bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of the Feminist Movement and Women’s Rights in the Context of Universal Rights vs Cultural & Religious Norms in African Societies
Authors: Simuziya Nsama Jonathan
Published: March 2023

Purpose – The disposition of contemporary African societies suggest that women are coerced into dependent and exploitative power relations in the name of culture, tradition, and religion. This study aims to evaluate the historical evolution and influence of the feminist agenda and how it has been received in African cultural and political circles. Given that patriarchy systems in African communities are deeply entrenched, this study aims to assess the viability of the feminist agenda in challenging those male-dominated spaces that have contributed to the slow pace of women’s emancipation. Most intriguingly is the view that gender inequality in contemporary Africa was born out of colonialism.

Design/Method of Enquiry – Data were collected through scripts and media recorded interviews of experts who are specialised in the African study fields of history, anthropology, sociology, spirituality, and political science. Much of the literature was gathered from secondary information which drew from academic journals, scholarly books, and online publications.

Findings – The findings suggest that feminism and universal rights in African polities are often viewed with misgivings as a contemporary phenomenon; a product of colonial legacies infused with neo-imperial impulses. Broadly, this perception runs deep in the African psyche across the continent. This widespread view is premised on the idea that pre-colonial Africa did not have problems of gender equality. The study suggests that the tension between feminism (and universal rights) on the one hand, and culture, on the other hand, can best be resolved through the prism of cross-cultural universals -a theory that seeks to find a common ground between these juxtaposes.

Originality/Value – The study contributes of the literature by pushing the envelope of human rights awareness in contemporary Africa beyond cultural and religious discourses.

The study brings to the fore, increased societal awareness that the fight for human rights in contemporary Africa is not necessarily a battle between Western and cultural values, but rather, about a fight for or against a human rights disposition. Most significantly, the study advances the argument that the holistic growth of a polity is dependent on all stake holders actively and freely participating in polity governance based on their ability and effort, and not based on gender or on any other consideration.

Discriminatory practices against women or against any marginalised persons not only robs them of their ability to fulfil their potential as individuals, but in fact takes back all of society.
Subtitling Taboo Expressions from a Conservative to a More Liberal Culture
Authors: Haider Ahmad S. , Saideen Bassam , Hussein Riyad F.
Published: March 2023

Subtitling involves constraints about differences between cultures. This requires a set of translation strategies, especially when subtitling from relatively conservative to more liberal cultures. This study explores subtitlers’ strategies when translating the Jordanian Arabic vernacular series Jinn into English. Jinn has been selected because it’s Netflix’s first Arabic-Jordanian series containing explicit scenes and inappropriate language. Further culture-bound expressions were classified according to their connotative functions. The findings demonstrated that subtitlers used various strategies to render culture-bound expressions from Arabic into English. These include translating the source culture taboo to a target culture taboo of the same, higher or lower intensity levels. The findings also revealed that ‘unfriendly suggestions’ and ‘noun supports’ were the most frequently targeted connotative functions of the swear words. The research recommends additional studies on subtitling movies and series cross-culture.
Drought stress intensifies the phytotoxicity of five Asteraceae exotic invasive plants
Authors: Xu Zhelun , Zhong Shanshan , Yu Youli , Wang Yueyang , Liu Jun , Guo Erhui , Wang Congyan
Published: March 2023

The phytotoxicity of exotic invasive plants (EIP) is vital for their successful invasion. At the family level, Asteraceae contains the largest number of EIP species in China. Drought stress may affect the phytotoxicity of EIP by altering the production and secretion of allelochemicals. Therefore, it is important to estimate the phytotoxicity of multiple EIP under drought stress. In this study, the phytotoxicity of five Asteraceae EIP, i.e., Solidago canadensis L., Aster subulatus Michx., Bidens pilosa L., Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers., and Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronq., were estimated using leaf extracts. Their effects on seed germination and seedling growth of the horticultural Asteraceae species Lactuca sativa L. under drought stress (simulated by polyethylene glycol-6000) were assessed. These five Asteraceae EIP, particularly S. canadensis, inhibited seed germination of L. sativa. Aster subulatus, B. pilosa, E. annuus, and C. canadensis increased seedling growth of L. sativa. The phytotoxicity of these five Asteraceae EIP decreased in the following order: S. canadensis > E. annuus > A. subulatus > B. pilosa ≈ C. canadensis. Drought stress intensified the phytotoxicity of all five Asteraceae EIP. The level of stress intensity mediated by these five Asteraceae EIP, particularly by S. canadensis, A. subulatus, and B. pilosa, increased with increasing degree of drought stress. Thus, an increasing growing degree of drought stress may accelerate the invasion process of these five Asteraceae EIP via the effects of intensified phytotoxicity on growth performance of adjacent species, particularly on seed germination and seedling growth.
Laterality of shell formation differs in two sympatric gastropod species: mulberry shell (Tenguella granulata), and strawberry topshell (Clanculus pharaonius)
Authors: Yosef Reuven , Kadosh Tamar , Kosicki Jakub Z.
Published: March 2023

