory, and pandemic modeling to develop a data-driven competitive online nonparametric regression method. Specifically, the method takes the future COVID-19 case estimates, which can be simulated via the susceptible-infectious-removed (SIR) epidemic model as an input, and outputs the level of calibration for the baseline sales forecast generated by AB InBev. In generating the calibration level, we focus on an online learning setting where our algorithm sequentially predicts the label (i.e., the level of calibration) of a random covariate (i.e., the current number of active cases) given past observations and the generative process (i.e., the SIR epidemic model) of future covariates. To provide robust performance guarantee, we derive our algorithm by minimizing regret, which is the difference between the squared [Formula: see text]-norm associated with labels generated by the algorithm and labels generated by an adversary and the squared [Formula: see text]-norm associated with labels generated by the best isotonic (nondecreasing) function in hindsight and the adversarial labels. We develop a computationally efficient algorithm that attains the minimax-optimal regret over all possible choices of the labels (possibly non-i.i.d. and even adversarial). We demonstrate the performances of our algorithm on both synthetic and AB InBev’s data sets of three different markets (each corresponds to a country) from March 2020 to March 2021. The AB InBev’s numerical experiments show that our method is capable of reducing the forecast error in terms of weighted mean absolute percentage error (WMAPE) and mean squared error (MSE) by more than 37% for the company.

This paper was accepted by J. George Shanthikumar, data science.

Funding: This work was partially supported by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Data Science Lab and AB-InBev Corporation.

Supplemental Material: The e-companion and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4969 .
‘Customer is king’: gig work in a small South African city and the varieties of digital control and workers’ responses
Authors: Chinguno Crispen
Published: November 2023

The digital revolution typified by pervasive intrusion of digital technology into our everyday practices raises questions concerning the impact on the organisation of work and workers’ experiences. Drawing from workers’ subjective views, this article examines how the intervention of digital technology in the gig food delivery sector in Kimberley, South Africa, shapes the organisation of work and patterns of workers’ experiences and responses. The article, informed by labour process theory, highlights the platforms’ diverse business models and how they embrace digital technology informs the nature of the labour process, employment relations and workers’ response. For example, the ‘paradoxical’ nature of customer rating systems, and a culture of tipping, which, while allowing workers to ‘extract surplus value outside the direct control of the platforms’ serves to control and manage workers’ performance. This individualisation of income determination further isolates workers from each other and ‘undermines their sense of collective solidarity’. This affirms the on-going importance of human interaction in the digital labour process and the ways in which these technologies intersect with racial inequalities, perpetuating discriminatory service delivery practices. The organisation of gig delivery work is not just about controlling the labour process to maximise capital accumulation. It is embedded in practices aimed at (re)configuring both the workers and societal norms, values and culture, and, in the process, produce new traditions of work and worker subjectivities. However, workers do not blindly surrender to this logic but have the capacity to subvert this by forging means which propels them to exercise some form of control in how their work is organised.
Prairie Madness: Mental Illness and Norwegian Immigration to North America in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
Authors: Langum Virginia
Published: November 2023

Abstract: In the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, there was widespread concern about the fate of immigrants to the United States. One area of particular concern was mentally ill immigrants, as illustrated in contemporaneous screening procedures, asylum reports, government commissions, popular media, fiction, and scientific studies. This article examines the depiction of one mentally ill immigrant in O. E. Rølvaag's novel Giants in the Earth within the context of these discussions. The novel, published originally in two parts in 1924 and 1925 in Norwegian, was translated in collaboration with the author into English in 1927. While many explanations were posited for rates of mental illness among immigrants to North America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Rølvaag presents a more nuanced view which accounts for mental responses to change of climate, environment, and cultural loss.
Video-based sympathetic arousal assessment via peripheral blood flow estimation
Authors: Braun Björn , McDuff Daniel , Baltrusaitis Tadas , Holz Christian
Published: November 2023

