bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depressive rumination and trait anxiety mediate the effects of childhood victimization on adulthood depressive symptoms in adult volunteers
Authors: Masuya Jiro , Morishita Chihiro , Higashiyama Motoki , Deguchi Ayaka , Ishii Yoshitaka , Ono Miki , Honyashiki Mina , Iwata Yoshio , Inoue Takeshi
Published: May 2023

Background

Prior studies have reported that childhood victimization experiences substantially augment the risk of depression and suicide in adulthood. Several of our previous studies suggested that childhood experiences of victimization interact with the quality of parenting experienced in childhood, childhood experiences of abuse, neuroticism, and other factors to influence depressive symptoms in adulthood. In this study, it was hypothesized that “childhood victimization” worsens “trait anxiety” and “depressive rumination”, and that “trait anxiety” and “depressive rumination” are mediators that worsen “depressive symptoms in adulthood”.

Subjects and methods

The following self-administered questionnaires were completed by 576 adult volunteers: Patient Health Questionnaire-9, State–Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y, Ruminative Responses Scale, and Childhood Victimization Rating Scale. Statistical analyses were performed by Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, t-test, multiple regression analysis, path analysis, and covariance structure analysis.

Results

Path analysis demonstrated that the direct effect was statistically significant for the paths from childhood victimization to trait anxiety, depressive rumination, and depressive symptom severity. Moreover, the indirect effect of childhood victimization on depressive rumination mediated by trait anxiety was statistically significant. The indirect effects of childhood victimization on depressive symptom severity mediated by trait anxiety and depressive rumination were statistically significant. Furthermore, the indirect effect of childhood victimization on depressive symptom severity mediated by both trait anxiety and depressive rumination was statistically significant.

Conclusions

We found that childhood victimization directly and adversely influenced each of the above factors, and indirectly worsened adulthood depressive symptoms with trait anxiety and depressive ruminations as mediating factors. The present study is the first to clarify these mediation effects. Therefore, the results of this study suggest the importance of preventing childhood victimization and the importance of identifying and addressing childhood victimization in patients with clinical depression.
Evaluation of the appearance of osteochondrosis lesions by two radiographic examinations in sport horses aged from 12 to 36 months
Authors: Van Cauter Raphaël , Serteyn Didier , Lejeune Jean-Philippe , Rousset Alycia , Caudron Isabelle
Published: May 2023

Osteochondrosis is a developmental orthopedic disease characterized by a defect of enchondral ossification. This pathological condition develops and evolves during growth and is influenced by various factors, in particular genetic and environmental. However, little research has been conducted on the dynamic of this condition in horses after the age of 12 months. The retrospective study presented here investigates changes in osteochondrosis lesions through two standardized radiographic examinations carried out on young Walloon sport horses after one year of age (mean age at first and second examination was 407 (±41) and 680 (±117) days respectively). Each examination, analyzed independently by three veterinarians, included latero-medial views of the fetlocks, hocks, stifles, plantarolateral-dorsomedial hocks view and additional radiograph if the operator deemed it necessary. Each joint site was graded as healthy, osteochondrosis (OC) or osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) affected. A group of 58 horses was studied, among them 20 presented one or more osteochondrosis lesions for a total of 36 lesions present during at least one examination. In this population, 4 animals (6.9%) presented osteochondrosis during only one examination (2 at the first examination and 2 at the second one). Moreover, it was possible to demonstrate the appearance, disappearance and more generally the evolution of 9/36 lesions (25%) within the different joints. The results of the study suggest that, although substantial main limitations, osteochondrosis lesions can evolve after the age of 12 months in sport horses. Knowing this is useful in helping to decide the appropriate radiographic diagnosis timing and management.
Fortetropin supplementation prevents the rise in circulating myostatin but not disuse-induced muscle atrophy in young men with limb immobilization: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lim Changhyun , McKendry James , Giacomin Taylor , Mcleod Jonathan C. , Ng Sean Y. , Currier Brad S. , Coletta Giulia , Phillips Stuart M.
Published: May 2023

Supplementation with Fortetropin® (FOR), a naturally occurring component from fertilized egg yolks, reduces circulating myostatin concentration. We hypothesized that FOR would mitigate muscle atrophy during immobilization. We examined the effect of FOR supplementation on muscle size and strength during 2-wk of single-leg immobilization and recovery. Twenty-four healthy young men (22 ± 2 yrs; BMI = 24.3 ± 2.9 kg/m2) were randomly allocated to either a Fortetropin® supplement (FOR-SUPP, n = 12) group consuming 19.8 g/d of FOR or placebo (PLA-SUPP, n = 12) group consuming energy- and macronutrient-matched cheese powder for 6-wk. The 6-wk period consisted of 2-wk run-in, 2-wk single-leg immobilization, and 2-wk recovery phase returning to habitual physical activities. Ultrasonography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, muscle biopsies and isometric peak torque assessments were performed prior to and following each phase (days 1, 14, 28, and 42) to measure vastus lateralis and muscle fiber cross-section area (CSA), leg lean mass (LM), and muscular strength. Blood samples were taken on days 1 and 42 for measurement of plasma myostatin concentration, which increased in PLA-SUPP (4221 ± 541 pg/mL to 6721 ± 864 pg/mL, P = 0.013) but not in FOR-SUPP (5487 ± 489 pg/mL to 5383 ± 781 pg/mL, P = 0.900). After the immobilization phase, vastus lateralis CSA, LM, and isometric peak torque were decreased by 7.9 ± 1.7% (P < 0.001), -1.6 ± 0.6% (P = 0.037), and -18.7 ± 2.7% (P < 0.001) respectively, with no difference between groups. The decreased peak torque was recovered after 2-wk of normal activity (vs. day 1, P = 0.129); however, CSA and LM were not recovered (vs. day 1, P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively), with no differences between groups. Supplementation with FOR prevented the rise in circulating myostatin but not disuse-induced muscle atrophy in young men after 2-wk of single-leg immobilization.
Laughter as medicine: A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies evaluating the impact of spontaneous laughter on cortisol levels
Authors: Kramer Caroline Kaercher , Leitao Cristiane Bauermann
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Laughter as an expression of humor has been recognized as good medicine for centuries. The health benefits of humor-induced well-being remain unclear and thus we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies to evaluate the impact of spontaneous laughter on stress response as measured by cortisol levels.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Clinicaltrials.gov.

