bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carnosine-Based Reversal of Diabetes-Associated Cognitive Decline via Activation of the Akt/mTOR Pathway and Modulation of Autophagy in a Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Ndolo Rodgers Odhiambo , Yu Lu , Zhao Yan , Lu Jinying , Wang Gao , Zhao Xinmin , Ren Yi , Yang Jing
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Carnosine can suppress secondary complications in diabetes and show robust neuroprotective activity against neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we report that carnosine ameliorates diabetes-associated cognitive decline in vivo through the modulation of autophagy. Methods: A high-fat diet (HFD) and one intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) were used to induce type 2 diabetes mellitus in Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (CON), HFD/STZ, and three intragastric carnosine treatment groups receiving low (100 mg/kg), medium (300 mg/kg), and high (900 mg/kg) doses over 12 weeks. Body weight, blood glucose levels, and cognitive function were continuously monitored. From excised rat hippocampi, we determined superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels; carnosine concentration; protein expressions of Akt, mTOR and the autophagy markers LC3B and P62 and performed histopathological evaluations of the cornu ammonis 1 region. Results: The HFD/STZ group showed increased blood glucose levels and decreased body weight compared to the CON group. However, there were no significant differences in body weight and blood glucose levels between carnosine-treated and -untreated HFD-STZ-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic animals showed obvious learning and memory impairments in the Morris water maze test compared to the CON group. Compared to those in the HFD/STZ group, carnosine increased SOD activity and decreased MDA levels, increased hippocampal carnosine concentration, increased p-Akt and p-mTOR expression, decreased LC3B and P62 expression, alleviated neuronal injuries, and improved cognitive performance in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Independent of any hyperglycemic effect, carnosine may improve mild cognitive impairments by mitigating oxidative stress, activating the Akt/mTOR pathway, and modulating autophagy in the hippocampus of type 2 diabetic rats.
SARS-CoV-2 Detection by Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction and Immunohistochemistry in Skin Biopsies from 52 Patients with Different COVID-19-Associated Cutaneous Phenotypes
Authors: Marzano Angelo V. , Moltrasio Chiara , Genovese Giovanni , De Andrea Marco , Caneparo Valeria , Vezzoli Pamela , Morotti Denise , Sena Paolo , Venturini Marina , Battocchio Simonetta , Caputo Valentina , Rizzo Nathalie , Maronese Carlo Alberto , Venegoni Luigia , Boggio Francesca Laura , Rongioletti Franco , Calzavara-Pinton Piergiacomo , Berti Emilio
Published: April 2023

Background: COronaVIrus Disease 19 (COVID-19) is associated with a wide spectrum of skin manifestations, but SARS-CoV-2 RNA in lesional skin has been demonstrated only in few cases. Objective: The objective of this study was to demonstrate SARS-CoV-2 presence in skin samples from patients with different COVID-19-related cutaneous phenotypes. Methods: Demographic and clinical data from 52 patients with COVID-19-associated cutaneous manifestations were collected. Immunohistochemistry and digital PCR (dPCR) were performed in all skin samples. RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) was used to confirm the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Results: Twenty out of 52 (38%) patients presented SARS-CoV-2 positivity in the skin. Among these, 10/52 (19%) patients tested positive for spike protein on immunohistochemistry, five of whom had also positive testing on dPCR. Of the latter, one tested positive both for ISH and ACE-2 on immunohistochemistry while another one tested positive for nucleocapsid protein. Twelve patients showed positivity only for nucleocapsid protein on immunohistochemistry. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 was detected only in 38% of patients, without any association with a specific cutaneous phenotype, suggesting that the pathophysiology of cutaneous lesions mostly depends on the activation of the immune system. The combination of spike and nucleocapsid immunohistochemistry has higher diagnostic yield than dPCR. Skin persistence of SARS-CoV-2 may depend on timing of skin lesions, viral load, and immune response.
Predicting article quality scores with machine learning: The U.K. Research Excellence Framework
Authors: Thelwall Mike , Kousha Kayvan , Wilson Paul , Makita Meiko , Abdoli Mahshid , Stuart Emma , Levitt Jonathan , Knoth Petr , Cancellieri Matteo
Published: April 2023

National research evaluation initiatives and incentive schemes choose between simplistic quantitative indicators and time-consuming peer/expert review, sometimes supported by bibliometrics. Here we assess whether machine learning could provide a third alternative, estimating article quality using more multiple bibliometric and metadata inputs. We investigated this using provisional three-level REF2021 peer review scores for 84,966 articles submitted to the U.K. Research Excellence Framework 2021, matching a Scopus record 2014–18 and with a substantial abstract. We found that accuracy is highest in the medical and physical sciences Units of Assessment (UoAs) and economics, reaching 42% above the baseline (72% overall) in the best case. This is based on 1,000 bibliometric inputs and half of the articles used for training in each UoA. Prediction accuracies above the baseline for the social science, mathematics, engineering, arts, and humanities UoAs were much lower or close to zero. The Random Forest Classifier (standard or ordinal) and Extreme Gradient Boosting Classifier algorithms performed best from the 32 tested. Accuracy was lower if UoAs were merged or replaced by Scopus broad categories. We increased accuracy with an active learning strategy and by selecting articles with higher prediction probabilities, but this substantially reduced the number of scores predicted.
The Management of Drinking Water in Trondheim from 950 to 1777 as a Source of Changing Attitudes toward Health
Authors: Swensen Elisabeth Forrestad , van Oosten Roos M.R. , Christophersen Axel
Published: April 2023

