bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A risk prediction model for hepatocellular carcinoma in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease without cirrhosis
Authors: Kim Gi‐Ae , Park Yewan , Oh Shin Ju , Jung Jooyi , Han Seungbong , Chang Hye‐Sook , Park Sung Won , Kim Tae Hyup , Park Hye Won , Choe Jaewon , Kim Jaeil , Lee Han Chu
Published: December 2023

Background & Aims

Although non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming a leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), HCC risk in non‐cirrhotic NAFLD received little attention. We aimed to develop and validate an HCC risk prediction model for non‐cirrhotic NAFLD.

Methods

A nationwide cohort of non‐cirrhotic NAFLD patients in Korea was recruited to develop a risk prediction model and validate it internally (n = 409 088). A model using a simplified point system was developed by Cox proportional hazard model. K‐fold cross‐validation assessed the accuracy, discrimination and calibration. The model was validated externally using a hospital cohort from Asan Medical Center (n = 8721).

Results

An 11‐point HCC risk prediction model for non‐cirrhotic NAFLD was developed using six independent factors of age, sex, diabetes, obesity, serum alanine aminotransferase level and gamma‐glutamyl transferase level (c‐index 0.75). The average area under receiver operating curves (AUROCs) of the model was 0.72 at 5 years and 0.75 at 10 years. In the external validation cohort, the AUROCs were 0.79 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59–0.95] at 5 years and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.73–0.94) at 10 years. The calibration plots showed the expected risks corresponded well with the observed risks. Risk stratification categorized patients into the low (score 0–6), moderate (7, 8) and high (9–11; estimated incidence rate >0.2%/year) risk groups.

Conclusions

A novel HCC risk prediction model for non‐cirrhotic NAFLD patients was developed and validated with fair performance. The model is expected to serve as a simple and reliable tool to assess HCC risk and assist precision screening of HCC.
Inverse analysis of deformation moduli for high arch dams using the displacement reconstruction technique and multi‐objective optimization
Authors: Li Zefa , Wu Zhenyu , Chen Jiankang , Li Yanling , Huang Huibao , Lu Yu , Lu Xiang , Li Junru
Published: December 2023

The inverse analysis of the deformation moduli of high arch dams based on displacement monitoring data is essential for structural safety assessment. In traditional inverse analysis methods, the deformation moduli are identified based on the single‐objective optimization and the hydrostatic component derived from the statistical model. This type of method has two main shortcomings: First, it treats the essential multi‐objective optimization problem as a single‐objective problem; second, the extracted hydrostatic component may be biased due to the multicollinearity of variables in the statistical model. This paper presents a methodology for the inverse analysis of the deformation moduli of high arch dams under a multi‐objective optimization strategy. The methodology employs empirical mode decomposition to extract the aging component from displacement monitoring data. Then, thermomechanical analysis is used to reconstruct the remaining hydrostatic and temperature components, thereby avoiding the biases encountered in solving the statistical model. The adaptive polynomial chaos expansion method is embedded in the NSGA‐III algorithm to establish and solve multi‐objective functions in the inverse analysis. Additionally, a composite decision index considering errors and test information is proposed to determine acceptable deformation moduli from the Pareto solution set. A high arch dam is selected to illustrate this methodology with static and dynamic monitoring data. The results show that the identified deformation moduli have errors of 3.8% and 7.2% in displacement and acceleration, respectively. The proposed methodology can yield deformation modulus values that are more consistent with the physical implications than those of the single‐objective optimization method.
Filipin complex‐reactive brain lesions: A cautionary tale
Authors: Lau Adeline A. , Trim Paul J. , King Barbara M. , Hassiotis Sofia , Hung Ya Hui , Bush Ashley I. , Snel Marten F. , Hemsley Kim M.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Filipin complex is an autooxidation‐prone fluorescent histochemical stain used in the diagnosis of Niemann‐Pick Disease Type C (NP‐C), a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder. It is also widely used by researchers examining the distribution and accumulation of unesterified cholesterol in cell and animal models of neurodegenerative diseases including NP‐C and Sanfilippo syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA; MPS IIIA). Recently, it has been suggested to be useful in studying Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease. Given filipin's susceptibility to photobleaching, we sought to establish a quantitative biochemical method for free cholesterol measurement.

Methods

Brain tissue from mice with MPS IIIA was stained with filipin. Total and free cholesterol in brain homogenates was measured using a commercially available kit and a quantitative LC–MS/MS assay was developed. Gangliosides GM1, GM2 and GM3 were also quantified using LC–MS/MS.

Results

As anticipated, the MPS IIIA mouse brain displayed large numbers of filipin‐positive intra‐cytoplasmic inclusions, presumptively endo‐lysosomes. Challenging the prevailing dogma, however, we found no difference in the amount of free cholesterol in MPS IIIA mouse brain homogenates cf. control tissue, using either the fluorometric kit or LC–MS/MS assay. Filipin has previously been reported to bind to GM1 ganglioside, however, this lipid does not accumulate in MPS IIIA cells/tissues. Using a fluorometric assay, we demonstrate for the first time that filipin cross‐reacts with both GM2 and GM3 gangliosides, explaining the filipin‐reactive inclusions observed in MPS IIIA brain cells.