Eligibility criteria

Interventional studies, which could be either randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies, conducted in adults that compared any spontaneous laughter intervention to a controlled setting and reported changes in cortisol levels were selected.

Data extraction and synthesis

We examined the impact of laughter on percentage change in cortisol levels by calculating pooled estimates of the absolute differences between arithmetic means before and after interventions as compared to control using random-effects model.

Results

Eight studies (315 participants; mean age 38.6) met our inclusion criteria; four were RCTs and four were quasi-experiment studies. Five studies evaluated the impact of watching a humor/comedy video, two studies evaluating laughter sessions administered by a trained laughter therapist, and one study evaluating a self-administered laughter program. Pooling these data showed a significant reduction in cortisol levels by 31.9% (95%CI -47.7% to -16.3%) induced by laughter intervention compared to control group with no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.66). Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that even a single laughter session induced a significant reduction of 36.7% in cortisol (95%CI -52.5% to -20.8%). In addition, analyses including the four RCTs reinforced these results by demonstrating a significant reduction in cortisol levels promoted by laughter as compared to the placebo arm [-37.2% (95%CI -56.3% to -18.1%)].

Conclusions

Current evidence demonstrates that spontaneous laughter is associated with greater reduction in cortisol levels as compared with usual activities, suggesting laughter as a potential adjunctive medical therapy to improve well-being.

Trial registration

Registration number: CRD42021267972.
‘Globalizing’ ubuntu for global citizenship education: A decolonial perspective
Authors: Waghid Yusef , Hungwe Joseph Pardon
Published: May 2023

One of the authentic and relevant critiques of global citizenship education (GCE) is that its key concepts are dominantly underpinned by western ideals, values and norms. Seemingly, the current framing of GCE gives marginal recognition to cultural situatedness and perspectives from the non-western world, particularly Africa. Consequently, GCE is perceived to be an elitist movement whose overt objective is to entrench western-centric epistemological hegemony. Deploying decolonization of higher as a theoretical framework, we advance ubuntu as an expansion of GCE. Ubuntu features of human interdependence and dignity can reinforce the seemingly abstract notion of a common humanity as espoused in GCE. While we are aware of growing scholarly criticism against GCE, we seek to argue that GCE needs to be informed by a contextualized paradigm underscored by a notion of ubuntu.
Global citizenship education, its partial curiosity and its world politics: Visions, ambiguities and perspectives on justice
Authors: Papastephanou Marianna
Published: May 2023

In this article, I (a) register ambiguities of the ‘global’ and of ‘vision’ to indicate the complex relationship of global citizenship education (GCE) with the contemporary world. After setting this stage for GCE, I (b) argue that the current reduction of GCE normativity to social justice may ultimately work at cross-purposes with its vision of enlarged visibility of injustices around the globe. The hegemony of the social perspective on justice limits the visual horizon of the curious eye/I. Because uncomfortable questions are central to vision as dream and sight I introduce to GCE the theme of a politicized curiosity about various faces of (in)justice. I (c) conclude that, against the single-focused, social-justice perspective, GCE requires a more stereoscopic vision that better illuminates the many faces of justice in their synergies and tensions.
Critical global citizenship: Foucault as a complexity thinker, social justice and the challenges of higher education in the era of neo-liberal globalization – A conversation with Mark Olssen
Authors: Bosio Emiliano , Olssen Mark
Published: May 2023

This article presents a remarkable conversation on critical global citizenship education (GCE) between Mark Olssen, emeritus professor of political theory and higher education policy in the Department of Politics at the University of Surrey, and Emiliano Bosio, guest-editor of Citizenship Teaching & Learning. In developing the concept for this dialogue, we thought it necessary to frame GCE within a critical perspective that examines the political, economic, ideological and cultural conditions of super-complex societies, particularly in relation to notions of neo-liberal globalization and global justice. Olssen’s copious work has complemented postmodern philosophy by drawing on the work of Nietzsche, Foucault, Deleuze, and it has brought him high regard in Europe, the United Kingdom and worldwide; his insights, perspectives, concerns and outlooks bring to the centre of international educational debates on critical GCE relevant thoughts through which we can better understand the complex roots and history of global citizenship and cosmopolitanism particularly in relation to notions of democracy, equity, ethics and social responsibility.
SO36: 1978 BIS HEUTE, Sub Opus 36 e.V. (ed.) (2022)
Authors: Bestley Russ
Published: May 2023