Electrodermal activity (EDA) is considered a standard marker of sympathetic activity. However, traditional EDA measurement requires electrodes in steady contact with the skin. Can sympathetic arousal be measured using only an optical sensor, such as an RGB camera? This paper presents a novel approach to infer sympathetic arousal by measuring the peripheral blood flow on the face or hand optically. We contribute a self-recorded dataset of 21 participants, comprising synchronized videos of participants’ faces and palms and gold-standard EDA and photoplethysmography (PPG) signals. Our results show that we can measure peripheral sympathetic responses that closely correlate with the ground truth EDA. We obtain median correlations of 0.57 to 0.63 between our inferred signals and the ground truth EDA using only videos of the participants’ palms or foreheads or PPG signals from the foreheads or fingers. We also show that sympathetic arousal is best inferred from the forehead, finger, or palm.
Experimental demonstration of a free space optical wireless video transmission system based on image compression sensing algorithm
Authors: Li Jinwang , Yao Haifeng , Wang Jianbing , Cao Zhongyu , Wang Weihao , Dong Keyan , Hao Qun , Song Yansong , Liu Xianzhu , Liu Zhi , Jiang Huilin
Published: November 2023

The wireless transmission of video data mainly entails addressing the massive video stream data and ensuring the quality of image frame transmission. To reduce the amount of data and ensure an optimal data transmission rate and quality, we propose a free-space optical video transmission system that applies compressed sensing (CS) algorithms to wireless optical communication systems. Based on the Artix-7 series field programmable gate array (FPGA) chip, we completed the hardware design of the optical wireless video transceiver board; the CS image is transmitted online to the FPGA through Gigabit Ethernet, and the video data is encoded by gigabit transceiver with low power (GTP) and converted into an optical signal, which is relayed to the atmospheric turbulence simulation channel through an attenuator and a collimating mirror. After the optical signal is decoded by photoelectric conversion at the receiving end, the Camera-Link frame grabber is d; thus, the image is collected, and it is reconstructed offline. Herein, the link transmission conditions of different algorithm sampling rates, optical power at the receiving end, and atmospheric coherence length are measured. The experimental results indicate that the encrypt-then-compress (ETC) type algorithm exhibits a more optimal image compression transmission reconstruction performance, and that the 2D compressed sensing (2DCS) algorithm exhibits superior performance. Under the condition that the optical power satisfies the link connectivity, the PSNR value of the reconstructed image is 3–7 dB higher than that of the comparison algorithm. In a strong atmosphere turbulence environment, the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of the corresponding reconstructed image under different transmission rates at the receiving end can still exceed 30 dB, ensuring the complete reconstruction of the image.
Fan-in/fan-out for heterogeneous 19-core fibers based on metasurfaces with nonuniform phase plates
Authors: Wang Yang , Wang Xutao , Li Chunshu , He Yichen , Huang Zhanhua , Liu Yaping , Yang Zhiqun , Zhang Lin
Published: November 2023

In space-division-multiplexed transmission systems, it is essential to realize fan-in/fan-out devices that connect the cores between multicore fibers and single-mode fibers. In this Letter, we propose a metasurface-based fan-in/fan-out device with nonuniform phase plates for heterogeneous 19-core fibers across the full C band. Our results show that an average insertion loss of 0.85 dB and a maximum crosstalk of −25.5 dB can be achieved at 1550 nm. Across the C band, the insertion loss and crosstalk are better than 2.78 dB and −19.96 dB, respectively. The proposed concept can flexibly handle various fiber configurations without additional complexity.
A zero-agnostic model for copy number evolution in cancer
Authors: Schmidt Henri , Sashittal Palash , Raphael Benjamin J.
Published: November 2023

Motivation

New low-coverage single-cell DNA sequencing technologies enable the measurement of copy number profiles from thousands of individual cells within tumors. From this data, one can infer the evolutionary history of the tumor by modeling transformations of the genome via copy number aberrations. Copy number aberrations alter multiple adjacent genomic loci, violating the standard phylogenetic assumption that loci evolve independently. Thus, specialized models to infer copy number phylogenies have been introduced. A widely used model is the copy number transformation (CNT) model in which a genome is represented by an integer vector and a copy number aberration is an event that either increases or decreases the number of copies of a contiguous segment of the genome. The CNT distance between a pair of copy number profiles is the minimum number of events required to transform one profile to another. While this distance can be computed efficiently, no efficient algorithm has been developed to find the most parsimonious phylogeny under the CNT model.