This article aims to illuminate how the management of drinking water and public health in Trondheim, Norway changed from 950 to 1777, from a private to public responsibility. A systematic analysis of five excavations in Trondheim shows that during the Middle Ages, only a few citizens had a well or a cistern on their property. This suggests that fetching water from above-ground sources was a regular practice. In the post-medieval period, this changed as the number of wells increased. However, the well water got polluted, and alternative water sources were too far away for the rising population. 18th-century political ideas emphasised how the citizens were now the state’s greatest resource, which prompted new mentalities on how authorities had to take care of the people. In 1777, the public authorities of Trondheim finally established a public water pipe system, ensuring clean water to its citizens.
New species of Abyssocladia and two new cladorhizid genera (Porifera, Cladorhizidae) from New Zealand and Australia
Authors: KELLY MICHELLE , VACELET JEAN , HESTETUN JON , MILLS SADIE
Published: April 2023

Seamounts on subantarctic New Zealand’s Macquarie Ridge, including parts of Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone surrounding Macquarie Island, have been demonstrated to be a rich source of new species of carnivorous sponges (Demospongiae Sollas, Poecilosclerida Topsent, Cladorhizidae Dendy). Four new species of Abyssocladia Lévi, 1964, are described from Macquarie Ridge seamounts and at other disparate locations: Abyssocladia lanceola sp. nov. from Seamounts 7, 8, and 9 (Australia EEZ), Seamount 10 (International Waters), and the South Tasman Rise; Abyssocladia rowdeni sp. nov., first collected from diffuse hydrothermal vent sites at Brothers Seamount on the Southern Kermadec Ridge and recorded here from the non-venting seamounts on Chatham Rise to the east of the South Island of New Zealand; Abyssocladia tumulorum sp. nov., found exclusively on the Chatham Rise; and Abyssocladia sonnae sp. nov. from Monowai Seamount on the Tonga-Kermadec Ridge in International Waters, also found, surprisingly, on Macquarie Ridge’s Seamount 8 (Australia EEZ).
Patriciacladia gen. nov. has been established for a new species of Cladorhizidae discovered on Macquarie Ridge and Chatham Rise. Patriciacladia enigmatica gen. et sp. nov. is highly unusual in that it possesses palmate isochelae not typically found in Cladorhizidae and has a long branch in phylogenetic analysis of the family, supporting the establishment of a new genus and species for Abyssocladia n. sp. B (QM G339872, was NIWA 41033): 28S rDNA: LN870583, COI: LN870445, Macquarie Ridge) in Hestetun et al. (2016a: table 1; 2017: fig. 15).
The discovery of two new species, again from the Macquarie Ridge and other New Zealand locations, expands support for the establishment of a new genus, Australocladia gen. nov., which contains several additional species nested as a monophyletic clade within the large, heterogenous, and paraphyletic Abyssocladia clade in molecular phylogenetic analyses. Australocladia sphaerichela gen. et sp. nov. and Au. alopecura gen. et sp. nov. both possess spherical abyssochelae, funnel-shaped expansions which may contain spermatophores on the body, substrongyles in the attachment base, and a generally southern hemisphere distribution.
Achalinus quangi, a new odd-scaled snake species from Vietnam
Authors: PHAM ANH VAN , PHAM CUONG THE , LE MINH DUC , NGO HANH THI , ONG AN VINH , ZIEGLER THOMAS , NGUYEN TRUONG QUANG
Published: April 2023

Based on morphological and molecular analyses, we herein describe a new species of Achalinus from northern Vietnam. Achalinus quangi sp. nov. differs from its sister taxon, A. emilyae, and other members of the genus Achalinus by at least 4% in terms of genetic divergence based on fragments of the mitochondrial COI and Cytb genes and a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) maxillary teeth 27–29; (2) suture between the internasals distinctly longer than that between the prefrontals; (3) loreal not fused with prefrontal, extending from the nasal to the eye; (4) supralabials six; (5) infralabials five; (6) postocular absent, temporals 2+2, only the upper one in broad contact with eye; (7) dorsal scales in 25(23)–23–23(21) rows, keeled; (8) ventrals 139–141 in males, 141–154 in females; (9) subcaudals 75–84 in males, 69 in the female, all unpaired; (10) cloacal entire; (11) dorsum reddish brown to brown. Achalinus quangi sp. nov. consists of two subclades, the first one occurring on the northern side of the Da River in Son La and Tuyen Quang provinces and another subclade found on the southern side in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh provinces. These two subclades are separated from each other by 1.8 to 2.3% genetic divergence and are slightly differing in ventral scalation.
The genus Armadillo Latreille, 1802 (Oniscidea, Armadillidae) from Cyprus, with descriptions of two new species
Authors: CAMPOS-FILHO IVANKLIN SOARES , DIMITRIOU ANDREAS C. , TAITI STEFANO , SFENTHOURAKIS SPYROS
Published: April 2023