Review of: SO36: 1978 BIS HEUTE, Sub Opus 36 e.V. (ed.) (2022)

Mainz: Ventil Verlag, 480 pp.,

ISBN 978-3-95575-165-4, h/bk, €36.00
Neuromielitis Óptica, en paciente pediatrico
Authors: Cabrera Ávial Rafael Mauricio , González Delgado Manuel José , Perdomo García María Antonia , Hanrryr Murillo María Alejandra , Vargas Sánchez María de los Ángeles
Published: May 2023

Antecedentes: La neuromielitis óptica se caracteriza principalmente por afectar de forma severa la médula espinal y los nervios ópticos ya sea en un episodio clínico único o en brotes y remisiones, siendo una causa de discapacidad en jóvenes y adultos. Se clasifica como variante óptico-medular de la esclerosis múltiple, pero los estudios sugieren diferencias entre ambas, principalmente por la presencia de un anticuerpo específico en sangre llamado Inmunoglobulina G anti neuromielitis óptica (IgG-NMO) o anti-acuaporina 4 (AQP4) que se une a los canales de agua diseminados en el sistema nervioso central (SNC), y que además se ofrece como prueba diagnóstica.  Reporte de caso: se trata de una paciente en edad pediátrica, diagnosticada con neuromielitis óptica, con sintomatología visual y compromiso motor en extremidades inferiores, con tratamiento con azatioprina oral y posteriormente rituximab, con adecuada respuesta al manejo. Conclusión: se debe considerar la NMO en la edad pediátrica, el diagnostico diferencial de esclerosis múltiple e iniciar manejo temprano para evitar complicaciones y recidivas.
El Síndrome de Morquio en Colombia desde la molécula a la clínica
Authors: Vallejo Alzate Natalia , Hurtado Paula M.
Published: May 2023

La mucopolisacaridosis tipo IV-A (MPS IV-A) o Síndrome de Morquio es una enfermedad de depósito lisosomal, autosómica recesiva, causada por variantes patogénicas del gen GALNS (16q24.3) encargado de codificar la enzima lisosomal N-acetilgalactosamina-6-sulfatasa (GALNS), catalizadora de los glucosaminoglicanos (GAGs) como el keratán sulfato y condroitin-6-sulfato. Una variante patogénica causa una deficiencia de la acción enzimática de GALNS, generando el acumulo de los GAGs dentro de los lisosomas y ocasionando pérdida de la funcionalidad y displasia celular. Esta enfermedad afecta principalmente el sistema osteomuscular y los tejidos de sostén, causando múltiples manifestaciones clínicas que evolucionan de manera progresiva, limitando cada vez más las actividades diarias y afectando la calidad de vida de las personas que lo presentan, así como la de sus familias, conllevando además a complicaciones de riesgo vital. Dada la heterogeneidad de las manifestaciones clínicas del paciente con Síndrome de Morquio se requiere de un equipo multidisciplinario para su manejo y así alcanzar los objetivos terapéuticos en cada caso. En Colombia, al igual que en muchas partes del mundo, hay desconocimiento con respecto al diagnóstico y manejo de la MPS IV-A, sumado, a las dificultades en el sistema de salud del país que impide el desarrollo satisfactorio de este objetivo. Por tal razón se vuelve pertinente la realización de una revisión de la literatura científica actual sobre el tema, en donde se realice una descripción de la patología desde sus bases moleculares hasta su manifestación clínicas, planteando las herramientas predictivas, diagnósticas y tratamientos actuales disponibles para Colombia y el mundo.
Isolated Cecal Necrosis Mimicking a Colonic Mass
Authors: Janike Katherine , Pan Alexander , Kheirkhah Pouyan , Shuja Asim
Published: May 2023

Isolated cecal necrosis (ICN) is a rare form of ischemic colitis that can mimic conditions such as appendicitis, malignancy, or diverticulitis. Most cases of ICN have been identified in patients with significant comorbidities that increase risk of vascular disease. We present a case of ICN mimicking a mass lesion in an elderly patient with few comorbid conditions. Although computed tomography was concerning for colonic mass, diagnostic colonoscopy revealed ischemic colon. The patient underwent right hemicolectomy, and pathology confirmed ICN. It is important to recognize conditions ICN can mimic, understand ICN can present without acute abdomen, and consider ICN in the differential diagnosis even in relatively healthy patients without a history of vascular disease.
Possible approaches for processing of spherical images using SfM
Authors: Zahradník David , Vynikal Jakub
Published: May 2023

Spherical cameras are being used more frequently in surveying because of their low cost and possibility to process spherical images with conventional SfM methods. Fish-eye lenses are now frequently found on modern 360° cameras, allowing for the capture of the entire scene and subsequent model reconstitution by a non-photogrammetrist specialist. Gyrospherics are a feature of cameras that ensure image stabilization to reduce blur when the camera is moving. This feature allows it to capture moving scenes in time-lapse mode. However, two main factors - hardware parameters and software algorithms - affect the quality of the images that are captured. The 360° camera design allows for a variety of data processing methods by SfM. These images were created using multiple image sensors and lenses from each 360° camera. These images can be processed individually or by applying rules to define relationships between images. Also, images from cameras can be stitched and processed with a spherical camera model. In this paper is proposed processing methods of data from 360° cameras and estimated accuracy of each method.
'It is Really Interesting how that Small Robot Impacts Humans.' The Exploratory Analysis of Human Attitudes Toward the Social Robot Vector in Reddit and Youtube Comments"
Authors: Lupkowski Pawel , Danilewicz Olga , Wasielewska Aleksandra , Ratajczyk Dawid
Published: May 2023