Results

We introduce the zero-agnostic copy number transformation (ZCNT) model, a simplification of the CNT model that allows the amplification or deletion of regions with zero copies. We derive a closed form expression for the ZCNT distance between two copy number profiles and show that, unlike the CNT distance, the ZCNT distance forms a metric. We leverage the closed-form expression for the ZCNT distance and an alternative characterization of copy number profiles to derive polynomial time algorithms for two natural relaxations of the small parsimony problem on copy number profiles. While the alteration of zero copy number regions allowed under the ZCNT model is not biologically realistic, we show on both simulated and real datasets that the ZCNT distance is a close approximation to the CNT distance. Extending our polynomial time algorithm for the ZCNT small parsimony problem, we develop an algorithm, Lazac, for solving the large parsimony problem on copy number profiles. We demonstrate that Lazac outperforms existing methods for inferring copy number phylogenies on both simulated and real data.
Learning efficient representations of environmental priors in working memory
Authors: Eissa Tahra L. , Kilpatrick Zachary P.
Published: November 2023

Experience shapes our expectations and helps us learn the structure of the environment. Inference models render such learning as a gradual refinement of the observer’s estimate of the environmental prior. For instance, when retaining an estimate of an object’s features in working memory, learned priors may bias the estimate in the direction of common feature values. Humans display such biases when retaining color estimates on short time intervals. We propose that these systematic biases emerge from modulation of synaptic connectivity in a neural circuit based on the experienced stimulus history, shaping the persistent and collective neural activity that encodes the stimulus estimate. Resulting neural activity attractors are aligned to common stimulus values. Using recently published human response data from a delayed-estimation task in which stimuli (colors) were drawn from a heterogeneous distribution that did not necessarily correspond with reported population biases, we confirm that most subjects’ response distributions are better described by experience-dependent learning models than by models with fixed biases. This work suggests systematic limitations in working memory reflect efficient representations of inferred environmental structure, providing new insights into how humans integrate environmental knowledge into their cognitive strategies.
Assessment of the impact of implementation research on the Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) elimination efforts in Nepal
Authors: Joshi Anand Ballabh , Banjara Megha Raj , Chuke Sachi , Kroeger Axel , Jain Saurabh , Aseffa Abraham , Reeder John C.
Published: November 2023

Nepal, Bangladesh, and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2005 to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis (VL) as a public health problem from the Indian subcontinent by 2015. By 2021, the number of reported VL cases in these countries had declined by over 95% compared to 2007. This dramatic success was achieved through an elimination programme that implemented early case detection and effective treatment, vector control, disease surveillance, community participation, and operational research that underpinned these strategies. The experience offered an opportunity to assess the contribution of implementation research (IR) to VL elimination in Nepal. Desk review and a stakeholder workshop was conducted to analyse the relationship between key research outputs, major strategic decisions in the national VL elimination programme, and annual number of reported new cases over time between 2005 and 2023. The results indicated that the key decisions across the strategic elements, throughout the course of the elimination programme (such as on the most appropriate tools for diganostics and treatment, and on best strategies for case finding and vector management), were IR informed. IR itself responded dynamically to changes that resulted from interventions, addressing new questions that emerged from the field. Close collaboration between researchers, programme managers, and implementers in priority setting, design, conduct, and review of studies facilitated uptake of evidence into policy and programmatic activities. VL case numbers in Nepal are now reduced by 90% compared to 2005. Although direct attribution of disease decline to research outputs is difficult to establish, the Nepal experience demonstrates that IR can be a critical enabler for disease elimination. The lessons can potentially inform IR strategies in other countries with diseases targeted for elimination.
Seroepidemiological investigation of Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in livestock in Uganda, 2017
Authors: Nyakarahuka Luke , Kyondo Jackson , Telford Carson , Whitesell Amy , Tumusiime Alex , Mulei Sophia , Baluku Jimmy , Cossaboom Caitlin M. , Cannon Deborah L. , Montgomery Joel M. , Lutwama Julius J. , Nichol Stuart T. , Balinandi Stephen K. , Klena John D. , Shoemaker Trevor R.
Published: November 2023