The present work aims to morphologically characterize the species of Armadillo from Cyprus. Moreover, two new species of the genus are described, A. konstantinoui sp. nov. from several places along the island, and A. karametae sp. nov. from Pafos region. The circum-Mediterranean species A. officinalis is also redescribed.
A new species of Piarosoma Hampson, 1893 (Lepidoptera, Zygaenidae, Procridinae, Artonini) from Arunachal Pradesh, India
Authors: SONDHI SANJAY , EFETOV KONSTANTIN A. , TARMANN GERHARD M. , KARMAKAR TARUN , PAWAR UJWALA , KUNTE KRUSHNAMEGH
Published: April 2023

A new species, Piarosoma arunachalensis sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on external characters and the genitalia of two male specimens from Tale Wildlife Sanctuary, Lower Subansiri District, Arunachal Pradesh, India. The new species is distinguished from other Piarosoma by a combination of: a) presence of large hyaline patches on the wings, b) the absence of any white or yellow markings on the patagia and the abdominal segments, and c) differences in male genitalia.
Investigation of strain rate dependent microscopic failure mechanisms in short fiber reinforced plastics using finite element simulations
Authors: Schweiger Timo , Lienhard Jörg , Grimm-Strele Hannes , Hiermaier Stefan
Published: April 2023

For predicting the strain rate dependent failure of short fiber reinforced plastics (SFRP) a two-phase simulation model is developed using the finite element method and comparing the results to microscopic specimen tests for uniaxial tension under quasi-static (0.007/s) and dynamic loads (250/s). Experimentally the failure behavior of SFRP is observed to be strain rate dependent. The global strain at failure and the absorbed energy increase with strain rate. Moreover, locally an influence of the strain rate on the amount of material involved in the deformation can be observed. The suggested model can represent these effects accurately. Also, the present micro-mechanical effects and their influence on the strain distribution are investigated by unit cell simulations. Thereby the material model of the fibers, the matrix, and the boundary layer are varied respectively. These reveal the important role of strain rate dependent decohesion leading to a correct representation of the plastically deformed volume. Consequently, the distortion energy density is evaluated and is found to be constant at failure for all strain rates.
Workplace Democracy, the Bicameral Firm, and Stakeholder Theory
Authors: Fleurbaey Marc
Published: April 2023

Ferreras's bicameral governance proposal for the corporation contributes to a recent wave of interest in democratizing the workplace. In this article, I connect this to a related ongoing movement in favor of the stakeholder approach to corporate purpose. I argue that this connection sheds light on, and may provide remedies for, some issues with the bicameral proposal: first, the risk of gridlock between the two parties in the dual governance structure; second, the indeterminacy of good management when shareholder primacy is abandoned. But I also note that shareholder primacy emerged spontaneously from structural features of the economy, so that special protection for the “good” firms is warranted, and that other key limitations of a market economy cannot be alleviated fully by democratizing the firm.
The Impact of Relationship Context on Dissociation-Induced Shame Using Vignette Scenarios
Authors: Dorahy Martin J. , McKeogh Kate , Yogeeswaran Kumar
Published: April 2023

Research supports an association between dissociation and elevations in feelings of shame. Yet, some work suggests this connection may be influenced by interpersonal relationship context, with shame heightened when dissociation is experienced with a close friend compared to when alone or with an acquaintance. The current studies sought to further clarify the relational context in which dissociation appears to maximize shame activation. Participants read stories depicting either dissociation or sadness in different relationship contexts, and subsequently responded on measures of emotions, state shame, shame explanations, and perceived behavioral responses. Study 1 ( N = 328) revealed that shame feelings were common responses to dissociation, but did not differ when dissociation occurred with an old or new therapist. In Study 2 ( N = 345), shame was again elevated in response to dissociation. Additionally, single-item shame ratings were heightened following dissociative experiences with a close friend and doctor compared to when alone, and in these former two contexts showed increased shame with dissociation compared to sadness. Shame appears to follow the experience of dissociation, and this relationship may strengthen when in the presence of another, suggesting that social relationships may be an important variable in the relationship between shame and dissociation.
Normal saline: Past, present, and future
Authors: Liu Xinwen , Lu Mengkai
Published: April 2023

Normal saline (NS) is the most widely used agent in the medical field. However, from its origin to its widespread application, it remains a mystery. Moreover, there is an ongoing debate on whether its existence is reasonable, harmful to the human body, or will still exist in the future. The current review traces back to the origins of NS and provides a brief overview of the current situation of infusion. The purpose may shed some light on the possibility of the existence of NS in the future by elaborating on the origin of NS and the research status of the impact of NS on the human body.
A Bibliometric Study of Publications on Adoption of FinTech Using VOSviewer
Authors: Khurana Khushbu
Published: April 2023