We studied and found that the populations of two gastropod species in the inter-tidal zone of the Red Sea at Eilat demonstrate a predominantly dextral chirality of their shells. We identified lateralization sinistral/dextral shell torsion for 675 live Tenguella granulata (left = 114, 16.9%; right = 561, 83.1%) and 405 Clanculus pharaonius (left = 102, 25.2%; right = 303, 74.8%). In both cases, we found differences between sinistral and dextral shell torsions for Tenguella granulata and Clanculus pharaonius. The ecological and evolutionary consequences of individuals with sinistral chirality are unclear, but there are indications that it is a directional rather than stochastic process.
Quasi-fideist Presuppositionalism: Cornelius Van Til, Wittgenstein, and Hinge Epistemology
Authors: Smith Nicholas
Published: March 2023

I argue that the epistemology underlying Cornelius Van Til’s presuppositional apologetic methodology is quasi-fideist. According to this view, the rationality of religious belief is dependent on absolutely certain ungrounded grounds, called hinges. I further argue that the quasi-fideist epistemology of presuppositional apologetics explains why Van Til’s method is neither fideist nor problematically circular: hinges are rational in the sense that they are partly constitutive of rationality, and all beliefs (not just religious ones) depend on hinges. In addition, it illuminates something of why it may strike one as a misguided or uncompelling apologetic method: instead of starting by tackling the comparatively minor epistemic commitments of the nonbeliever, it directly approaches their deepest and surest commitments.
The Testament of the Nun Maria (Kale)
Authors: Chitwood Zachary
Published: March 2023

The testament of Kale (in religion Maria), written in the year 1098 and transmitted by copy in the archive of Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos, constitutes one of the most remarkable documents of the Moyen Âge grec. While its contents have hitherto been analyzed through the lens of economic and rural history, her will contains exhaustive commemorative prescriptions which shed light on how Byzantine founders sought to preserve their memory. The present contribution examines this testament, along with related documents, as a remarkable expression of Maria’s concern for the salvation of her soul, and that of her spouse, which she sought to realize through memorial services, charitable distributions and commemorative feasting. The testament makes clear that Maria pursued various commemorative strategies to perpetuate her own memory and that of her deceased husband: to this end, she incentivized several groups of people with bequests to pray for her after her death. A complete translation of the testament into English is offered along with an annotated commentary in an appendix.
Who is Andesiops peruvianus (Ulmer, 1920) (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae)? New insight from the type basin using morphological and molecular analyses
Authors: MERA RENZO , SICCHA-RAMIREZ RAQUEL , RAMIREZ JORGE L. , NÚÑEZ-RODRÍGUEZ DANIELA , BRITZKE RICARDO , VELÁSQUEZ-RODRÍGUEZ KAREN , RAMÍREZ RINA , HUAMANTINCO ANA A.
Published: March 2023

Andesiops peruvianus (Ulmer, 1920) is a small minnow mayfly with a distribution throughout the Andes Mountains, mainly in lotic environments. In recent years, the taxonomic status of the species has been shifting, even finding out molecular and morphological evidence to consider it as a cryptic species. In this work, we collected seven specimens of A. peruvianus from the Lake Titicaca in Peru, the type locality and perform molecular and morphological analyses to test their relationship with specimens from other regions. The species delimitation analysis revealed the existence of five MOTUs for specimens identified as A. peruvianus along the Andes Mountains, while the Lake Titicaca specimens formed a single MOTU with high interspecific distance. In this MOTU were found specimens with different types of abdominal gills, from translucent to markedly tracheated supporting the hypothesis of phenotypic plasticity at the abdominal gill level. Also, an extension in the range of tarsal claw denticles, from 10–12 to 10–14, were observed, higher than what were found in other regions. Our results support A. peruvianus as a species complex and reveal A. peruvianus from Titicaca as a single MOTU. Future morphological revisions of topotype specimens as well as from other Andean regions are required to strengthen the diagnosis of informative characteristics at both the larval and adult stage to elucidate the real status of the species.
Effects of MAPK pathway inhibitors (AZD6244) on resistance of breast cancer cells to chemotherapy and targeted therapy
Authors: Huang Zhiqiang , Wu Hualian
Published: March 2023