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an important zoonotic disease transmitted to humans both by tick vectors and contact with fluids from an infected animal or human. Although animals are not symptomatic when infected, they are the main source of human infection. Uganda has reported sporadic human outbreaks of CCHF in various parts of the country since 2013. We designed a nationwide epidemiological study to investigate the burden of CCHF in livestock. A total of 3181 animals were sampled; 1732 cattle (54.4%), 1091 goats (34.3%), and 358 sheep (11.3%) resulting in overall livestock seropositivity of IgG antibodies against CCHF virus (CCHFV) of 31.4% (999/3181). Seropositivity in cattle was 16.9% and in sheep and goats was 48.8%. Adult and juvenile animals had higher seropositivity compared to recently born animals, and seropositivity was higher in female animals (33.5%) compared to male animals (24.1%). Local breeds had higher (36.8%) compared to exotic (2.8%) and cross breeds (19.3%). Animals that had a history of abortion or stillbirth had higher seropositivity compared to those without a history of abortion or stillbirth. CCHFV seropositivity appeared to be generally higher in northern districts of the country, though spatial trends among sampled districts were not examined. A multivariate regression analysis using a generalized linear mixed model showed that animal species, age, sex, region, and elevation were all significantly associated with CCHFV seropositivity after adjusting for the effects of other model predictors. This study shows that CCHFV is actively circulating in Uganda, posing a serious risk for human infection. The results from this study can be used to help target surveillance efforts for early case detection in animals and limit subsequent spillover into humans.
Fairness views and cooperation under varying levels of economic inequality
Authors: Hariskos Wasilios , Neitzel Jakob , Sääksvuori Lauri
Published: November 2023

This paper investigates the impact of economic inequality on people’s perceptions of fairness and willingness to cooperate. Using experimental and survey data, we distinguish people’s injunctive perceptions of fairness from experimentally observed behavioral patterns. We find that impartial observers hold shared perceptions of fair contribution rules. Individuals with their own money at stake hold conflicting views over fair contribution rules. We find that contribution patterns are more scattered under strong inequality than under weak inequality. Overall, we observe that voluntary contributions are lower under strong inequality than under weak inequality. Our results contribute to the debate about the behavioral consequences of income and wealth inequalities in modern societies.
The MidPIC study: Midwives’ knowledge, perspectives and learning needs regarding preconception and interconception care
Authors: Bradfield Zoe , Leefhelm Emily , Soh Sze-Ee , Black Kirsten I. , Boyle Jacqueline A. , Kuliukas Lesley , Harrison Cheryce , Homer Caroline S. E. , Smith Rachel M. , Skouteris Helen
Published: November 2023

Preconception and interconception care improves health outcomes of women and communities. Little is known about how prepared and willing Australian midwives are to provide preconception and interconception care. The aim of this study was to explore midwives’ knowledge, perspectives and learning needs, and barriers and enablers to delivering preconception and interconception care. We conducted a cross-sectional exploratory study of midwives working in any Australian maternity setting. An online survey measured midwives’ self-rated knowledge; education needs and preferences; attitudes towards pre and interconception care; and views on barriers, enablers; and, future service and workforce planning. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and demographic characteristics (e.g., years of experience, model of care) associated with knowledge and attitudes regarding pre- and interconception care were examined using univariate logistic regression analysis. Qualitative data were captured through open-ended questions and analysed using inductive content analysis. We collected responses from (n = 338) midwives working across all models of care (full survey completion rate 96%). Most participants (n = 290; 85%) rated their overall knowledge about pre and interconception health as excellent, above average or average. Participants with over 11 years of experience were more likely to report above average to excellent knowledge (OR 3.11; 95% CI 1.09, 8.85). Online e-learning was the most preferred format for education on this topic (n = 244; 72%). Most (n = 257; 76%) reported interest in providing pre and interconception care more regularly and that this is within the midwifery scope of practice (n = 292; 87%). Low prioritisation in service planning was the most frequently selected barrier to providing preconception and interconception care, whereas continuity models and hybrid child health settings were reported as enablers of pre and interconception care provision. Findings revealed that midwives are prepared and willing to provide preconception and interconception care. Pre and post registration professional development; service and funding reform; and policy development are critical to enable Australian midwives’ provision of pre and interconception care.
Impact of manures and fertilizers on yield and soil properties in a rice-wheat cropping system
Authors: Dhaliwal Salwinder Singh , Sharma Vivek , Verma Vibha , Kaur Manmeet , Singh Prabhjot , Gaber Ahmed , Laing Alison M. , Hossain Akbar
Published: November 2023