More scholarly articles are being published as FinTech becomes more widely used. It is especially crucial to assess the quality of this large number of research articles and gather useful data. Thus, a bibliometric analysis of these articles may offer insight into current research trends and relevant themes. Globally existing literature about FinTech published between 2019 and 2022 was perused in the SCOPUS database. The articles’ bibliometric analysis was carried out using a VOSviewer. Of the 4,532 keywords, 463 met the threshold. The keywords that appeared most were “fintech” (total link strength 2,600), “blockchain” (total link strength 533), “financial inclusion” (total link strength 436), and “financial technology” (total link strength 325) which has a strong link with mobile banking, financial stability, and financial literacy. The present growth patterns indicate a significant rise in the number of international FinTech publications. Within this significant field, the United States produced the most noteworthy contribution.
Enhancing Grace Within a Group-Based Intervention for Counselors in Training
Authors: Sartor Daniel C. , Plisco Mary K. , Blackburn Amanda M. , Hill Preston M.
Published: April 2023

The development of spiritual interventions has the potential to enhance the impact of current treatments on outcomes associated with psychological and spiritual functioning. Researchers of grace have posited that, for the Christian, one’s understanding and experience of grace can facilitate personal and interpersonal transformation, resulting in improvements in both spiritual and psychological well-being. This study investigated a grace-focused group intervention aimed at increasing awareness and experience of grace among graduate counselors in training. Results of objective and projective assessments indicated that participants’ experience of grace improved over the course of the intervention. Implications are discussed in light of these findings.
Northern theories and Southern policies. Why the most influential approaches are insufficient for teaching public policy in Latin America
Authors: Bentancur Nicolás
Published: April 2023

The main theories of the thriving field of study of public policies have been formulated at institutions of developed countries, mostly by the American academy, based on the particular conditions of policy-making processes of their own country. However, its heuristic premises are considered, initially, as universal and are used extensively in teaching and academic studies around the world.

This paper examines the complexities derived from the application of such predominant theoretical approaches to the study and teaching of public policies that are implemented in Latin American countries. Based on an extensive use of specialized literature, 10 public policy variables are identified and organized into two dimensions, one institutional and the other procedural. It is argued that the values of these variables in the countries of this region differ significantly from those observed in the United States, which reveals the explanatory shortcomings of those approaches to account for the particular modalities of public policymaking in these countries.
Basal Cell Adenoma With Atypia in the Nasal Cavity Mimicking a Malignant Tumor
Authors: Doo Jeon Gang , Lee Hojung , Jeon Seung Yeon , Kim Ji Sun
Published: April 2023

Basal cell adenomas (BCA) arising from the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses are very rare. A 64-year-old male patient was suspected of having a malignant tumor after undergoing preoperative computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance imaging. The intraoperative frozen section showed a malignant tumor; however, the final diagnosis revealed BCA with atypia, tubular pattern.
The Lean Startup as an Actionable Theory of Entrepreneurship
Authors: Blank Steve , Eckhardt Jonathan T.
Published: April 2023

Academic theories of entrepreneurship and applied theories of entrepreneurship have historically been siloed. In this article, we connect the Lean Startup, a widely used and applied approach toward entrepreneurship, with selected academic theories of entrepreneurship. In doing so, we clarify the assumptions and terminology within the Lean Startup. We observe that while the Lean Startup and selected theories of entrepreneurship are compatible in assumptions and central challenges, scholarship and the practice of entrepreneurship are likely to benefit from a closer connection between the academic literature and the Lean Startup. We propose several areas of potential integration between the Lean Startup and the academic literature and suggest potential areas of future research.
Eating behaviors and body self-esteem in couple's satisfaction during COVID-19 quarantine
Authors: Mento Carmela , Rizzo Amelia , Liga Francesca , Zito Cristina , Bruno Antonio , Muscatello Maria Rosaria Anna , Tanaka Yasuhiro , Kawai Toshio , Silvestri Maria Catena
Published: April 2023

Background: Many experts agree that the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown restriction have had an impact on relationships and eating habits in couples, but this hypothesis lacks evidence and empirical studies. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between satisfaction with the couple's relationship, body self-esteem, and eating behaviors during the Covid-19 lockdown. Method: Three hundred and eighty-one subjects, aged between 18 and 60 years (M = 26.88; SD = 9.22), of whom 89.8% women, participated in the survey. The online assessment included: the Relationship Assessment Scale; the Multidimensional Self Concept Scale and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. Results: The results showed that the relationship and the levels of couple's satisfaction are independent of respect to body experience and eating behavior. On the contrary, bodily experience is negatively correlated with diet, weight, body shape, and restriction attempts. However, the eating style of couple showed a change during the quarantine period, both in healthy and at-risk of ED subjects. Conclusion: The psychological impact of Covid-19 and its lockdown has had profound repercussions on the subjective relationship with body and food but have apparently preserved stable and satisfying bonds. The importance of the study confirmed the primary relation between self and body's satisfaction in subjective dimensions of life.
Developing an artificial intelligence-based headache diagnostic model and its utility for non-specialists’ diagnostic accuracy
Authors: Katsuki Masahito , Shimazu Tomokazu , Kikui Shoji , Danno Daisuke , Miyahara Junichi , Takeshima Ryusaku , Takeshima Eriko , Shimazu Yuki , Nakashima Takahiro , Matsuo Mitsuhiro , Takeshima Takao
Published: April 2023

Background

Misdiagnoses of headache disorders are a serious issue. Therefore, we developed an artificial intelligence-based headache diagnosis model using a large questionnaire database in a specialized headache hospital.