Conclusion

Filipin is not specific for free cholesterol, and positive staining in any setting should be interpreted with caution.
Acquired preferences for a novel food odor do not become stronger or stable after multiple generations of odor feeding in Bicyclus anynana butterfly larvae
Authors: Gowri V. , Monteiro Antónia
Published: December 2023

Many herbivorous insects have specific host–plant preferences, and it is unclear how these preferences evolved. Previously, we found that Bicyclus anynana larvae can learn to prefer novel food odors from eating leaves with those odors and transmit those learned preferences to the next generation. It is uncertain whether such acquired odor preferences can increase across generations of repeated odor feeding and be maintained even in the absence of odor. In this study, we fed larvae with novel banana odor‐coated leaves (odor‐fed larvae) for five consecutive generations, without selection on behavioral choices, and measured how larval innate preferences changed over time. Then, we removed the odor stimulus from a larval subgroup, while the other group continued to be odor‐fed. Our results show that larvae learned to prefer the novel odor within a generation of odor feeding and transmitted the learned preference to the next generation, as previously found. Odor‐fed larvae preferred odor significantly more compared to control larvae across five generations of repeated odor or control feeding. However, this led neither to increased odor preference, nor its stabilization. This suggests that when butterfly larvae feed on a new host, a preference for that novel food plant may develop and be transmitted to the next generation, but this preference lasts for a single generation and disappears once the odor stimulus is removed.
The Making of an Indigenous Community and the Limits of Community: Class Differentiation and Social Ties in Southern Chile☆
Authors: Córdova Carlos Bolomey
Published: December 2023

This article seeks to challenge essentialist comprehensions of rural Indigenous communities through examining one particular Mapuche community who were the recipients of a land subsidy. Mapuche people are the largest Indigenous group in Chile. Since the 1990s, the Chilean government, responding to calls for social justice, has purchased land and relocated Mapuche people, mostly landless or almost landless smallholder Indigenous peasants, to areas where they could own land. This study draws on qualitative data gathered from one Mapuche community throughout 2020 and early 2021. It examines the process by which these Mapuche Indigenous people became landowners, and the meanings of this transition for the rural community and households in terms of class differentiation. To this end, the article reflects on key aspects of rural everyday life, such as access to land and machinery. Firstly, it pays attention to the story behind the creation of a new Indigenous community, through analyzing the engagement of its members with the institutional path that was created by the Chilean State as a means of addressing Indigenous land struggles. This, in turn, shows how Indigenous communities can also be made while highlighting the disruptions triggered within such communities when engaging with these public schemes. Secondly, the article reflects on how the members of this new Indigenous community regard certain means of production, especially a communal tractor that was acquired through a Chilean State subsidy. In this respect, it shows how agrarian class formation is associated with these rural households' perceptions regarding their co‐owned tractor. Through investigating shifting notions of rural Indigenous communities, it is concluded that dynamics of agrarian class differentiation led to community development, as well as demarking the contours of individual rural households within each community.
A scoping review of interventions and outcome measures in trials of dental behavior support
Authors: Mac Giolla Phadraig Caoimhin , Ahmad Fisal Aisyah Binti , Bird James , Kammer Pedro Vitali , Fleischmann Isabel , Geddis‐Regan Andrew
Published: December 2023

Background

Dental behavior support (DBS) describes all techniques used by dental professionals to ensure that dental care is safe, effective, and acceptable. There is a need to standardize outcome measures across DBS techniques to reduce heterogeneity, limit selective reporting, promote consistency, and optimize outcomes across DBS research. A comprehensive review of existing measures is a prerequisite to understanding potential outcomes related to the area of interest.

Aim

This review had three aims: first, to identify the outcome measures (OMs) reported in trials of dental behavior support; second, to categorize the component DBS techniques reported within interventions according to emerging agreed terminology; and, third, to map outcome measures to intervention type.

Methods

A scoping review of trials evaluating DBS techniques was undertaken from 2012 to 2022. The review was prospectively registered. Studies were identified through Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO. Study abstracts were screened by two reviewers. Data were extracted by single selector. Outcome measures were sorted according to measurement domains (physiological, behavioral, psychological, and treatment). Responses were assimilated and summed to produce a refined list of distinguishable outcome measures. Intervention types were categorized according to accepted descriptors. Frequencies were presented; associations between outcome domain and DBS type were also reported (Chi‐square test of independence).