Advanced breast cancer is prone to metastasis, difficult to cure, and is characterized by frequent relapse following treatment. Chemotherapy and targeted therapy are the main treatments for patients with advanced breast cancer, but resistance to chemotherapy can affect outcomes and
in severe cases lead to death. In recent years, the use of protein kinase inhibitors in tumor prevention and treatment has attracted considerable research interest. Exploring specific mechanisms of drug resistance to protein kinase inhibitors in breast cancer cells may help improve outcomes
in breast cancer patients. In this study, the MAPK pathway inhibitor AZD6244 was applied to breast cancer cells and found to inhibit survival of the non-drug-resistant (NDR) cells MCF-7 and Ca151 more than the drug-resistant (DR) cells MCF-7/A02 and CALDOX. Activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway
in DR breast cancer cells was found to be much greater than in NDR cells. In DR breast cancer cells, AZD6244 greatly reduced the activities of MAPK and ERK, and also the rate of proliferation, while increasing apoptosis. Therefore, these results are consistent with AZD6244 reducing proliferation
and increasing apoptosis in DR breast cancer cells by inhibiting the MAPK/ERK pathway.
Synthesis and gas-sensing properties of ZnO nanoflowers for hydrogen sulphide (H2S) detection
Authors: Umar Ahmad , Ibrahim Ahmed A. , Alhamami Mohsen A. , Hussain S. , Algadi Hassan , Ahmed Faheem , Fouad Hassan , Akbar Sheikh
Published: March 2023

Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization, and gas sensing properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoflowers grown by facile simple solution process. The synthesized ZnO nanoflowers were examined by various techniques to explore their structural, morphological, optical, compositional
and gas sensing properties. The details morphological and structural characterizations revealed that the synthesized material possessed flower-shaped morphologies in the nanoscale range with a wurtzite hexagonal crystal structure of ZnO. The high-intense peaks of the synthesized ZnO nanoflowers
confirmed high crystallinity. Furthermore, the synthesized ZnO nanoflowers were used as an electrode material to fabricate a facile and low-cost gas sensor to detect hydrogen sulphide (H2S). At an ideal working temperature of 150 °C, the ZnO nanoflowers electrode-based gas sensor
displayed remarkable selectivity, good response (48 s), and recovery (97 s) time. Moreover, the fabricated gas sensor exhibited a maximum gas response of 139 (Rg/Ra) towards 50 ppm hydrogen sulphide gas at 150 °C. The unique performance of the ZnO nanoflowers-based
gas sensor was attributed to the large surface area of the ZnO nanoflowers, which enabled the fabricated sensor to be a contender for the detection of H2S gas among the wide variety of reported sensors.
Adsorption of porcine pulmonin can reduce the toxicity of gold nanorods and reduce lung injury
Authors: Shi Xiaoyun , Zhan Hua , Xiong Yingfen
Published: March 2023

It is well known that porcine lung phospholipid injection (Curosurf) can effectively inhibit lung inflammation and reduce inflammatory cell damage to lung tissue, but whether it can reduce nanoparticles damage to lung remains to be seen. Poractant was co-incubated with gold nanorods
as the model particle in this study to adsorb poractant on the surface of gold nanorods. Elisa kit was used to determine the adsorption degree of human lung surfactant associated protein poractant on the surface of gold nanorods. Gold nanorods adsorbed human lung surfactants associated proteins
were evaluated further in vitro and in vivo. The toxicity of gold nanorods after absorption of porcine lung phospholipid was studied using human normal lung epithelial cells BEAS-2B; TNF- and IL-1 in serum were studied after absorption of porcine lung phospholipid using acute
lung injury as a model. The results of the experiments show that adsorption of porcine lung phospholipids can reduce the toxicity of gold nanorods and the lung damage caused by gold nanorods.
Analysis of bisphenol-propane in dialyzer and its effect on human body
Authors: Yun Chen , He Xiaofan , Xie Ting , Chi-Wa Ao-Ieong , Li Weilong , Song Zhuoheng , Xiao Mengyun , Meng Yu , Hu Bo , Guan Baozhang , Yang Lifeng , Ye Mingjun , Zeng Huiyi , Morgera Stanislao , Krämer Bernhard , Wolfganng  , Yin Lianghong , Luan Shaodong , Xu Suhua , Hocher Berthold
Published: March 2023