We present the results of an exploratory analysis of human attitudes toward the social robot Vector. The study was conducted on the natural language data (2,635 comments) retrieved from Reddit and YouTube. We describe the tag-set used and the (manual) annotation procedure. We present and compare attitudes structure revealed from Reddit and YouTube data. Two main findings are described and discussed: almost 20% of comments from both Reddit and YouTube consist of various manifestations of attitudes toward Vector (mainly attribution of autonomy and declaration of feelings toward Vector); Reddit and YouTube comments differ when it comes to revealed attitudes structure -- the data source matters for attitudes studies.
Application of the OpenCV Library in Indoor Hydroponic Plantations for Automatic Height Assessment of Plants
Authors: Pietrzykowski Sławomir , Wymysłowski Artur
Published: May 2023

This paper presents a method for automatic plants’ height measurements in indoor hydroponic plantations by using the OpenCV library and the Python programming language. Using the elaborated algorithm and Raspberry Pi driven system with an external camera, the growth process of multiple pak choi cabbages (Brassica rapa L. subsp. Chinensis) was observed. The main aim and novelty of the presented algorithm was to observe the plants’ height in hydroponic stations, where the reflective foil  is used, to extract the plants’ growth rate as a parameter. Basing on the pictures of the hydroponic plantation, the bases of the plants, reflections, and plants themselves were separated. Finally, the algorithm was used for plants’ height estimation. The achieved results were then compared to the results obtained manually. The algorithm will be used in future research for plants’ growth optimization.
Exopolysaccharides from Pseudomonas tolaasii inhibit the growth of Pleurotus ostreatus mycelia
Authors: Xu Yanyan , Yao Taimei , Yan Haiyan , Xin Longzuo
Published: May 2023

In the present study, the effect of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) extracted from Pseudomonas tolaasii on the growth of Pleurotus ostreatus mycelia was determined. P. ostreatus mycelia was cultivated with different concentrations of P. tolaasii EPSs, and their mycelial growth rate, protein content, and enzyme activity were measured and compared. The results showed that EPSs inhibited the growth of P. ostreatus. The proline and vitamin C contents of P. ostreatus increased at an EPS concentration of 40%. The cellulase, α-amylase, protein, and glucose utilisation rates of P. ostreatus gradually decreased with the increase in EPS concentration. Altogether, P. tolaasii EPSs had a significant inhibitory effect on mycelial growth. Therefore, we concluded that in addition to tolaasin, EPSs may also be the virulence factors responsible for the pathogenesis of P. tolaasii.
A phytoconstituent 6-aminoflavone ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced oxidative stress mediated synapse and memory dysfunction via p-Akt/NF-kB pathway in albino mice
Authors: Ahmad Shakeel , Shah Shahid Ali , Khan Naeem , Nishan Umar , Jamila Nargis , Alotaibi Amal
Published: May 2023

The current work examined the therapeutic potential of 6-aminoflavone (6AF) against mouse model-based oxidative stress-driven synaptic and memory impairment caused by lipopolysaccharides (LPSs). In the brains of the experimental mice, LPS administration for 3 weeks significantly increased oxidative stress by inhibiting antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, glutathione, and upregulating lipid peroxidase. Male albino mice were arbitrarily divided into four groups including (1) Control, (2) LPS treated (250 µg/kg, for 3 weeks), (3) LPS plus 6AF treated (30 mg/kg for 2 weeks), and (4) 6AF treated (30 mg/kg for 2 weeks). Different antioxidant enzyme assays, behavior tasks, and the western blotting technique were used to test the therapeutic potentials of this 6AF. Remarkably, the dosage of 6AF significantly reversed the activities of antioxidant enzymes and reduced neuroinflammation in adult albino mice. Additionally, 6HF also improved the synapse (both pre- and post-proteins) and restored the impaired memory against LPS. In short, these findings propose that 6AF is a natural, non-toxic, and potent therapeutic agent to treat neurodegenerative diseases.
Research on image acquisition and contour extraction algorithm of partial discharge in oil
Authors: Li Longfei , Han Xuefeng , Liu Lei , Zhang Fei , Ge Zhijie , Du Zhaoguang , Wang Yifan , Zhang Ziyue , Liu Hongshun
Published: May 2023

Partial discharge in oil paper insulation is an important reason for insulation breakdown. The study of partial discharge in transformer oil is of great significance for ensuring the reliability of transformers. In this paper, a comprehensive observation platform of partial discharge with needle plate electrode and oil-paper insulation is built, and the original shape image set of partial discharge is collected and established. Through multi-channel convolution processing of the true color image, gray level equivalent distribution of 3D section, segmentation stretching of threshold interval and binary neighborhood search, a general technical method suitable for processing a series of low brightness discharge images with background interference is finally obtained.
Effect of polymer blending on the electrochemical properties of porous PVDF/PMMA membrane immobilized with organic solvent based liquid electrolyte
Authors: Harshlata  , Mishra Kuldeep , Rai Devendra K.
Published: May 2023