Results

A total of 344 trials were included in the review from an initial 14,793 titles / title and abstracts screened. Most involved children (n = 215), most were from India (n = 104), involving basic dental care (n = 117). The median number of outcome measures per trial was four (range = 1–12); 1,317 individual outcomes were reported, categorized as: psychological (n = 501, 38.0%); physiological (n = 491, 37.3%), behavioral (n = 123, 9.3%) or, treatment‐related (n = 202, 15.3%). DBS interventions were split between 239 (45.7%) pharmacological and 283 (54.1%) non‐pharmacological; 96.6% of interventions mapped to accepted descriptors. A significant relationship was noted between the type of intervention and the outcome domain reported.

Conclusion

The findings demonstrate massive variation in outcome measures of DBS interventions that likely lead to unnecessary heterogeneity, selective reporting, and questionable relevance in the literature. A large range of DBS interventions were mapped according to BeSiDe list. There is a need for consensus on a core outcome set across the spectrum of DBS techniques.
Earnings, labor market dynamics, and inequality in Sweden
Authors: Holmberg Johan
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we develop a comprehensive model of earnings and labor market dynamics, where employment and job change are endogenous. The model is estimated by applying the method of indirect inference on Swedish register data, and then used to carry out some policy experiments. There are three key conclusions from these experiments. First, employment shocks early in life can, to a larger extent, be mitigated before retirement compared with employment shocks occurring later. Second, we find that idiosyncratic productivity shocks, unobserved heterogeneity, and education contribute substantially to life‐cycle earnings inequality. Finally, we find that transitory shocks to employment risk have negative effects on earnings and employment in the short run but may increase labor market fluidity in the medium run.
Assessment of potential soil erosion in Mongolia based on the RUSLE model and RCP 8.5 scenario
Authors: Tuvshinjargal Namuun , Lamchin Munkhnasan , Kim Yoonji , Bayarmagnai Enerel , Jeon Seong Woo
Published: December 2023

Due to its relatively high altitude and a continental climate, environmental issues related to soil erosion and land degradation more seriously affect the ecosystem and crop production in Mongolia. As detailed soil erosion and land degradation assessments have only been performed in some regions of Mongolia, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the soil vulnerability on a national scale and predict future soil erosion under climate change prior to establishing an appropriate management plan. The revised universal soil loss equation model was chosen for this study, which reflects geographic and climatic characteristics in a vast area as the Mongolian territory. We evaluated soil erosion using historical data from 1993 and 2013 and generated predictions in the near (2041–2060) and far future (2061–2080) periods under the representative concentration pathway 8.5 scenario. The soil erosion rates were divided into six classes: very low, low, medium, high, very high and extreme. The total of 46,039 km2 of the Mongolian territory was classified as very high and extreme risk, which is predicted to increase up to 48,961 and 51,769 km2, in the near and far future periods, respectively. At the national scale, most of the soil erosion appeared in bare area, as it covers more than 60% of the total area. Meanwhile, the highest soil erosion risk was expected in high mountain ranges and ecologically vulnerable regions of the Gobi Desert and steppe area. This study identifies three land cover types with high priority for management and areas that should be considered first in the sustainable national land use and soil management plans considering regional characteristics.
A low thrombospondin‐1 serum concentration is related to increased bacteremia risk in lymphoma patients treated with BeEAM/BEAM conditioning regimen and autologous stem cell transplantation
Authors: Kościelny Kacper , Mikulski Damian , Nowicki Mateusz , Wyka Krystyna , Misiewicz Małgorzata , Perdas Ewelina , Wierzbowska Agnieszka , Fendler Wojciech
Published: December 2023

Infectious complications of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) are the most common adverse effects of the therapy, resulting in prolonged hospitalization and deterioration of patient well‐being. Identifying predictors of these complications is essential for improving patient outcomes and guiding clinical management. This study aimed to examine thrombospondin‐1 (THBS‐1) serum levels as a potential biomarker for predicting bacteremia in AHSCT recipients. Blood samples were collected from 30 patients undergoing BeEAM/BEAM (bendamustine/carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) conditioning regimen at subsequent time points during AHSCT. THBS‐1 levels were quantified using ELISA kits. Patients who developed bacteremia (n = 11) during the AHSCT course had lower THBS‐1 concentration compared with those without (n = 19) (22.88 ± 11.53 µg/mL vs. 15.24 ± 5.62 µg/mL, p = .0325). The ROC curve analysis revealed that THBS‐1 serum concentration at the first day of BeEAM/BEAM regimen had an area under the curve of 0.732 (95%CI: 0.5390.925, p = .0186) with an optimal cut‐off value of 16.5 µg/ml resulting in 82% Sensitivity and 53% Specificity for predicting bacteremia with a median of 11 days before its occurrence. Patients with lower THBS‐1 concentrations experienced febrile neutropenia significantly earlier, with a median difference of 5 days (p = .0037). Patients with a low concentration of THBS‐1 had a higher risk of bacteremia and a shorter time to febrile neutropenia, indicating its potential value as a complications biomarker. Patients with lower serum THBS‐1 concentrations, indicating an increased risk, may be more suitable for an inpatient AHSCT procedure, where close monitoring and immediate intervention are accessible.