The effect of trace solvent bisphenol A (BPA) in polyether sulfone hollow fiber membrane Enttex™-16LF (E60) (produced by 3 M) low-throughput dialyzer was tested in this study. Animal experiments were conducted to evaluate its genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and teratogenicity upon
chronic exposure. The dialyzer was operated at 200 mL/min and 400 mL/min and coupled with LC-20AT liquid chromatography to detect BPA, which showed that the BPA content was less than 5 μg/kg/d at both flow rates. In animal experiments, the tolerable intake (T.I.) was calculated to
be 0.5 μg/kg/d. With hemodialysis three times per week, the average patient weight was calculated at 70 kg, and the average daily BPA exposure was 0.0306 μg/kg/d. The risk of residual BPA was within the acceptable limit with polyether sulfone membrane Enttex™-16LF
(E60) hollow fiber dialyzer from 3 M, without inducing risk for disability, teratogenicity, or genotoxicity.
γ-Fe2O3 Nanoparticle modified electrode surface for monitoring gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Xia Honghui , Liang Juanjuan , Zhang Na , Gopinath Subash C.B. , Wu Yuan Seng , Wu Ailing
Published: March 2023

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a medical complication during the pregnancy period, caused by the elevation of blood glucose. Adiposity, fetal growth, hypertensive disorders are highly associated with GDM. In addition, a longer-term health issues such as pre-diabetes, obesity,
cardiovascular diseases are addressed with mothers having GDM. There is an effective diagnostic approach is mandatory for GDM and this research work developed a sensitive glucose biosensing on iron oxide nanoparticle (FeONP; γ-Fe2O3) modified interdigitated
aluminium electrode (IDE) with the substrate silicon followed by overlaying silica upon oxidation. Glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized on FeONP modified surface through amine and aldehyde linkers and then glucose was quantified. FeONP increases the attachment of GOx on IDE and optimized
concentration of 200 nM GOx was desired on IDE to achieve a maximum current response with glucose and GOx interaction. The gradual increment in current was recorded by adding different glucose concentrations and the detection limit was calculated to be 10 mg/dL with an R2
value of 0.9903 (on a linear concentrations 10–640 mg//dL). Further, control experiment was failed to display the current response, specifying the genuine identification of glucose on FeONP attached IDE surface.
The role of geriatric clinical syndrome assessment in improving the state of elderly patients with sarcopenia and the influence of nanomaterials on the detection of serum biochemical indexes
Authors: Zeng Suyou , Zeng Liang
Published: March 2023

To explore the effects of a comprehensive geriatric assessment and intervention on sarcopenia in elderly patients based on basic clinical diagnosis and treatment. A total of 170 patients with sarcopenia were screened and randomly divided into an intervention and control group, both
of which underwent dietary evaluation, nutrition education, and exercise intervention. Elderly individuals in the intervention group underwent a comprehensive assessment and received scientific interventions for identified problems. Concurrently, sera were treated with nano-alumina to determine
the effects of nano-materials on serum biochemical indices. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed significantly greater blood nutrition index scores, muscle strength, and physical performance (P <0.05). Comprehensive assessments and interventions in elderly
individuals with sarcopenia can effectively improve their current state. After nano-Al2O3 was co-cultured with serum samples, the detection indexes of PA, ALB, and LYM in sera did not change significantly. Only the detection value of hemoglobin was higher than that of
the blank group, indicating that an alumina culture could improve the detection concentration of hemoglobin.
Impact of Assimilating Satellite and Glider Observations on Hurricane Isaias (2020) Forecast Using Marine JEDI
Authors: Liu Ling , Mehra Avichal , Kleist Daryl , Vernieres Guillaume , Sluka Travis , Bhargava Kriti , Stegmann Patrick , Kim Hyun-Sook , Paturi Shastri , Xu Jiangtao , Rivin Ilya
Published: March 2023

Realistic ocean initial conditions are essential for coupled hurricane forecasts. This study focuses on the impact of assimilating high-resolution ocean observations for initialization of the Modular Ocean Model (MOM6) in a coupled configuration with the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS). Based on the Joint Effort for Data Assimilation Integration (JEDI) framework, numerical experiments were performed for the Hurricane Isaias (2020) case, a category-1 hurricane, with use of underwater glider datasets and satellite observations. Assimilation of ocean glider data together with satellite observations provides opportunity to further advance understanding of ocean conditions and air–sea interactions in coupled model initialization and hurricane forecast systems. This comprehensive data assimilation approach has led to a more accurate prediction of the salinity-induced barrier layer thickness that suppresses vertical mixing and sea surface temperature cooling during the storm. Increased barrier layer thickness enhances ocean enthalpy flux into the lower atmosphere and potentially increases tropical cyclone intensity. Assimilation of satellite observations demonstrates improvement in Hurricane Isaias’s intensity forecast. Assimilating glider observations with broad spatial and temporal coverage along Isaias’s track in addition to satellite observations further increase Isaias’s intensity forecast. Overall, this case study demonstrates the importance of assimilating comprehensive marine observations to a more robust ocean and hurricane forecast under a unified JEDI–HAFS hurricane forecast system.