The use of chemical fertilizers under a rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) has led to the emergence of micronutrient deficiency and decreased crop productivity. Thus, the experiment was conducted with the aim that the use of organic amendments would sustain productivity and improve the soil nutrient status under RWCS. A three-year experiment was conducted with different organic manures i.e. no manure (M0), farmyard manure @ 15 t ha-1(M1), poultry manure @ 6 t ha-1(M2), press mud @ 15 t ha-1(M3), rice straw compost @ 6 t ha-1(M4) along with different levels of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) i.e. 0% (F1), 75% (F2 and 100% (F3 in a split-plot design with three replications and plot size of 6 m x 1.2 m. Laboratory-based analysis of different soil as well as plant parameters was done using standard methodologies. The use of manures considerably improved the crop yield, macronutrients viz. nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients such as zinc, iron, manganese and copper, uptake in both the crops because of nutrient release from decomposed organic matter. Additionally, the increase in fertilizer dose increased these parameters. The system productivity was maximum recorded under F3M1 (13,052 kg ha-1) and results were statistically identical with F3M2 and F3M3. The significant upsurge of macro and micro-nutrients in soil and its correlation with yield outcomes was also observed through the combined use of manures as well as fertilizers. This study concluded that the use of 100% RDF integrated with organic manures, particularly farmyard manure would be a beneficial resource for increased crop yield, soil nutrient status and system productivity in RWCS in different regions of India.
Individual differences in cooperative and competitive play strategies
Authors: Hauge Theresa C. , Ferris Daniel P. , Seidler Rachael D.
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Cooperation and competition are common in social interactions. It is not clear how individual differences in personality may predict performance strategies under these two contexts. We evaluated whether instructions to play cooperatively and competitively would differentially affect dyads playing a Pong video game. We hypothesized that instructions to play cooperatively would result in lower overall points scored and differences in paddle control kinematics relative to when participants were instructed to play competitively. We also predicted that higher scores in prosociality and Sportspersonship would be related to better performance during cooperative than competitive conditions.

Methods

Pairs of participants played a Pong video game under cooperative and competitive instructions. During competitive trials, participants were instructed to score more points against one another to win the game. During the cooperative trials, participants were instructed to work together to score as few points against one another as possible. After game play, each participant completed surveys so we could measure their trait prosociality and Sportspersonship.

Results

Condition was a significant predictor of where along the paddle participants hit the ball, which controlled ball exit angles. Specifically, during cooperation participants concentrated ball contacts on the paddle towards the center to produce more consistent rebound angles. We found a significant correlation of Sex and the average points scored by participants during cooperative games, competitive games, and across all trials. Sex was also significantly correlated with paddle kinematics during cooperative games. The overall scores on the prosociality and Sportspersonship surveys were not significantly correlated with the performance outcomes in cooperative and competitive games. The dimension of prosociality assessing empathic concern was significantly correlated with performance outcomes during cooperative video game play.