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Haplotypes at the sorghum ARG4 and ARG5 NLR loci confer resistance to anthracnose
Authors: Habte Nida , Girma Gezahegn , Xu Xiaochen , Liao Chao‐Jan , Adeyanju Adedayo , Hailemariam Sara , Lee Sanghun , Okoye Pascal , Ejeta Gebisa , Mengiste Tesfaye
Published: December 2023

Sorghum anthracnose caused by the fungus Colletotrichum sublineola (Cs) is a damaging disease of the crop. Here, we describe the identification of ANTHRACNOSE RESISTANCE GENES (ARG4 and ARG5) encoding canonical nucleotide‐binding leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) receptors. ARG4 and ARG5 are dominant resistance genes identified in the sorghum lines SAP135 and P9830, respectively, that show broad‐spectrum resistance to Cs. Independent genetic studies using populations generated by crossing SAP135 and P9830 with TAM428, fine mapping using molecular markers, comparative genomics and gene expression studies determined that ARG4 and ARG5 are resistance genes against Cs strains. Interestingly, ARG4 and ARG5 are both located within clusters of duplicate NLR genes at linked loci separated by ~1 Mb genomic region. SAP135 and P9830 each carry only one of the ARG genes while having the recessive allele at the second locus. Only two copies of the ARG5 candidate genes were present in the resistant P9830 line while five non‐functional copies were identified in the susceptible line. The resistant parents and their recombinant inbred lines carrying either ARG4 or ARG5 are resistant to strains Csgl1 and Csgrg suggesting that these genes have overlapping specificities. The role of ARG4 and ARG5 in resistance was validated through sorghum lines carrying independent recessive alleles that show increased susceptibility. ARG4 and ARG5 are located within complex loci displaying interesting haplotype structures and copy number variation that may have resulted from duplication. Overall, the identification of anthracnose resistance genes with unique haplotype stucture provides a foundation for genetic studies and resistance breeding.
The Arabidopsis tDR Ala forms G‐quadruplex structures that can be unwound by the DExH1 DEA(D/H)‐box RNA helicase
Authors: Chery Marjorie , Berrissou Christina , Humbert Nicolas , Hummel Guillaume , Mely Yves , Salinas‐Giegé Thalia , Drouard Laurence
Published: December 2023

As in many other organisms, tRNA‐derived RNAs (tDRs) exist in plants and likely have multiple functions. We previously showed that tDRs are present in Arabidopsis under normal growth conditions, and that the ones originating from alanine tRNAs are the most abundant in leaves. We also showed that tDRs Ala of 20 nt produced from mature tRNAAla (AGC) can block in vitro protein translation. Here, we report that first, these tDRs Ala (AGC) can be found within peculiar foci in the cell that are neither P‐bodies nor stress granules and, second, that they assemble into intermolecular RNA G‐quadruplex (rG4) structures. Such tDR Ala rG4 structures can specifically interact with an Arabidopsis DEA(D/H) RNA helicase, the DExH1 protein, and unwind them. The rG4‐DExH1 protein interaction relies on a glycine‐arginine domain with RGG/RG/GR/GRR motifs present at the N‐terminal extremity of the protein. Mutations on the four guanine residues located at the 5′ extremity of the tDR Ala abolish its rG4 structure assembly, association with the DExH1 protein, and foci formation, but they do not prevent protein translation inhibition in vitro. Our data suggest that the sequestration of tDRs Ala into rG4 complexes might represent a way to modulate accessible and functional tDRs for translation inhibition within the plant cell via the activity of a specific RNA helicase, DExH1.
Diagnostic imaging descriptions and prevalence of presumed phrenic lymph nodes in dogs
Authors: Cordella Alessia , Stock Emmelie , Cornillie Pieter , Fouriez‐Lablée Virginie , Skarbek Adrianna , Germonpré Jolien , Saunders Jimmy
Published: December 2023

The phrenic lymph node (PLN) has been described in bovine, equine, and feline anatomic references but descriptions in canine anatomic references are currently lacking. Authors have observed a well‐defined, soft tissue attenuating, contrast‐enhancing structure in a location consistent with previous anatomic descriptions of the PLN in dogs that underwent thoracic CT for neoplastic staging. The aims of this two‐part, retrospective/prospective, anatomic, prevalence study were (1) to describe the presence of a soft tissue structure close to the thoracic caudal vena cava, defined as the presumed PLN, in a series of dogs that underwent CT as part of the staging for metastatic disease; (2) to confirm the lymphatic origin of the presumed PLN in a dog through postmortem examination; (3) to assess the prevalence of the presumed PLN in a population of dogs that underwent thoracic CT or MRI for different clinical purposes; and (4) to assess the possibility to visualize the presumed PLN with ultrasonography. The lymphatic origin of the presumed PLN was confirmed by postmortem examination in one dog. The presumed PLN was visible in 29 of 777 canine CT examinations (prevalence 3.7%). The presumed PLN was not visible in 9 of 10 prospectively recruited ultrasound cases. Most dogs with visible presumed PLNs were large‐medium breeds that were presented for neoplastic staging purposes. Findings indicated that a structure consistent with the previously reported anatomic features of PLN in cattle, horses, and cats may be detected with a low prevalence in canine CT and MRI examinations.
Potential for emergence of Japanese encephalitis in the European Union
Authors: Gossner Céline M. , Dhollander Sofie , Presser Lance D. , Briet Oliver , Bakonyi Tamas , Schaffner Francis , Figuerola Jordi
Published: December 2023