Significance Statement

This is the first comprehensive study of marine observations’ impact on hurricane forecast using marine JEDI. This study found that assimilating satellite observations increases upper-ocean stratification during the prestorm period of Isaias. Assimilating preprocessed observations from six gliders increases salinity-induced upper ocean barrier layer thickness, which reduces sea surface temperature cooling and increases enthalpy flux during the storm. This mechanism eventually enhances hurricane intensity forecast. Overall, this study demonstrates a positive impact of assimilating comprehensive marine observations to a successful ocean and hurricane forecast under a unified JEDI–HAFS hurricane forecast system.
Influence of participant and reviewer characteristics in application scores for a hematology research training program
Authors: Vesely Sara K. , King Allison , Vettese Emily , Heller John G. , Cuker Adam , Calhoun Cecelia , Stock Wendy , Homer Morgan , Fritz Josel , Sung Lillian
Published: March 2023

The American Society of Hematology Clinical Research Training Institute (CRTI) is a clinical research training program with a competitive application process. The objectives were to compare application scores based on applicant and reviewer sex and underrepresented minority (URM) status. We included applications to CRTI from 2003 to 2019. The application scores were transformed into a scale from 0 to 100 (100 was the strongest). The factors considered were applicant and reviewer sex and URM status. We evaluated whether there was an interaction between the characteristics and time related to application scores. In total, 713 applicants and 2106 reviews were included. There was no significant difference in scores according to applicant sex. URM applicants had significantly worse scores than non-URM applicants (mean [standard error] 67.9 [1.56] vs 71.4 [0.63]; P = .0355). There were significant interactions between reviewer sex and time (P = .0030) and reviewer URM status and time (P = .0424); thus, results were stratified by time. For the 2 earlier time periods, male reviewers gave significantly worse scores than did female reviewers; this difference did not persist for the most recent time period. The URM reviewers did not give significantly different scores across time periods. URM applicants received significantly lower scores than non-URM applicants. The impact of reviewer sex and URM status changed over time. Although male reviewers gave lower scores in the early periods, this effect did not persist in the late period. Efforts are required to mitigate the impact of applicant URM status on application scores.
A study on the correlation of the asymmetric regulation between the periaqueductal gray and the bilateral trigeminal nucleus caudalis in migraine male rats
Authors: Cao Zhijian , Yu Wenjing , Zhang Luping , Yang Jiajia , Lou Jiafei , Xu Maosheng , Zhang Zhengxiang
Published: March 2023

Background

The study was designed to explore the correlation of the asymmetric regulation between periaqueductal gray (PAG) and bilateral trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) in migraine rats through studying the changes of metabolites in pain regulatory pathway of acute migraine attack.

Methods

Thirty male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: blank, control, model groups. Then, blank group was intraperitoneally injected with ultrapure water, while control group injected with saline and model group injected with Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN). Two hours later, PAG and bilateral TNC were removed respectively, and metabolite concentrations of PAG, Left-TNC, Right-TNC were obtained. Lastly, the differences of metabolite among three brain tissues were compared.

Results

The relative concentrations of rNAA, rGlu, rGln, rTau, rMI in PAG or bilateral TNC had interaction effects between groups and sites. The concentration of rLac of three brain tissues increased in migraine rats, however, the rLac of LTNC and RTNC increased more than that of PAG. Besides, the concentrations of rNAA and rGln increased in RTNC, while rGABA decreased in RTNC.

Conclusions

There is correlation between PAG, LTNC and RTNC in regulation of pain during acute migraine attack, and the regulation of LTNC and RTNC on pain is asymmetric.
FGF-21 and GDF-15 are increased in migraine and associated with the severity of migraine-related disability
Authors: He Jiahui , Zhou Mengting , Zhao Fanglin , Cheng Hongrong , Huang Hao , Xu Xiaopei , Han Jian , Hong Wenwu , Wang Faming , Xiao Yujin , Xia Jinjin , Liu Kaiming
Published: March 2023

Background

Migraine is a prevalent disorder with significant socioeconomic impact. The impairment of metabolic homeostasis in migraine warrants further investigation. Changes in serum levels of Fibroblast-growth-factor 21 (FGF-21) and Growth-differentiation-factor 15 (GDF-15) are characteristic of some metabolic and mitochondrial diseases. This study aimed to assess whether the presence of migraine affects serum levels of FGF-21 and GDF-15, and taking metabolic disorders into account as potential confounding factors.

Methods

We collected serum samples from 221 migraine patients (153 episodic migraineurs and 68 chronic migraineurs) and 124 healthy controls. The serum concentrations of FGF-21 and GDF-15 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based approach. Clinical variables, including monthly headache days, peak headache pain intensity, the 6-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), and the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), were also addressed. The associations between the clinical variables of migraine patients and serum levels of FGF-21 and GDF-15 were studied.