Methods

Phase 1: We developed an artificial intelligence model based on a retrospective investigation of 4000 patients (2800 training and 1200 test dataset) diagnosed by headache specialists. Phase 2: The model’s efficacy and accuracy were validated. Five non-headache specialists first diagnosed headaches in 50 patients, who were then re-diagnosed using AI. The ground truth was the diagnosis by headache specialists. The diagnostic performance and concordance rates between headache specialists and non-specialists with or without artificial intelligence were evaluated.

Results

Phase 1: The model’s macro-average accuracy, sensitivity (recall), specificity, precision, and F values were 76.25%, 56.26%, 92.16%, 61.24%, and 56.88%, respectively, for the test dataset. Phase 2: Five non-specialists diagnosed headaches without artificial intelligence with 46% overall accuracy and 0.212 kappa for the ground truth. The statistically improved values with artificial intelligence were 83.20% and 0.678, respectively. Other diagnostic indexes were also improved.

Conclusions

Artificial intelligence improved the non-specialist diagnostic performance. Given the model’s limitations based on the data from a single center and the low diagnostic accuracy for secondary headaches, further data collection and validation are needed.
Design and analysis of a miniature self-decoupling six-dimensional force/moment sensor
Authors: Pan Qiqi , Kang Xiaoyang , Wang Hongbo , Luo Jingjing , Wang Fuhao , Tang Jianhao , Han Zhan
Published: April 2023

In recent years, the demand for force feedback with high precision, size miniaturization and operation simplicity in many fields, such as surgical robot, unmanned aerial vehicle, flexible manipulator, and etc., has become increasingly prominent. In this paper, a miniature columnar six-dimensional force/moment sensor is proposed for the suggestion of a method of miniature sensor design and analysis. A novel design scheme for the column module is proposed for the elastomer structure of the sensor, and the external size of the sensor is greatly reduced on the basis of existing researches, which can effectively make it an important part of the final integrated system of some small equipment that require force feedback. Besides, the sensor with the concave hexagonal structured columns breaks through the limitations of layered sensors, and has self-decoupling performance, which avoids cumbersome decoupling algorithms and improves the system response speed. In addition, based on finite element modeling and simulation, the performance study and design optimization of the elastomer are carried out to improve the sensitivity of the sensor. By experimental verification, the sensor designed in this study can achieve the force feedback range of ±5N, the moment feedback range of ±10Nmm, and the coupling output error is less than 0.9%.
Methodology to characterize urban areas with similar daily electricity load curves using smart meters and census information (Montevideo-Uruguay)
Authors: Chévez Pedro , Barbero Dante
Published: April 2023

Given the massive deployment of smart meters at international level, it is necessary to develop methodologies to extract knowledge from the data that they can provide. To this end, it is necessary to associate energy, socio-demographic and/or technical-constructive data, because this is the only way to identify profiles with their corresponding relevant variables or drivers. The usual problem is that socio-technical information about users is limited or non-existent, as it is costly to collect. Consequently, this work presents as a novelty the use of census information to characterize groups of urban segments with similar daily electricity load curves, which avoids the need to collect socio-technical information through specific surveys or direct measurements. In this way, relevant variables are identified in the determination of consumption patterns in the study case (Montevideo-Uruguay) and they are used to infer the daily behavior of those sectors of the city that don’t have this information.
Priming or learning? The influence of pension policy information on individual preferences in Germany, Spain and the United States
Authors: Fernández Juan J , García-Albacete Gema , Jaime-Castillo Antonio M , Radl Jonas
Published: April 2023

A promising approach to pension policy preferences focuses on the influence of policy related information. We advance this research programme by examining the impact of information about future pension benefits, including whether information effects occur through priming, learning or both. Drawing on a novel, split-sample survey experiment in the US, Germany and Spain, we examine the impact of information on forecasted pension replacement rates for 2040 on pension policy attitudes. Findings indicate that the information treatment increases support for the two outcomes considered: (i) increases in the pensionable age and (ii) greater spending on pensions relative to other social programmes. Analyses of heterogeneous treatment effects accounting for prior beliefs of participants show that information effects occur both through priming and learning. The study concludes that hard, non-partisan information increases support for reforms that foster the financial sustainability of pension systems, although the scope of information effects depends on contextual conditions.
Anti-Plasmodial Activity and Mass Spectrometric Profiling of Peptide-enriched Methanol/Water Extract of Leaves from the Himalayan Viola canescens Wall
Authors: Mann Neha , Upadhyay Pooja , Vishnupriya P. , Prabhakar S. , Uniyal P.L. , Lakhanpaul Suman , Sahal Dinkar , Sabareesh V.
Published: April 2023

Background:

Plants belonging to the genus Viola and family Violaceae are well known in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine for their pharmaceutical importance. Viola, commonly known as Banafsha, has been traditionally used as an anti-malarial. The goal of this study was to determine the anti-Plasmodial activity of the cyclotide-rich crude methanol/water extract of leaves from Viola canescens Wall and to analyze its constituents by mass spectrometry (MS).