Background and objective

No autochthonous human cases of Japanese encephalitis (JE) have been reported to date in the European Union (EU). In this study, we assess the likelihood of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) introduction and transmission within the EU and propose outbreak response measures.

Risk assessment

Given the global geographical distribution of JEV, the probability of virus introduction into the EU is currently very low, with viremic bird migration being the most plausible pathway of introduction. However, this likelihood would significantly increase if the virus were to become established in the Middle East, Caucasus, Central Asia or Africa. Considering the environmental conditions that are expected to be conducive for virus circulation, there is a high likelihood of virus transmission within the EU after its introduction in environmentally suitable areas. The spread of the virus within the EU would likely occur through the movement of wild birds, pigs and mosquitoes.

Mitigation

To mitigate or potentially contain the emergence of JE in the EU, early detection of both human and animal cases will be crucial.
PRELIMINARY STUDY OF AMBIENT ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION AT BASE TOWER STATIONS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN KUALA NERUS
Authors: Senafi Nur Masuriawati , Abdullah Nazifah , Umar Roslan , Mohamed Nurul Syazwina , Tukimin Roha , Nik Wan Nik Ahmad Firdaus
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Mobile communications developed into an integral component of our daily life. The growing demand for mobile communication services in Kuala Nerus has seen an increase in the installation of base station towers (BST) in residential areas, as well as near schools, and hospitals. Kuala Nerus was selected as a study location because it is a newly developed district in Terengganu, hence, it is crucial to perform electromagnetic radiation (EMR) measurements in the early stages.  Objective/aim: This study aimed to measure the RF EMR exposure level in residential areas in Kuala Nerus by measuring the strength of its electric field (EF) strength and power density (PD) value while comparing it with the ICNIRP’s standard guidelines. Materials and methods: Measurements were made using NARDA NBM 550, connected to a probe that could detect frequencies from 100kHz to 6GHz. The data collection period for each point was approximately 6 minutes during daytime. Results: Average radiation levels in terms of EF strength at all locations were found to vary between 0.26 (V/m) to 3.35 (V/m) (PD value about 0.02 µW/cm² to 2.97 µW/cm²). The highest level was measured at Surau Kg Pok Tuyu, which was 5.48% or 18 times lower than the MCMC exposure limit for public areas. Conclusion: The RF value obtained does not exceed the standard limit, which in turn contributes indirectly to health monitoring initiatives for public NIR exposure. This study found that exposure levels in selected BSTs in residential areas in Kuala Nerus were within the standard guideline limits.
TRIBOLOGICAL IN METAL FORMING PROCESS AND THE USE OF BIO LUBRICANT AS METAL FORMING LUBRICANT: A REVIEW
Authors: Y. Aiman, , S. Syahrullail , A. H. Kameil
Published: December 2023

Due to its low scrap, high production rates, and higher yield strength of cold-formed products following forming operation, cold metal forming methods stand out as the most beneficial method of metal forming. The use of metal forming process is one of the major aspects in manufacturing process and the utilised of lubricant is extremely vital. When referring to lubricants, the term "bio-lubricant" refers to a stock that is both renewable and biodegradable. Fats and oils, which are derived from fatty acids, may be reacted with alcohols to create esters. It is crucial for the economy, people, and the environment that lubricants be developed and used efficiently. For this article, we scoured the literature and analyzed the most up-to-date research on the topic of metal forming process improvement and the use of vegetable oil as a metal forming lubricant. This research intends as a case study and demonstrating the tribological analysis in metal forming process and the potential of using bio lubricant in the metal forming. Future manufacture of new oil blends from new and conventional oil sources will be offered to the market for a variety of economic and health concerns.
THE PERFORMANCES OF MIXED EWMA-CUSUM CONTROL CHARTS BASED ON MEDIAN-BASED ESTIMATORS UNDER NON-NORMALITY
Authors: Mohd Noor Nor Fashihah , Abdul-Rahman Ayu , Atta Abdu Mohammed Ali
Published: December 2023

Exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) and cumulative sum (CUSUM) charts have been regularly used to monitor small process mean shifts. More recently, a mixture of EWMA and CUSUM charts known as mixed EWMA-CUSUM (MEC) control chart has been introduced for better small shift detection. However, like its predecessor, the MEC chart requires the normality assumption to ensure optimal performances. In the presence of outliers, which is the cause of non-normality, the parameters of the chart may be overestimated, leading to an unreliable monitoring process. To mitigate this problem, this paper employed median-based estimators namely, the median and modified one-step M-estimator (MOM), to control the location parameter via the MEC control chart. In this study, the performance of robust MEC charts for Phase II monitoring of location was compared with the standard MEC chart that is based on the sample mean. The performance of the robust MEC charts in terms of the average run length (ARL) on various g-and-h distributions clearly shows that a robust MEC chart based on the MOM estimator performs well regardless of the distributional shapes.
A generative refusal: body inclusive methods with racialized women in knowledge creation
Authors: Kaptani Erene
Published: December 2023

This paper illustrates the moving body’s direct engagement with discursive and material spaces, as well encounters in theatre methods used in knowledge production. Body-inclusive theatre-based methods aim to address two paradoxes. First, the racialised and gendered body in feminist epistemology is often theorised without the body being actively engaged in the methods that produce its theorisations, and therefore neither are body-inclusive methodological practices. This has an impact on feminist epistemologies as corporeal modes of existence, such as lived experiences, self-definition and agency require the presence of and an engagement with the moving body. This knowledge project offers another way of being in knowledge acquisition. It recognises that research often refuses the agency and personhood of the ‘researched’, and it also sets limits on epistemologies (Tuck 2009; Ng 2018; Salami 2020). There is an epistemological refusal taking place in this theatre practice: through the enactment of lived experiences with an aim to transform them; a non-binary way of making meaning of them; creativity as a process of becoming anew; and activating the agency driven human body. In this practice, racialised and migrant women explore their subjugated bodies through kinaesthetic means, namely with, from, and through their bodies. The co-creators explored the playfulness and creativity of their bodies through theatre games, living images and the creation of Physical and Forum Theatre performances (Boal 1992/2005; Lecoq et al. 2000) linked with the experience of having a female, racialised, migrant and othered body.
An article that refuses to write itself
Authors: Zelenska Vita
Published: December 2023

The essay discusses the failure of the author to theorise refusal in relation to the politics of migration. As I try to understand why theorising refusal failed, I am reminded of the all-too-familiar trope of ethnography: the romanticisation of the resistant subject. Taking Tina Campt’s definition of refusal as a starting point, I proceed with autoethnographic critique. I emphasise the stakes of the refusal to accept the terms of the system that “renders you illegible”, (Campt 2019, 83) while arguing against the instrumentalisation of detention experiences.
RHOAL57Vdrives the development of diffuse gastric cancer through IGF1R-PAK1-YAP1 signaling
Authors: Schaefer Antje , Hodge Richard G. , Zhang Haisheng , Hobbs G. Aaron , Dilly Julien , Huynh Minh V. , Goodwin Craig M. , Zhang Feifei , Diehl J. Nathaniel , Pierobon Mariaelena , Baldelli Elisa , Javaid Sehrish , Guthrie Karson , Rashid Naim U. , Petricoin Emanuel F. , Cox Adrienne D. , Hahn William C. , Aguirre Andrew J. , Bass Adam J. , Der Channing J.
Published: December 2023

Cancer-associated mutations in the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) RHOA are found at different locations from the mutational hotspots in the structurally and biochemically related RAS. Tyr42-to-Cys (Y42C) and Leu57-to-Val (L57V) substitutions are the two most prevalent RHOA mutations in diffuse gastric cancer (DGC). RHOAY42Cexhibits a gain-of-function phenotype and is an oncogenic driver in DGC. Here, we determined how RHOAL57Vpromotes DGC growth. In mouse gastric organoids with deletion ofCdh1, which encodes the cell adhesion protein E-cadherin, the expression of RHOAL57V, but not of wild-type RHOA, induced an abnormal morphology similar to that of patient-derived DGC organoids. RHOAL57Valso exhibited a gain-of-function phenotype and promoted F-actin stress fiber formation and cell migration. RHOAL57Vretained interaction with effectors but exhibited impaired RHOA-intrinsic and GAP-catalyzed GTP hydrolysis, which favored formation of the active GTP-bound state. Introduction of missense mutations at KRAS residues analogous to Tyr42and Leu57in RHOA did not activate KRAS oncogenic potential, indicating distinct functional effects in otherwise highly related GTPases. Both RHOA mutants stimulated the transcriptional co-activator YAP1 through actin dynamics to promote DGC progression; however, RHOAL57Vadditionally did so by activating the kinases IGF1R and PAK1, distinct from the FAK-mediated mechanism induced by RHOAY42C. Our results reveal that RHOAL57Vand RHOAY42Cdrive the development of DGC through distinct biochemical and signaling mechanisms.
Complete genome sequence of
Pseudomonas
phage Ep4 lysing the kiwifruit canker bacteria
Authors: Aono Mitsuo , Yagi Haruka , Kobayashi Kappei
Published: December 2023