Results

In the multiple regression that corrected for age, we found that the serum levels of FGF-21 and GDF-15 were significantly higher in migraine sufferers than in healthy controls. A significant elevation in serum concentration of FGF-21, but not GDF-15, was observed in patients with chronic migraine (CM) compared to those with episodic migraine (EM). Regarding migraine-related disability, higher scores on the HIT-6 and MIDAS were associated with higher levels of FGF-21 and GDF-15. For the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the diagnosis of migraine using GDF-15 showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.801 and the AUC of chronic migraine was 0.880.

Conclusion

Serum GDF-15 and FGF-21 levels are increased in patients with migraine and associated with the severity of migraine-related disability.
Robust classification using average correlations as features (ACF)
Authors: Schumann Yannis , Neumann Julia E. , Neumann Philipp
Published: March 2023

Motivation

In single-cell transcriptomics and other omics technologies, large fractions of missing values commonly occur. Researchers often either consider only those features that were measured for each instance of their dataset, thereby accepting severe loss of information, or use imputation which can lead to erroneous results. Pairwise metrics allow for imputation-free classification with minimal loss of data.

Results

Using pairwise correlations as metric, state-of-the-art approaches to classification would include the K-nearest-neighbor- (KNN) and distribution-based-classification-classifier. Our novel method, termed average correlations as features (ACF), significantly outperforms those approaches by training tunable machine learning models on inter-class and intra-class correlations. Our approach is characterized in simulation studies and its classification performance is demonstrated on real-world datasets from single-cell RNA sequencing and bottom-up proteomics. Furthermore, we demonstrate that variants of our method offer superior flexibility and performance over KNN classifiers and can be used in conjunction with other machine learning methods. In summary, ACF is a flexible method that enables missing value tolerant classification with minimal loss of data.
Leptin and leptin receptor expression as biomarkers for breast cancer: a retrospective study
Authors: Wang Yan , Du Lili , Jing Jiexian , Zhao Xianwen , Wang Xing , Hou Shenghuai
Published: March 2023

Background

Effective screening and treatment have reduced the number of women dying from breast cancer (BC). However, the long-term sequelae of BC treatment and psychosocial factors seriously affect the life quality of BC patients and survivors. Therefore, the discovery and application of targeted biomarkers to improve the functional outcome and life quality of BC patients is necessary.

Aims

To explore the impact of leptin (LEP)/ leptin receptor (LEPR) expression on occurrence and survival of BC.

Methods

Totally 132 primary BC and 66 non-BC patients who underwent surgery in department of breast surgery in Shanxi Cancer Hospital from January to October in 2009 were enrolled in this retrospective study. LEP and LEPR were examined in BC tissues, benign breast tissues, para-carcinoma tissues using immunohistochemical staining. Kaplan–Meier curve was generated to test survival time.

Results

The high level expression of LEP and LEPR in BC tissues were significantly higher than that in benign breast tissues and in para-carcinoma tissues (all P < 0.05). The LEP expression in patients with lymph node metastases was significantly higher than that in patients without lymph nodes metastases (P = 0.002). LEPR expression was correlated with higher Ki-67 rate (P = 0.002). LEP and LEPR both had no impact on survival (all P > 0.05).

Conclusions

High LEP/LEPR expression were risk factors for occurrence of BC, but without impact on survival.
ctDNA guided adjuvant chemotherapy versus standard of care adjuvant chemotherapy after curative surgery in patients with high risk stage II or stage III colorectal cancer: a multi-centre, prospective, randomised control trial (TRACC Part C)
Authors: Slater Susanna , Bryant Annette , Chen Hsiang-Chi , Begum Ruwaida , Rana Isma , Aresu Maria , Peckitt Clare , Zhitkov Oleg , Lazaro-Alcausi Retchel , Borja Victoria , Powell Rachel , Lowery David , Hubank Michael , Rich Thereasa , Anandappa Gayathri , Chau Ian , Starling Naureen , Cunningham David
Published: March 2023

Background

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) is emerging as a biomarker to predict recurrence in patients with curatively treated early stage colorectal cancer (CRC). ctDNA risk stratifies patients to guide adjuvant treatment decisions. We are conducting the UK’s first multi-centre, prospective, randomised study to determine whether a de-escalation strategy using ctDNA to guide adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) decisions is non-inferior to standard of care (SOC) chemotherapy, as measured by 3-year disease free survival (DFS) in patients with resected CRC with no evidence of MRD (ctDNA negative post-operatively). In doing so we may be able to spare patients unnecessary chemotherapy and associated toxicity and achieve significant cost savings for the National Health Service (NHS).