In this paper, experimental studies on blend gel polymer electrolyte membranes comprising of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) saturated with 0.1 M liquid electrolyte of sodium tetrafluoroborate (NaBF4) in the mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) are presented. Membranes are prepared by phase inversion technique. The effect of blending on the ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability window, ionic transference number, and cation transport number has been investigated using complex impedance spectroscopy, linear sweep voltammetry and DC polarization technique. Ion dynamics in the electrolyte membranes has also been investigated using dielectric studies. The optimized electrolyte membrane with composition PVDF:PMMA (95:5) + 0.1 M NaBF4 + EC + DEC shows highest ionic conductivity of 0.6 mS cm−1 which follows Vogel–Tamman–Fulcher (VTF) behavior with temperature. The membrane shows an electrochemical stability window of 3.5 V and sodium ion transport number as ∼0.33.
Hydrogen resistance and trapping behaviour of a cold-drawn ferritic–pearlitic steel wire
Authors: Truschner Mathias , Pengg Johann , Loder Bernd , Köberl Hubert , Gruber Peter , Moshtaghi Masoud , Mori Gregor
Published: May 2023

The present work investigates the resistance of a progressively cold-drawn carbon steel wire against hydrogen embrittlement. In this study, analytical and numerical methods are used to determine the critical hydrogen content, the critical hydrogen ratio and the embrittlement indices of the different material conditions. The wire with the highest degree of cold deformation shows the highest critical hydrogen content and improved resistance against hydrogen embrittlement. At higher degrees of deformation, the material shows stronger hydrogen trapping, which improves in combination with a change in the lamellar spacing and orientation of the pearlite the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement.
Evaluation and management of pediatric thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer at a single institution after adoption of the American Thyroid Association 2015 guidelines
Authors: Matalka Leen , Rahman AKM Fazlur , Sparks Sarah , Lindeman Brenessa , Iyer Pallavi
Published: May 2023

Objectives

The study purpose is to correlate clinical findings with rates of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) in a cohort of children presenting with thyroid nodules at a single institution since the adoption of the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) Guidelines Task Force on Pediatric Thyroid Cancer.

Methods

Clinical, radiographic, and cytopathologic findings were retrospectively analyzed in a pediatric cohort (≤19 years) identified with ICD-10 codes for thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer from January 2017 until May 2021.

Results

We analyzed 183 patients with thyroid nodules. The mean patient age was 14 years (interquartile range 11–16) with a female (79.2 %) and white Caucasian (78.1 %) predominance. The overall DTC in our pediatric patient cohort was 12.6 % (23 out of 183). Most of the malignant nodules measured from 1–4 cm (65.2 %) with TI-RADS score of ≥4 (69.6 %). Among the fine-needle aspiration results (n=49), the highest frequency of DTC was within the malignant category (16.33 %), followed by suspicious for malignancy (6.12 %), then atypia or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (8.16 %), and lastly follicular lesion or neoplasm and benign with 4.08 % and 2.04 % respectively. Of the forty-four thyroid nodules that underwent surgical intervention, pathology was remarkable for 19 papillary thyroid carcinoma (43.18 %) and 4 follicular thyroid carcinoma (9.09 %).

Conclusions

Based on the analysis of our pediatric cohort in the southeast region at a single institution, adoption of the 2015 ATA guidelines could lead to an increased accuracy in detecting DTC while reducing the number of patients requiring interventions, such as FNA biopsy and/or surgeries. Further, based on our small cohort, it would be reasonable for thyroid nodules 1 cm or less to be monitored clinically with physical exam and ultrasonography, with further therapeutic or diagnostic intervention considered based on concerning features or parental shared decision making.
Testing styles of play using triad census distribution: an application to men’s football
Authors: Palazzo Lucio , Ievoli Riccardo , Ragozini Giancarlo
Published: May 2023

Summary statistics of football matches such as final score, possession and percentage of completed passes are not satisfyingly informative about style of play seen on the pitch. In this sense, networks and graphs are able to quantify how teams play differently from each others. We study the distribution of triad census, i.e., the distribution of local structures in networks and we show how it is possible to characterize passing networks of football teams. We describe the triadic structure and analyse its distribution under some specific probabilistic assumptions, introducing, in this context, some tests to verify the presence of specific triadic patterns in football data. We firstly run an omnibus test against random structure to asses whether observed triadic distribution deviates from randomness. Then, we redesign the Dirichlet-Multinomial test to recognize different triadic behaviours after choosing some reference patterns. The proposed tests are applied to a real dataset regarding 288 matches in the Group Stage of UEFA Champions League among three consecutive seasons.
Measurement Uncertainty of Bullet Velocities That Are Acquired with Light Screens and a Waveform Recorder
Authors: Paulter Nicholas G.
Published: May 2023