Pseudomonas syringae
pv.
actinidiae
is a pathogen of kiwifruit canker. Ep4, a bacteriophage lysing the pathogenic bacteria, was isolated from an affected plant. Sequencing and annotation have revealed 44,614-bp genome with 52 predicted open reading frames. Ep4 is closest to
Pseudomonas
phage YMC11/06/C171_PPU_BP, albeit with low homology.
An experimental investigation of the characteristics of cataclastic bands in high-porosity sandstones
Authors: Jiang Mingming , Fu Xiaofei , Wang Zicheng
Published: December 2023

Cataclastic bands in high-porosity sandstones significantly influence fluid flow, thus impacting the exploration and development of oil and gas. However, little experimental research has been conducted on the main factors controlling the formation, evolution, and physical properties of cataclastic bands. Moreover, it is difficult to use field surveys to discern variations and trends in the structural and physical properties of cataclastic bands formed during different deformation processes. In this study, we used a high-pressure and low-velocity ring-shear apparatus to analyze high-porosity, pure sandstone. Multiple sets of ring-shear experiments were carried out using the effective normal stress or shear displacement as a single variable. The experimental samples were analyzed based on physical property tests and thin sections. Our results indicate that the particles in the cataclastic bands generally have better roundness and are smaller (by at least two to three orders of magnitude) than the host rock. The porosity and permeability of the cataclastic bands are ~70% lower and two to three orders of magnitude lower than those of the host rock, respectively. The characteristics of the cataclastic bands are controlled by two main factors, namely, the effective normal stress and shear displacement. The effective normal stress controls the intensity of the cataclasis, and the shear displacement controls the physical properties of the grains and indirectly controls the evolutionary stage, which corresponds to the intensity of cataclasis. As the effective normal stress or shear displacement increases, the cataclasis in the cataclastic bands intensifies, and the grain size decreases; then, the decrease in the porosity gradually declines, and the permeability decrease and thickness increase and then plateau. The results of this study reveal the evolutionary mechanisms of the structural and physical properties of cataclastic bands in high-porosity sandstones and lay a theoretical foundation for determining the effect of these bands on fluid flow in oil and gas reservoirs.
Elastic stresses can form metamorphic fabrics
Authors: Gilgannon James , Freitas Damien , Rizzo Roberto Emanuele , Wheeler John , Butler Ian B. , Seth Sohan , Marone Federica , Schlepütz Christian M. , McGill Gina , Watt Ian , Plümper Oliver , Eberhard Lisa , Amiri Hamed , Chogani Alireza , Fusseis Florian
Published: December 2023

Detailing the relationship between stress and reactions in metamorphic rocks has been controversial, and much of the debate has centered on theory. Here, we add to this discussion and make a major advance by showing in time-resolved synchrotron microtomography experiments that a reacting and deforming sample experiencing an elastic differential stress produces a fabric orthogonal to the largest principal stress. This fabric forms very early in the reaction and can be shown to be unrelated to strain. The consequences of this are significant because a non-hydrostatic stress state is a very common geological occurrence. Our data provide the basis for new interpretations of the classical, and enigmatic, serpentine fabrics of Val Malenco, Italy, and Cerro del Almirez, Spain, where we relate the reported fabrics to transient, and cyclical, differential stresses from magma intrusion and the earthquake cycle.
Mediterranean diet adherence and nutritional literacy: an observational cross-sectional study of the reality of university students in a COVID-19 pandemic context
Authors: Abreu Filipa , Hernando Ana , Goulão Luís Filipe , Pinto Alexandra Marques , Branco Amélia , Cerqueira Ana , Galvão Cecília , Guedes Fábio Botelho , Bronze Maria Rosário , Viegas Wanda , de Matos Margarida Gaspar , Sousa Joana
Published: December 2023

Aim

To evaluate the adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and the level of nutritional literacy (NL) among university students from different academic fields of study, within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A total of 1114 first-year undergraduate students at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, were included in this study. A self-administered online questionnaire was applied that included questions regarding sociodemographic information, the MD measured by the PREDIMED questionnaire (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) and NL assessed using the Newest Vital Sign questionnaire.

Results

The average PREDIMED score revealed a low adherence (6.79±2.14 points) to the MD. Notably, students in the Social Sciences and Humanities academic fields showed the highest level of adherence (U=21 071; p<0.05). Within the Health field, there was a greater prevalence of dietary behaviours aligned with the MD, contributing to higher overall adherence scores. Furthermore, 84.1% of the participants demonstrated adequate NL. Interestingly, students in the Exact Sciences and Engineering field demonstrated the highest levels of NL (5.07±1.19), particularly in questions involving mathematical reasoning.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that university students in Lisbon do not follow a MD and are far from the recommendations of this dietary pattern. While most participants showed adequate NL, it is essential to highlight the link between knowledge and application to daily practice. Despite positive literacy levels, there remains a deficit in translating this knowledge into correct dietary practices.
‘Godrevy Project’: virtual reality for symptom control and well-being in oncology and palliative care – a non-randomised pre-post interventional trial
Authors: Moon Niall O , Henstridge-Blows Jemima R , Sprecher Eva A , Thomas Elizabeth , Byfield Amy , McGrane John
Published: December 2023

Objective

The ‘Godrevy Project’ is an interventional trial designed to determine the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) on the holistic symptom control and well-being in oncology and palliative care patients. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether VR changed the revised Edmonton Symptom and Assessment System (ESAS-r) score representing an effective improvement in symptom control and well-being.