Methods

We are recruiting patients with fully resected high risk stage II and stage III CRC who are being considered for ACT into the study which uses results from a plasma-only ctDNA assay to guide treatment decisions. Eligible patients are randomised 1:1 to receive ctDNA-guided chemotherapy versus SOC chemotherapy. The primary endpoint is the difference in DFS at 3 years between the trial arms. Secondary endpoints include the proportion of patients in the ctDNA-guided arm who are ctDNA negative post-operatively and receive de-escalated ACT compared to the standard arm, the difference in overall survival (OS), neurotoxicity and quality of life between the arms, and the cost-effectiveness of ctDNA-guided therapy compared to SOC treatment. We hypothesise that using a ctDNA-guided approach to ACT decisions is non-inferior to SOC. Target accrual is 1621 patients over 4 years, which will provide a power of 80% with an alpha of 0.1 to demonstrate non-inferiority with a margin of 1.25 in survival of the ctDNA-guided approach compared to SOC. We anticipate approximately 50 UK centres will participate. The study opened with the Guardant Reveal plasma-only ctDNA assay in August 2022.

Discussion

The trial will determine whether ctDNA guided ACT is non-inferior to SOC ACT in patients with fully resected high risk stage II and stage III resected CRC, with the potential to significantly reduce unnecessary ACT and the toxicity associated with it.

Trial registration

NCT04050345.
Does pre-COVID impulsive behaviour predict adherence to hygiene and social distancing measures in youths following the COVID-19 pandemic onset? Evidence from a South African longitudinal study.
Authors: Haag Katharina , Du Toit Stefani , Mikus Nace , Skeen Sarah , Steventon Roberts Kathryn , Marlow Marguerite , Notholi Vuyolwethu , Sambudla Akhona , Chideya Yeukai , Sherr Lorraine , Tomlinson Mark
Published: March 2023

Background

Engagement in protective behaviours relating to the COVID-19 pandemic has been proposed to be key to infection control. This is particularly the case for youths as key drivers of infections. A range of factors influencing adherence have been identified, including impulsivity and risk taking. We assessed the association between pre-COVID impulsivity levels and engagement in preventative measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in a longitudinal South African sample, in order to inform future pandemic planning.

Methods

Data were collected from N = 214 youths (mean age at baseline: M = 17.81 (SD = .71), 55.6% female) living in a South African peri-urban settlement characterised by high poverty and deprivation. Baseline assessments were taken in 2018/19 and the COVID follow-up was conducted in June–October 2020 via remote data collection. Impulsivity was assessed using the Balloon Analogue Task (BART), while hygiene and social distancing behaviours were captured through self-report. Stepwise hierarchical regression analyses were performed to estimate effects of impulsivity on measure adherence.

Results

Self-rated engagement in hygiene behaviours was high (67.1–86.1% “most of the time”, except for “coughing/sneezing into one’s elbow” at 33.3%), while engagement in social distancing behaviours varied (22.4–57.8% “most of the time”). Higher impulsivity predicted lower levels of hygiene (β = .14, p = .041) but not social distancing behaviours (β = −.02, p = .82). This association was retained when controlling for a range of demographic and COVID-related factors (β = .14, p = .047) and was slightly reduced when including the effects of a life-skills interventions on hygiene behaviour (β = −.13, p = .073).

Conclusions

Our data indicate that impulsivity may predict adolescent engagement in hygiene behaviours post COVID-19 pandemic onset in a high risk, sub-Saharan African setting, albeit with a small effect size. For future pandemics, it is important to understand predictors of engagement, particularly in the context of adversity, where adherence may be challenging. Limitations include a small sample size and potential measure shortcomings.
User-generated content and influencer marketing involving e-cigarettes on social media: a scoping review and content analysis of YouTube and Instagram
Authors: Smith Marissa J. , Buckton Christina , Patterson Chris , Hilton Shona
Published: March 2023

Background

Evidence suggests that experimentation with e-cigarettes among young people is increasing. Social media is widely used by young people with user-generated content and influencer marketing particularly influential in promoting products. This paper documents a snapshot of online user-generated content and influencer marketing related to e-cigarettes on YouTube and Instagram.

Methods

Scoping review of relevant e-cigarette-related content on two social media platforms popular with youths, YouTube and Instagram, between June and August 2021. Content analysis was undertaken to examine text, audio, and video content, recording age restrictions, health warnings, page characteristics, and post characteristics. Narrative post content was coded using a coding frame that was developed inductively in response to emergent categories.

Results

Vaping was portrayed positively on social media; of the posts analysed, 86.5% (n = 90 of 104) of Instagram posts and 66.0% (n = 64 of 97) of YouTube videos. Warnings about age restrictions and health (e.g., nicotine addiction/toxicity) did not feature in the majority of posts; 43.3% (n = 42) of YouTube videos (n = 42) contained an age warning compared to 20.2% of Instagram posts (n = 21). While 25.8% (n = 25) of YouTube videos and 21.2% of Instagram (n = 22) posts contained a health warning.