Bullet velocity measurements are critical to the understanding of the performance of firearms and their ammunition, as well as the ballistic protection of armor materials and systems. This information is essential to the improvement and advancement of firearms, ammunition, and armor. The bullet velocity measurement uncertainty supports the rigorous application of these functions by providing a means for accurate comparison between different laboratories, manufacturers, and users; tracking and assessing the performance history of a product; accurately assessing external effects (such as environmental) on performance; ensuring performance is within acceptable tolerances; and comparing the performance of products.
Brain Activation and Functional Connectivity of Reappraisal and Acceptance for Anxious Events
Authors: Tsujimoto Masayuki , Matsuzaki Yutaka , Yamaya Noriki , Kawashima Ryuta
Published: May 2023

Despite the significant health consequences of anxiety, the neural basis of regulation for personal anxious events is not well understood. We examined brain activity and functional connectivity during cognitive emotion regulation strategies (reappraisal and acceptance) for personal anxious events. Functional MRI (fMRI) data were obtained while 35 college students were thinking about (the control condition), reappraising, or accepting their own anxiety-provoking situations. Although reappraisal and acceptance decreased anxiety, no statistically significant differences were observed in the brain activation levels between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and the control condition. However, acceptance decreased activation in the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus more than reappraisal. Moreover, functional connectivity with the amygdala and ventral anterior insula distinguished the emotion regulation strategies for anxiety. Reappraisal showed stronger negative functional connectivity with the amygdala and cognitive control regions than other strategies. In addition, reappraisal had negative functional coupling between the ventral anterior insula and temporal pole compared with acceptance. In contrast, acceptance showed stronger positive functional coupling between the ventral anterior insula and precentral and postcentral gyrus compared with the control condition. Our findings contribute to the understanding of emotion regulation processes by revealing the brain activity and functional connectivity patterns in reappraisal and acceptance for personal anxious events.
Impaired Speaking-Induced Suppression in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Kim Kyunghee X. , Dale Corby L. , Ranasinghe Kamalini G. , Kothare Hardik , Beagle Alexander J. , Lerner Hannah , Mizuiri Danielle , Gorno-Tempini Maria Luisa , Vossel Keith , Nagarajan Srikantan S. , Houde John F.
Published: May 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease involving cognitive impairment and abnormalities in speech and language. Here, we examine how AD affects the fidelity of auditory feedback predictions during speaking. We focus on the phenomenon of speaking-induced suppression (SIS), the auditory cortical responses’ suppression during auditory feedback processing. SIS is determined by subtracting the magnitude of auditory cortical responses during speaking from listening to playback of the same speech. Our state feedback control (SFC) model of speech motor control explains SIS as arising from the onset of auditory feedback matching a prediction of that feedback onset during speaking, a prediction that is absent during passive listening to playback of the auditory feedback. Our model hypothesizes that the auditory cortical response to auditory feedback reflects the mismatch with the prediction: small during speaking, large during listening, with the difference being SIS. Normally, during speaking, auditory feedback matches its predictions, then SIS will be large. Any reductions in SIS will indicate inaccuracy in auditory feedback prediction not matching the actual feedback. We investigated SIS in AD patients [n = 20; mean (SD) age, 60.77 (10.04); female (%), 55.00] and healthy controls [n = 12; mean (SD) age, 63.68 (6.07); female (%), 83.33] through magnetoencephalography (MEG)-based functional imaging. We found a significant reduction in SIS at ∼100 ms in AD patients compared with healthy controls (linear mixed effects model,F(1,57.5) = 6.849,p = 0.011). The results suggest that AD patients generate inaccurate auditory feedback predictions, contributing to abnormalities in AD speech.
Delta-Band Neural Responses to Individual Words Are Modulated by Sentence Processing
Authors: Slaats Sophie , Weissbart Hugo , Schoffelen Jan-Mathijs , Meyer Antje S. , Martin Andrea E.
Published: May 2023

To understand language, we need to recognize words and combine them into phrases and sentences. During this process, responses to the words themselves are changed. In a step toward understanding how the brain builds sentence structure, the present study concerns the neural readout of this adaptation. We ask whether low-frequency neural readouts associated with words change as a function of being in a sentence. To this end, we analyzed an MEG dataset by Schoffelen et al. (2019) of 102 human participants (51 women) listening to sentences and word lists, the latter lacking any syntactic structure and combinatorial meaning. Using temporal response functions and a cumulative model-fitting approach, we disentangled delta- and theta-band responses to lexical information (word frequency), from responses to sensory and distributional variables. The results suggest that delta-band responses to words are affected by sentence context in time and space, over and above entropy and surprisal. In both conditions, the word frequency response spanned left temporal and posterior frontal areas; however, the response appeared later in word lists than in sentences. In addition, sentence context determined whether inferior frontal areas were responsive to lexical information. In the theta band, the amplitude was larger in the word list condition ∼100 milliseconds in right frontal areas. We conclude that low-frequency responses to words are changed by sentential context. The results of this study show how the neural representation of words is affected by structural context and as such provide insight into how the brain instantiates compositionality in language.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTHuman language is unprecedented in its combinatorial capacity: we are capable of producing and understanding sentences we have never heard before. Although the mechanisms underlying this capacity have been described in formal linguistics and cognitive science, how they are implemented in the brain remains to a large extent unknown. A large body of earlier work from the cognitive neuroscientific literature implies a role for delta-band neural activity in the representation of linguistic structure and meaning. In this work, we combine these insights and techniques with findings from psycholinguistics to show that meaning is more than the sum of its parts; the delta-band MEG signal differentially reflects lexical information inside and outside sentence structures.
Auricular Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation Specifically Enhances Working Memory Gate Closing Mechanism: A System Neurophysiological Study
Authors: Konjusha Anyla , Yu Shijing , Mückschel Moritz , Colzato Lorenza , Ziemssen Tjalf , Beste Christian
Published: May 2023