Methods and analysis

This study reports on 60 participants recruited from hospital inpatient oncology and palliative care lists, to participate in an unblinded, VR intervention. Participants were included aged >18 years with a diagnosis of cancer, receiving inpatient treatment of systemic anticancer therapy. Impact evaluation on symptoms was measured using the ESAS-r pre-VR and post-VR intervention. For ethical reasons, participants were not randomised.

Results

From the 60 inpatients recruited, 58 participants were included for analysis. Participants recruited were aged 19–84 years with female (58%) and male (42%) participation. The primary outcome of the study demonstrated significant improvement in ESAS-r scores for symptoms and well-being. Total ESAS-r scores showed an improvement of 42% compared with baseline, with well-being ESAS-r scores improving 51%. The most common side effect was drowsiness. There were no adverse events related to study participation.

Conclusion

The ‘Godrevy Project’ successfully demonstrates the feasible, effective use of VR on symptom control and well-being in oncology and palliative care patients. This study demonstrates VR as an effective, patient controlled, non-pharmacological intervention without significant side effects. This interventional trial is well placed to support future research and improve clinical practice.

Trial registration number

NCT04821466.
New methodology to assess the excess burden of antibiotic resistance using country-specific parameters: a case study regardingE. coliurinary tract infections
Authors: Godijk Noortje Grejanne , McDonald Scott A , Altorf-van der Kuil Wieke , Schoffelen Annelot F , Franz Eelco , Bootsma Martin C J
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infections are a major public health problem and the burden on population level is not yet clear. We developed a method to calculate theexcessburden of resistance which uses country-specific parameter estimates and surveillance data to compare the mortality and morbidity due to resistant infection against a counterfactual (the expected burden if infection was antimicrobial susceptible). We illustrate this approach by estimating the excess burden for AMR (defined as having tested positive for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases) urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused byE. coliin the Netherlands in 2018, which has a relatively low prevalence of AMRE. coli, and in Italy in 2016, which has a relatively high prevalence.

Design

Excess burden was estimated using the incidence-based disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) measure. Incidence of AMRE. coliUTI in the Netherlands was derived from ISIS-AR, a national surveillance system that includes tested healthcare and community isolates, and the incidence in Italy was estimated using data reported in the literature. A systematic literature review was conducted to find country-specific parameter estimates for disability duration, risks of progression to bacteraemia and mortality.

Results

The annual excess burden of AMRE. coliUTI was estimated at 3.89 and 99.27 DALY/100 0000 population and 39 and 2786 excess deaths for the Netherlands and Italy, respectively.

Conclusions

For the first time, we use country-specific and pathogen-specific parameters to estimate the excess burden of resistant infections. Given the large difference in excess burden due to resistance estimated for Italy and for the Netherlands, we emphasise the importance of using country-specific parameters describing the incidence and disease progression following AMR and susceptible infections that are pathogen specific, and unfortunately currently difficult to locate.
Internal brace augmentation reconstruction versus standard anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a randomised controlled clinical trial study protocol
Authors: Lu Wenhao , Liu Di , Cai Zijun , Pan Linyuan , Xie Wenqing , Jin Hongfu , Liu Xu , Li Yusheng , Xiao Wenfeng
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is one of the most common knee injuries in sports, and the gold standard for treating ACL rupture is tendon graft reconstruction. Internal brace technology is being used nowadays for ligament repair; however, more relevant in vivo clinical evidence is required for using internal brace technology in ACL reconstruction (ACLR). We conducted a randomised controlled trial to investigate the clinical efficacy of internal brace technology in ACLR.

Methods and analysis

This randomised, parallel-controlled trial included patients with ACL rupture who underwent inpatient surgery at the Department of Orthopaedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. Random number table method was used to assign the participants to either the test or the control group. The test group underwent ACLR using the internal brace technique, whereas the control group underwent standard ACLR. Uniform postoperative rehabilitation protocol was used for both the groups. Patient-reported outcomes included preoperative baseline and postoperative recovery at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. The primary outcome was International Knee Documentation Committee function from baseline (ACL rupture) to 6 months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included (1) other patient outcome reporting metrics, Lysholm knee score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and Visual Analog Scale; (2) the use of Kneelax3 knee stabiliser to assess knee stability; (3) occurrence of adverse events, such as graft refraction or symptomatic instability, postoperative infection and contralateral injury and (4) magnetic resonance images at 12 and 24 months after ACLR.

Ethics and dissemination

This trial was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Xiangya Hospital of Central South University on 26 October 2021. Data will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR2200057526.