Materials and Methods:

Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) involving quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-ToF) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (ToF-MS) were applied to investigate the cyclotides rich in methanol/water extract. The intact molecular masses were observed in the range of 2,800–3,400 Daltons, suggesting the presence of peptides. Since various head-to-tail cyclized and intramolecularly disulfide-bonded peptides known as cyclotides have been identified in the Violaceae family, we wanted to verify whether cyclotides are present in our extract. So, the intact masses inferred from the observed spectra were interrogated with Cybase ( www.cybase.org.au ), which is a database on plant cyclotides.

Results:

We observed promising anti-Plasmodial activity (IC50 44 µg/ml) in the cyclotide-rich methanol/water extract prepared from the leaves of the Himalayan V. canescens Wall. The output obtained from Cybase confirmed the presence of about 20 different cyclotides in our extracts. However, no sequence information could be obtained from Cybase for 14 intact molecular masses, which were inferred from the observed LC-ESI-MS data. Hence, these could correspond to novel peptide/cyclotide sequences, which might be characteristic of Himalayan V. canescens.

Conclusion:

This is the first report on the anti-Plasmodial activity of the cyclotide-enriched methanol/water crude extract of the leaves of V. canescens.
Integrating digital interventions with clinical practice in youth mental health services
Authors: Cross Shane P , Nicholas Jennifer , Bell Imogen H , Mangelsdorf Shaminka , Valentine Lee , Thompson Andrew , Gleeson John F , Alvarez-Jimenez Mario
Published: April 2023

Objective

Integrating digital technologies with clinical practice promises to improve access and enhance care in the context of high service demand and constrained capacity.

Method

We outline the emerging research in the integration of digital tools in clinical care, known as blended care, and provide case examples of mental health technology platforms currently in use, summarise findings regarding novel technologies such as virtual reality, and outline real-world implementation challenges and potential solutions.

Results

Recent evidence shows that blended care approaches are clinically effective and improve service efficiency. Youth-specific technologies such as moderated online social therapy (MOST) are achieving a range of positive clinical and functional outcomes, while emerging technologies like virtual reality have strong evidence in anxiety disorder, and accumulating evidence in psychotic conditions. Implementation science frameworks show promise in helping overcome the common challenges faced in real-world adoption and ongoing use.

Conclusion

The integrated, blended use of digital mental health technologies with face-to-face clinical care has the potential to improve care quality for young people while helping overcome the growing challenges faced by youth mental health service providers.
Dynamic Individual Risk Networks: Personalized Network Modelling Based on Experience Sampling Data
Authors: Smid Wineke J. , Wever Edwin C. , Van den Heuvel Nathalie
Published: April 2023

Following a network perspective, risk of sexual reoffending can be understood as a construct that emerges from the interactions between risk factors. If these interrelationships are validly mapped out, this leads to an increased understanding of the risk and thus may contribute to more effective and/or more efficient interventions. This paper reports on personalized network modeling mapping the interrelationships of dynamic risk factors for an individual convicted of sexual offenses, using experience sampling (ESM) based on Stable-2007 items. The longitudinal character of ESM enables both the assessment of interrelations between risk factors within a timeframe and the relationships between risk factors over time. Networks are calculated and compared to the clinical assessment of interrelationships between the risk factors.
Development and validation of a scoring system incorporating tumor growth pattern and perineural invasion for risk stratification in colorectal cancer
Authors: Liu Yulin , Wang Yiting , Yao Su , Liang Changhong , Li Qian , Liu Zaiyi , Zhu Yaxi , Cui Yanfen , Zhao Ke
Published: April 2023

Tumor growth pattern (TGP) and perineural invasion (PNI) at the invasive margin have been recognized as indicators of tumor invasiveness and prognostic events in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aims to develop a scoring system incorporating TGP and PNI, and further investigate its prognostic significance for CRC risk stratification. A scoring system, termed tumor-invasion score, was established by summing TGP and PNI scores. The discovery cohort (N = 444) and the validation cohort (N = 339) were used to explore the prognostic significance of the tumor-invasion score. The endpoints of the event were disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) which were analyzed by the Cox proportional hazard model. In the discovery cohort, Cox regression analysis showed that DFS and OS were inferior for score 4 group compared with score 1 group (DFS, hazard ratio (HR) 4.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.49–7.92, p < 0.001; OS, 4.41, 2.37–8.19,p < 0.001). The validation cohort showed similar results (DFS, 4.73, 2.39–9.37, p < 0.001; OS, 5.52, 2.55–12.0, p < 0.001). The model combining tumor-invasion score and clinicopathologic information showed good discrimination performance than single predictors. TGP and PNI were associated with tumor invasiveness and survival in CRC. The tumor-invasion score generated by TGP and PNI scores served as an independent prognostic parameter of DFS and OS for CRC patients.
Ken Plummer: What it is to be human
Authors: Weeks Jeffrey
Published: April 2023