Everyday tasks and goal-directed behavior involve the maintenance and continuous updating of information in working memory (WM). WM gating reflects switches between these two core states. Neurobiological considerations suggest that the catecholaminergic and the GABAergic are likely involved in these dynamics. Both of these neurotransmitter systems likely underlie the effects to auricular transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (atVNS). We examine the effects of atVNS on WM gating dynamics and their underlying neurophysiological and neurobiological processes in a randomized crossover study design in healthy humans of both sexes. We show that atVNS specifically modulates WM gate closing and thus specifically modulates neural mechanisms enabling the maintenance of information in WM. WM gate opening processes were not affected. atVNS modulates WM gate closing processes through the modulation of EEG alpha band activity. This was the case for clusters of activity in the EEG signal referring to stimulus information, motor response information, and fractions of information carrying stimulus–response mapping rules during WM gate closing. EEG-beamforming shows that modulations of activity in fronto-polar, orbital, and inferior parietal regions are associated with these effects. The data suggest that these effects are not because of modulations of the catecholaminergic (noradrenaline) system as indicated by lack of modulatory effects in pupil diameter dynamics, in the inter-relation of EEG and pupil diameter dynamics and saliva markers of noradrenaline activity. Considering other findings, it appears that a central effect of atVNS during cognitive processing refers to the stabilization of information in neural circuits, putatively mediated via the GABAergic system.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTGoal-directed behavior depends on how well information in short-term memory can be flexibly updated but also on how well it can be shielded from distraction. These two functions were guarded by a working memory gate. We show how an increasingly popular brain stimulation techniques specifically enhances the ability to close the working memory gate to shield information from distraction. We show what physiological and anatomic aspects underlie these effects.
Large‐scale phosphomimetic screening identifies phospho‐modulated motif‐based protein interactions
Authors: Kliche Johanna , Garvanska Dimitriya Hristoforova , Simonetti Leandro , Badgujar Dilip , Dobritzsch Doreen , Nilsson Jakob , Davey Norman E , Ivarsson Ylva
Published: May 2023

Phosphorylation is a ubiquitous post‐translation modification that regulates protein function by promoting, inhibiting or modulating protein–protein interactions. Hundreds of thousands of phosphosites have been identified but the vast majority have not been functionally characterised and it remains a challenge to decipher phosphorylation events modulating interactions. We generated a phosphomimetic proteomic peptide‐phage display library to screen for phosphosites that modulate short linear motif‐based interactions. The peptidome covers ~13,500 phospho‐serine/threonine sites found in the intrinsically disordered regions of the human proteome. Each phosphosite is represented as wild‐type and phosphomimetic variant. We screened 71 protein domains to identify 248 phosphosites that modulate motif‐mediated interactions. Affinity measurements confirmed the phospho‐modulation of 14 out of 18 tested interactions. We performed a detailed follow‐up on a phospho‐dependent interaction between clathrin and the mitotic spindle protein hepatoma‐upregulated protein (HURP), demonstrating the essentiality of the phospho‐dependency to the mitotic function of HURP. Structural characterisation of the clathrin‐HURP complex elucidated the molecular basis for the phospho‐dependency. Our work showcases the power of phosphomimetic ProP‐PD to discover novel phospho‐modulated interactions required for cellular function.
Perancangan Aplikasi Bursa Kerja Khusus di SMKN 1 Bukittinggi
Authors: Syahputra Yulanda , Musril Hari Antoni
Published: May 2023

SMK merupakan sekolah kejuruan yang meluluskan alumni siap bekerja dan siap berwirausaha. Untuk memasarkan alumninya ke dunia kerja, di SMK dibentuk unit bursa kerja khusus. Unit bursa kerja khusus bertanggung jawab dalam memberikan informasi lowongan pekerjaan kepada alumni. Permasalahan pada penelitian ini adalah pengolahan data alumni dan penyampaian informasi lowongan kerja masih dilakukan secara manual. Hal ini menyebabkan informasi tidak sampai pada seluruh alumni pencari kerja. Untuk itu dirancanglah aplikasi bursa kerja khusus. Aplikasi ini terdiri dari sisi front end yang diinstal di smartphone andorid alumni. Sedangkan sisi back end digunakan oleh administrator sekolah menggunakan web browser. Penelitian ini termasuk pada metode research and development (R&D) dengan model pengembangan sistem menggunakan waterfall. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah sebuah aplikasi bursa kerja khusus yang dapat menyampaikan informasi yang akurat dan up to date. Uji produk dilakukan terhadap aplikasi tersebut. Uji validitas mendapatkan nilai 0,86 yaitu sangat valid, uji praktikalitas mendapatkan nilai 97 yaitu sangat praktis, dan uji efektivitas mendapatkan nilai 0,91 yaitu sangat efektif.
Pengembangan Sistem Informasi Alumni Sekolah Berbasis Web Menggunakan Framework Laravel di SMK Negeri 7 Malang
Authors: Carera Nando Krisna , Afirianto Tri , Rokhmawati Retno Indah
Published: May 2023