Discussion

No Sportspersonship survey score was able to predict cooperative or competitive game performance, suggesting that Sportspersonship personality assessments are not reliable predictors of cooperative or competitive behaviors translated to a virtual game setting. Survey items and dimensions probing broader empathic concern may be more effective predictors of cooperative and competitive performance during interactive video game play. Further testing is encouraged to assess the efficacy of prosocial personality traits as predictors of cooperative and competitive video game behavior.
Synergistic inhibition of glioblastoma multiforme through an in-silico analysis of luteolin and ferulic acid derived from Angelica sinensis and Cannabis sativa: Advancements in computational therapeutics
Authors: Suhail Mohd , Tarique Mohammad , Tabrez Shams , Zughaibi Torki A. , Rehan Mohd
Published: November 2023

The primary objective of this study is to uncover novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), a highly aggressive form of brain cancer, and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Given the complexity and resistance associated with both conditions, the study underscores the imperative need for therapeutic alternatives that can traverse the biological intricacies inherent in both neuro-oncological and neurodegenerative disorders. To achieve this, a meticulous, target-based virtual screening was employed on an ensemble of 50 flavonoids and polyphenol derivatives primarily derived from plant sources. The screening focused predominantly on molecular targets pertinent to GBM but also evaluated the potential overlap with neural pathways involved in AD. The study utilized molecular docking and Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation techniques to analyze the interaction of these compounds with a key biological target, protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type Z (PTPRZ). Out of the 50 compounds examined, 10 met our stringent criteria for binding affinity and specificity. Subsequently, the highest value of binding energy was observed for the synergistic binding of luteolin and ferulic acid with the value of -10.5 kcal/mol. Both compounds exhibited inherent neuroprotective properties and demonstrated significant potential as pathway inhibitors in GBM as well as molecular modulators in AD. Drawing upon advanced in-silico cytotoxicity predictions and sophisticated molecular modeling techniques, this study casts a spotlight on the therapeutic capabilities of polyphenols against GBM. Furthermore, our findings suggest that leveraging these compounds could catalyze a much-needed paradigm shift towards more integrative therapeutic approaches that span the breadth of both neuro-oncology and neurodegenerative diseases. The identification of cross-therapeutic potential in flavonoids and polyphenols could drastically broaden the scope of treatment modalities against both fatal diseases.
Height, weight, and body mass index in patients with familial dysautonomia
Authors: Cotrina Maria L. , Morgenstein Barr , Perez Miguel , Norcliffe-Kaufmann Lucy , Palma Jose-Alberto , Kaufmann Horacio
Published: November 2023

Background

Children with familial dysautonomia (FD) are smaller and grow more slowly than the general population. It is unknown whether this abnormal growth is due to comorbidities that patients with FD live with, or if it is a direct effect of the disease-causing homozygous ELP-1 mutations. Here, we created growth curves for weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) in male and female children with FD to monitor the nutritional status of patients with FD.

Methods

We used the New York University (NYU) FD Registry which includes data from 680 individuals with FD who were followed longitudinally since birth. We generated sex-specific FD growth charts for three age ranges (birth to 36 months, 2 to 20 years, and 2 to 40 years) and compared them to the general population. We generated Kaplan-Meier curves to test the hypothesis that FD patients with low BMI had shorter survival than the rest of the cohort.

Results

Growth charts generated from 591 individuals with FD show that these patients grow more slowly, reach less height, and gain less weight than the general population. The impact of FD on height was more pronounced in girls than in boys. However, both groups showed markedly low weights, which resulted in low BMI. Low weight, but not height, is already evident at birth. In a subpopulation of FD patients, we found that treatment with growth hormone or spinal fusion surgery helped patients achieve the expected growth characteristic of FD patients, but these treatments did not lead FD patients to achieve the growth pattern of the general population. Contrary to our hypothesis, low BMI had no impact on patient survival.