Ken Plummer’s career embraced a range of interests, and disparate interventions but is marked by a remarkable consistency, rooted in a profound humanistic understanding of the social world. This is most fully expressed in his most recent publication, Critical Humanism, but is a leitmotif throughout his writings since the early 1970s. Whilst many of his contemporaries engaged in wild flirtations with every intellectual fashion from anti-humanism to post-humanisms, and whatever lies between, over the past half-century, Plummer has remained faithful to his early moral and theoretical interests whilst being sharply alert to every nuance and subtlety of contemporary debate. He is one of the most knowledgeable of sociologists, a fluent theorist but also a passionate and committed teacher who strives to communicate as widely as possible. And throughout his life and work, over many years, you can still trace the impact of a critical moment, his engagement with gay liberation from 1970 which profoundly shaped his trajectory as a scholar and engaged intellectual. This essay focuses on a number of key themes, Sexual Stigma, Sexual Stories, Intimate Citizenship, and Critical Humanism that together offer a story of Ken Plummer’s engagement with his overarching theme: what it is to be human.
Platformed cultural production and calibration in the Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Foster Jordan
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic created a period of social and economic crisis that introduced two distinct problems for social media influencers. At the same time that the pandemic made their work economically precarious, it also made their work morally hazardous, as large-scale human suffering made influencers’ lifestyle promotions appear out of step with their audiences’ day-to-day experiences. How did influencers and the personnel they work with organize their labour to navigate uncertainty and avoid moral criticism? Drawing on 40 in-depth interviews with fashion influencers as well as the industry personnel they work with, I explain how influencers and those close to them respond to and combat issues of uncertainty and change during a period of crisis. I pair this interview data with a year-long online observation of influencers’ labour online. In a calibrated move from aspiration to authenticity, influencers stressed the ‘ordinary’ and ‘everyday’ qualities of their lives during the pandemic, evading moral sanctions against profit-making. Throughout, they leveraged their tentacular connections with audiences to refine content in step with shifting demand and desire online, maximizing their market reach and annual revenue.
After Wilding: exploring environmental futures through place-based, speculative documentary filmmaking
Authors: Revans Joe , Hartman Davies Oscar
Published: April 2023

In 2021 and 2022, we engaged in a collaborative filmmaking project at Maple Farm, a rewilding site in Southeast England. The project resulted in After Wilding, a speculative documentary film that explores different perspectives on rewilding and the future of Maple Farm and natures in the United Kingdom more broadly. After Wilding envisions what it would be like to visit Maple Farm in June 2042; to do so, we used 360° imagery of the present site and computer-generated visualisations of possible future landscape features. These visualisations were underscored by three narrative vignettes reflecting on different interventions and perspectives on the site. This article describes creating After Wilding as a three-part process – attunement, perspectives and synthesis. We then reflect on the potential opportunities that digital technologies offer for collaborative speculations between researchers, artists and practitioners for geographical praxis and conservation activities.
Influence of Cultural Norms on Formal Service Engagement Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Meta-synthesis
Authors: Green Jane , Satyen Lata , Toumbourou John W.
Published: April 2023

For victim-survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), receiving help from formal services such as specialist family violence, health, or criminal justice services can be critical for their safety and well-being. Previous research has found cross-cultural differences in the rates of help-seeking behavior, with women from non-Anglo-Saxon communities less likely to seek formal help than Anglo-Saxon populations. This qualitative meta-synthesis has integrated qualitative evidence to examine the relationship between specific cultural norms and formal service engagement for female victim-survivors of IPV from non-Anglo-Saxon communities. A comprehensive search of seven databases was conducted for peer-reviewed articles published between 1985 to May 2021, in addition to searching gray literature. Thirty-five articles met the criteria for inclusion, representing 1,286 participants from 20 cultural groups. Based on a thematic synthesis approach, five key themes that captured specific cultural norms that influence formal service engagement were identified: (1) gender roles and social expectations, (2) community recognition and acceptance of abuse, (3) honor-based society, (4) the role of religion, and (5) cultural beliefs and attitudes toward formal services. These findings have important implications for responses to family violence, particularly concerning family violence education for non-Anglo-Saxon ethnically diverse communities and best-practice strategies to improve the cultural relevancy of formal service providers.
Essential Oils of Ginkgo biloba Yellow Leaves Obtained by Hydrodistillation and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Authors: Djapic Nina
Published: April 2023