Sistem pengelolaan data alumni di SMK Negeri 7 Malang masih menggunakan cara konvensional yaitu dengan mengisi biodata yang mengakibatkan data alumni sulit untuk dikelola dengan baik. Pihak sekolah mengalami kesulitan dalam mencari data alumni yang dibutuhkan untuk keperluan laporan. Hal itu dikarenakan data alumni yang terus bertambah setiap tahunnya. Penurunan kualitas kertas dan komputer yang rusak menjadi penyebab hilangnya data alumni. Berdasarkan permasalahan yang sudah disampaikan, maka dilakukan penelitian pengembangan sistem informasi alumni di SMK Negeri 7 Malang untuk membantu pengelolaan data alumni pada SMK Negeri 7 Malang. Penelitian dilakukan secara berurutan mulai dari pengumpulan data dan analisis kebutuhan sistem, desain perancangan sistem, implementasi rancangan sistem, pengujian sistem dan analisis hasil pengujian serta terakhir penulisan laporan hasil penelitian. Pengujian unit menggunakan whitebox testing menghasilkan nilai 100% valid pada semua fungsional sistem. Pengujian validitas menggunakan blackbox testing menghasilkan nilai 100% valid pada fungsional yang diuji. Pengujian kompatibilitas sistem informasi menghasilkan tidak ada kesalahan pada peramban saat dijalankan. Sesuai hasil pengujian yang sudah dilakukan mengartikan bahwa sistem informasi berkualitas baik.
Pengenalan Ekspresi Mikro Wajah Berdasarkan Point Feature Tracking Menggunakan Fase Apex Pada Database Ekspresi Mikro
Authors: Choirina Priska , Rosiani Ulla Delfana , Fitriani Indah Martha
Published: May 2023

Ekspresi mikro merupakan ekspresi wajah yang terjadi secara tidak disengaja untuk menyembunyikan perasaan sebenarnya (emotional leakage). Penelitian sebelumnya menggunakan seluruh area wajah dan seluruh frame pada dataset video, hal ini menghasilkan waktu komputasi tergolong lama dan terjadinya redundancy data. Kontribusi utama penelitian ini menerapkan analisa pengenalan ekspresi mikro menggunakan perbandingan frame apex dengan pilihan manual (handcrafted) dan secara acak (random sampling) dan menerapkan pelacakan titik fitur pada area alis mata dan sudut bibir.  Discriminative Response Map Fitting (DRMF) sebagai metode yang membentuk titik fitur dan selanjutnya dilakukan pelacakan titik-titik fitur wajah dengan Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi (KLT). Hasil pelacakan titik-titik fitur tersebut menghasilkan data motion features sebagai data ekstraksi fitur dan dilakukan analisa perbandingan metode klasifikasi menggunakan Support Vector Machine (SVM) dan MLP-Backpropagation menggunakan dataset CASME II. Hasil eksperimen penelitian ini menunjukkan hasil yang signifikan dengan akurasi sebesar 81,3% pada MLP-Backpropagation dan waktu komputasi rata-rata 1,45 detik pada setiap video. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa informasi pada fase apex memberikan informasi yang penting untuk pengenalan ekspresi mikro pada wajah.
Comparative Study of RSA Asymmetric Algorithm and AES Algorithm for Data Security
Authors: Sholikhatin Siti Alvi , Kuncoro Adam Prayogo , Munawaroh Afifah Lutfia , Setiawan Gilang Aji
Published: May 2023

There are many ways to ensure data security, one of the classic way but still effective is to use encryption. Encryption itself has two techniques or algorithms: symmetric-key (also called secret-key) and asymmetric-key encryption (also called public key). In this paper, we proposed an analysis of two algorithm of encryption: RSA and AES algorithm in term of securing digital data. The method used in this research are: RSA and AES analysis, then retrieving the result. The two algorithm is deeply and thoroughly analyzed to discover the effectiveness to secure the data. The Technological Readiness Level (TKT) is at level 6, which means demonstration of a model or prototype or the analysis result of a system or subsystem or a study in a relevant environment. The result concluded that the application of the AES encryption algorithm is more optimal than RSA encryption in digital data security. Because the encryption and decryption process of using the AES algorithm is faster, although the difference in testing time of the two encryption algorithms is not too significant. The entropy value of 4.96 in AES encryption is greater than that of RSA proving that the even distribution of characters in the chiper text code does not accumulate on certain characters so that it will be difficult to attack using frequency analysis.
Use of plasma rich in growth factors for symptoms of diabetic neuropathy
Authors: Roman S J , Broyer Zach
Published: May 2023

Painful peripheral polyneuropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and is a significant source of chronic disability and remains a challenging condition with no available disease-modifying treatment. In the present case report, we describe the treatment of a patient featuring painful diabetic neuropathy with perineural injections of autologous plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF). At one-year post-procedure, the patient exhibited improved scores on the neuropathic pain scale and improvement in the activity level.

Learning points

Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) is an autologous product that can be prepared and administered in a physician’s office.

PRGF can be infiltrated as a liquid, creating a three-dimensional gel scaffold in the body.

PRGF releases growth factors involved in nerve healing.

PRGF may be established as a potent alternative treatment of painful diabetic polyneuropathy.