Conclusions

Pediatric patients with FD have lower height, weight, and BMI compared to the general pediatric population, but this does not appear to affect survival. Growth curves specific to the FD population are an important tool to monitor growth and nutritional status in pediatric patients with FD when the general population growth curves are of limited use.
An engineered thermally tolerant apo-cytochrome scaffold for metal-less incorporation of heme derivative
Authors: Ben Aoun Sami , Ibrahim Sheikh Muhammad
Published: November 2023

Cytochrome c552 from Thermus thermophilus is one of the hot topics for creating smart biomaterials as it possesses remarkable stability, is tolerant to multiple mutations and has therefore been recently reported for a number of functionalizations upon substitution of the original prosthetic group with an artificial prosthetic group. However, all of the substitutions were driven by the coordination through the axial ligands followed by complete reconstitution with a metal–porphyrin complex. This limits the scope of the cytochrome c for incorporating a metal-less non-natural heme species that could improve the versatility of cytochrome c for a new generation of engineered cytochrome proteins for further enhancement in their functionalities such as biocatalysts. In this connection, a new variant of Cytochrome c (rC552 C14A) from Thermus thermophilus was reported, where an easy approach to remove the original prosthetic group was achieved, followed by the incorporation of a number of metal-PPIX derivatives that ultimately led to the formation of artificial c-type cytochromes through covalent bonding. The apo-cytochrome was found to be thermally tolerant and to possess a distinctive overall structure as that of the wild type, as was evident from the corresponding CD spectra, which ultimately encouraged reconstitution with a metal-less protoporphyrin derivative for better understanding the role of axial ligands in the reconstitution process. Successful reconstitution was achieved, resulting in a new type of Cytochrome b-type artificial protein without the metal in its active site, indicating the non-involvement of the axial ligand. In order to prove the non-involvement of the axial ligand, a subsequent double mutant (C14A/M69A) was constructed, replacing the methionine at 69 position with non-coordinating alanine residue. Accordingly, the apo-C14A/M69A was prepared and found to be extremely stable as the earlier mutants and the WT showed no signs of denaturation, even at the elevated temperature of 98°C. Subsequently, heme b was successfully incorporated into the apo-C14A/M69A, which demonstrated itself as a highly thermally tolerant protein scaffold for incorporating a metal-less artificial prosthetic group in the absence of the axial ligand. Further improvement in the reconstitution process is achieved by replacing the methionine at 69 position with phenyl alanine (C14A/M69F mutant), resulting in further stabilization of heme species, possibly through non-covalent π–interactions, as corroborated by molecular docking.
Effect of the spatial form of outpatient buildings on energy consumption in different climate zones in China
Authors: Yang Jiao , Zhang Qun
Published: November 2023

Under the influence of global epidemics and the need for urban expansion, many outpatient buildings have been rapidly constructed, but the problem of high energy consumption has been neglected. There is a lack of research on the impact of outpatient building forms on energy consumption in different climate zones. Many studies have demonstrated that the energy consumption of a given building can be greatly reduced by adopting a reasonable spatial form design at the early stages of design. Therefore, if architects choose a reasonable spatial form, this could effectively reduce energy consumption. In this study, outpatient building cases in China were summarized, and three typical spatial forms were proposed: the centralized, corridor, and courtyard forms. The DesignBuilder tool was used to simulate and analyse the typical building energy consumption in different climate zones. The results showed that the corridor form (southwards) should be chosen in the severe cold zone, the centralized form (southwards) should be chosen in the cold zone and the hot summer and cold winter zone, the centralized form (northwards) should be chosen in the hot summer and warm winter zone, and the centralized or corridor form can be chosen in the warm zone. The results of this study could provide a reference for energy-efficient design of outpatient buildings in China and other regions with similar conditions and could help architects quickly select reasonable spatial forms at the early stages of design.
Improving social resilience amid the COVID-19 epidemic: A system dynamics model
Authors: Kou Chenhuan , Yang Xiuli
Published: November 2023