Background/Objective: Volatile compounds present in green Ginkgo biloba L. leaves extracts contain compounds that can undertake free radical scavenging. The assumption was that volatile compounds present in yellow Ginkgo biloba leaves extracts have a different composition compared to green Ginkgo biloba leaves extracts. The investigation was conducted in order to determine the compounds in yellow Ginkgo biloba leaves’ extracts that can undertake free radical scavenging. Methods: The volatile compounds present in yellow Ginkgo biloba leaf extracts were obtained by hydrodistillation and supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction. The obtained essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation consisted of monoterpenes (3.1%), oxygenated monoterpenes (15.3%), sesquiterpenes (6.2%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (51.4%), esters (1.3%), benzopyrans (7.1%), an oxolane (1.5%), and a rose ketone (0.8%). Caryophylene-4(12),8(13)-dien-5α-ol (7.1%) was the most abundant compound, followed by 14-hydroxy-( Z)-caryophyllene (5.8%), caryophyllene oxide (5.8%), and hydroxydihydroedulan (5.6%). The supercritical fluid extraction was done under the pressure of 30 MPa, at the temperature of 40 °C and the CO2 flow rate was 2 kg·h−1. The obtained chromatogram revealed the presence of 12 compounds. The main constituents were squalene (110.5 mg per 100 g of plant material) and α-tocopherol (99.3 mg per 100 g of plant material). Conclusion: The well-known compound that has a free radical scavenging activity α-tocopherol was determined in yellow Ginkgo biloba leaves extract obtained by supercritical CO2 extraction.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Sepsis and Orbital Cellulitis Leading to a Combined Central Retinal Artery and Vein Occlusion: A Case Report
Authors: Damani Devanshi Narendra , Salazar Dylan Matthew , Kositangool Piya , Prospero Ponce Claudia Maria , Dihowm Fatma
Published: April 2023

Combined central retinal artery and vein occlusion (CCRAVO) is a rare entity characterized by features of tortuous retinal veins, retinal hemorrhage, optic disk edema and pallor, macula edema, cherry-red spot, and cotton-wool spots. The occurrence of CCRAVO in the adult population is often in the setting of systemic disease; while CCRAVO in the pediatric population is frequently associated with infection of the sinuses, preseptal cellulitis, or orbital cellulitis. It has been hypothesized that CCRAVO can result from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sepsis-induced coagulation disturbances, orbital cellulitis, and even orbital compartment syndrome; however, there are insufficient reports of this complication. This case report sheds light on one such case with irreversible vision loss as a sequela.
Dispensary Cannabidiol (CBD): Nothing to Worry About!
Authors: Elliott Taylor , Gienapp Andrew J. , Wheless James W.
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Despite US FDA approval of cannabidiol (CBD) liquid (Epidiolex®), patients with epilepsy still supplement prescription treatments with dispensary CBD. This study aimed to evaluate therapeutic effectiveness of dispensary CBD. Methods: We retrospectively collected dosage information, CBD serum levels, efficacy, and adverse effects from patient charts (children, adolescents, adults) (n = 18). Results: All 18 patients showed no clinical benefit from dispensary CBD as detectable serum levels never reached a therapeutic range of 150 ng/mL (6 patients had barely detectable levels that were below laboratory reporting thresholds). Minute levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were found in 3 patients, and moderate levels were found in 1 patient. Conclusion: Dispensary CBD failed to reach effective therapeutic levels in all of these patients. The presence of THC demonstrates the current lack of regulation of dispensary CBD. Anecdotal reports of clinical effectiveness should be considered an effect of concomitant prescription antiseizure medications and not dispensary CBD.
iCatcher+: Robust and Automated Annotation of Infants’ and Young Children’s Gaze Behavior From Videos Collected in Laboratory, Field, and Online Studies
Authors: Erel Yotam , Shannon Katherine Adams , Chu Junyi , Scott Kim , Kline Struhl Melissa , Cao Peng , Tan Xincheng , Hart Peter , Raz Gal , Piccolo Sabrina , Mei Catherine , Potter Christine , Jaffe-Dax Sagi , Lew-Williams Casey , Tenenbaum Joshua , Fairchild Katherine , Bermano Amit , Liu Shari
Published: April 2023

Technological advances in psychological research have enabled large-scale studies of human behavior and streamlined pipelines for automatic processing of data. However, studies of infants and children have not fully reaped these benefits because the behaviors of interest, such as gaze duration and direction, still have to be extracted from video through a laborious process of manual annotation, even when these data are collected online. Recent advances in computer vision raise the possibility of automated annotation of these video data. In this article, we built on a system for automatic gaze annotation in young children, iCatcher, by engineering improvements and then training and testing the system (referred to hereafter as iCatcher+) on three data sets with substantial video and participant variability (214 videos collected in U.S. lab and field sites, 143 videos collected in Senegal field sites, and 265 videos collected via webcams in homes; participant age range = 4 months–3.5 years). When trained on each of these data sets, iCatcher+ performed with near human-level accuracy on held-out videos on distinguishing “LEFT” versus “RIGHT” and “ON” versus “OFF” looking behavior across all data sets. This high performance was achieved at the level of individual frames, experimental trials, and study videos; held across participant demographics (e.g., age, race/ethnicity), participant behavior (e.g., movement, head position), and video characteristics (e.g., luminance); and generalized to a fourth, entirely held-out online data set. We close by discussing next steps required to fully automate the life cycle of online infant and child behavioral studies, representing a key step toward enabling robust and high-throughput developmental research.