Social resilience is a key factor in disaster management, but compared to resilience in other fields, research on social resilience is still limited to assessment or evaluation, and there is still a lack of dynamic and procedural research, which is also a challenge. This article constructs a causal feedback model and a system dynamics model of social resilience during the COVID-19 epidemic, so as to analyze the dynamic characteristics and improvement path of social resilience. After verifying the effectiveness of the model, model simulation is conducted and the following important conclusions are drawn: social resilience dynamically changes during the research cycle and is influenced by social entity behavior and social mechanisms; The sensitivity factors for the two variables that measure social resilience, namely panic degree and damage degree, are the real-time information acquisition of public and the epidemic awareness of local government, respectively. Therefore, the path to enhancing social resilience should be pursued from both the public and government perspectives, including improving the public’s ability to access real-time information, increasing the timeline of government information disclosure, and enhancing local governments’ understanding and awareness of the epidemic.
Neuroanatomical location of brain metastases from solid tumours based on pathology: An analysis of 511 patients with a comparison to the provided clinical history
Authors: Bonert Michael , Berzins Alison , Begum Housne , Schittenhelm Jens , Lu Jian-Qiang , Juergens Rosalyn A. , Swaminath Anand , Cutz Jean-Claude , Naqvi Asghar H.
Published: November 2023

Brain metastases are a frequent occurrence in neuropathology practices. The literature on their neuroanatomical location is frequently derived from radiological analyses. This work examines brain metastases through the lens of pathology specimens. All brain surgical pathology reports for cases accessioned 2011–2020 were retrieved from a laboratory. Specimens were classified by neuroanatomical location, diagnosis and diagnostic category with a hierarchical free text string-matching algorithm (HFTSMA) and also subsequently audited. All reports classified as probable metastasis were reviewed by a pathologist. The provided history was compared to the final categorization by a pathologist. The cohort had 4,625 cases. The HFTSMA identified 854 cases (including metastases from a definite primary, metastases from primary not known and improperly classified cases). 514/854 cases had one definite primary site per algorithm and on report review 538/854 cases were confirmed as such. The 538 cases originated from 511 patients. Primaries from breast, gynecologic tract, and gastrointestinal tract not otherwise specified were most frequently found in the cerebellum. Kidney metastases were most frequently found in the occipital lobe. Lung, metastatic melanoma and colorectal primaries were most commonly found in the frontal lobe. The provided clinical history predicted the primary in 206 cases (40.3%), was discordant in 17 cases (3.3%) and non-contributory in 280 cases (54.8%). The observed distribution of the metastatic tumours in the brain is dependent on the primary site. In the majority (54.8%) of cases, the provided clinical history was non-contributory; this suggests surgeon-pathologist communication may have the potential for optimization.
The biological functions of sphingolipids in plant pathogenic fungi
Authors: Zhu Xue-Ming , Li Lin , Bao Jian-Dong , Wang Jiao-Yu , Daskalov Asen , Liu Xiao-Hong , Del Poeta Maurizio , Lin Fu-Cheng
Published: November 2023

Sphingolipids are critically significant in a range of biological processes in animals, plants, and fungi. In mammalian cells, they serve as vital components of the plasma membrane (PM) in maintaining its structure, tension, and fluidity. They also play a key role in a wide variety of biological processes, such as intracellular signal transduction, cell polarization, differentiation, and migration. In plants, sphingolipids are important for cell development and for cell response to environmental stresses. In pathogenic fungi, sphingolipids are crucial for the initiation and the development of infection processes afflicting humans. However, our knowledge on the metabolism and function of the sphingolipid metabolic pathway of pathogenic fungi affecting plants is still very limited. In this review, we discuss recent developments on sphingolipid pathways of plant pathogenic fungi, highlighting their uniqueness and similarity with plants and animals. In addition, we discuss recent advances in the research and development of fungal-targeted inhibitors of the sphingolipid pathway, to gain insights on how we can better control the infection process occurring in plants to prevent or/and to treat fungal infections in crops.
Thyroid Metastasis to the Colon
Authors: Lewine Eliza B. , Patel Zinal , Forman Jacqueline , Manvar Amar , Hanna Iman
Published: November 2023

Approximately 1% of colorectal cancers can be attributed to metastatic neoplasms originating from other primary sources typically the lung, ovary, breast, prostate, kidney, or skin. Metastasis to the colon from the thyroid however is exceedingly rare. We present a 76-year-old man with a history of papillary thyroid carcinoma WHO presented with colon polyps consistent with carcinoma from his papillary thyroid carcinoma. The findings in this report suggest prompt colorectal cancer screening after thyroid cancer diagnosis and regular screening thereafter.