Conclusion

Of concern is the fact that the vast majority of YouTube and Instagram content about e-cigarettes promoted their use, and typically the content does not contain age and/or health warnings. These findings may highlight a priority for governmental policy to restrict the ability of marketers to reach youths with social media content promoting e-cigarettes.
B7-H3 chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cell shows potential for targeted treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Fan Shuangshuang , Wang Tian , You Fengtao , Zhang Tingting , Li Yafen , Ji Cheng , Han Zhichao , Sheng Binjie , Zhai Xiaochen , An Gangli , Meng Huimin , Yang Lin
Published: March 2023

Background and aims

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy is a novel type of immunotherapy. However, the use of CAR-T cells to treat acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has limitations. B7-H3 is expressed in several malignancies, including some types of AML cells. However, its expression in normal tissues is low. Therefore, B7-H3 is ideal for targeted AML therapy.

Materials and methods

First, we constructed B7-H3 CAR that can target B7-H3, and then constructed B7-H3-CAR-T cells in vitro, which were co-incubated with six AML cell lines expressing different levels of B7-H3, respectively. The toxicity and cytokines were detected by flow cytometry. In vivo, AML model was established in B-NSG mice to study the toxicity of B7-H3-CAR T on AML cells.

Results

In vitro functional tests showed that B7-H3-CAR-T cells were cytotoxic to B7-H3-positive AML tumor cells and had good scavenging effect on B7-H3-expressing AML cell lines, and the cytokine results were consistent. In vivo, B7-H3-CAR-T cells significantly inhibited tumor cell growth in a mouse model of AML, prolonging mouse survival compared with controls.

Conclusion

B7-H3-CAR-T cells may serve as a novel therapeutic method for the targeted treatment of AML.
Chromatography analysis, in light of vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiobesity, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, and three-dimensional cancer spheroids’ formation blocking activities of Laurus nobilis aromatic oil from Palestine
Authors: Jaradat Nidal , Abualhasan Murad , Hawash Mohammed , Qadi Mohammad , Al-Maharik Nawaf , Abdallah Samer , Mousa Ahmed , Zarour Abdelrazaq , Arar Mohammad , Sobuh Shorooq , Hussein Fatima , Issa Linda , Jaber Adan , Hamduni Haya , Alshahatit Sarit
Published: March 2023

Laurus nobilis (LN) has been used throughout the years as a food flavoring and in traditional medicine. The LN leaves have various biological activities, such as antioxidant, wound healing, antibacterial, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, oxidative stress, cancer, diabetes, microbial infections, and inflammatory diseases are closely linked. The objective of this research is to characterize Laurus nobilis (LN) aromatic oil (AO) and evaluate its antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiobesity, antimicrobial, and antimutagenic bioactivities. The AO constituents were characterized using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The antimicrobial activity was performed using a microdilution assay against six common microbial species. Free radicals, a porcine pancreatic lipase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory assays were conducted utilizing reference biomedical methods. The cytotoxic effect of LNAO was established on a variety of cancer and normal cell lines using the MTS assay. The anti-inflammatory activity of LNAO was evaluated using the Cayman COX activity kit. The results indicate about 99% of the total oil is composed of 36 compounds, the characterized AO metabolites showed content of many oxygenated terpenoids with 1,8-Cineole and Terpinyl acetate as a major component with a percentage of (40.39 and 15.07, respectively. The plant AO showed potent antioxidant activity (IC50 = 2.2 ± 1.38) and has moderate anti-amylase (IC50 = 60.25 ± 1.25), anti-glucosidase (IC50 = 131.82 ± 0.1), and antilipase (IC50 = 83.17 ± 0.06) activities. Moreover, LNAO showed potent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus vulgaris (MICs = 1.56 µg/mL), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (MIC = 3.125 µg/mL) and Candida albicans (MIC = 0.195 µg/mL). The cytotoxicity results demonstrated that at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, LNAO has potent breast cancer (MCF-7), and hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep 3B) cancer cells inhibitory activities of 98% and 95%, respectively. Importantly, we are the first to show that LNAO significantly hinders hepatocellular carcinoma spheroids’ formation capacity in a 3D model. These results show that LNAO is a promising natural source with powerful antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities that could be exploited in the future to treat a variety of diseases.

Graphical Abstract
Possible future selves in STEM: an epistemic network analysis of identity exploration in minoritized students and alumni
Authors: Fan Yiyun “Kate” , Barany Amanda , Foster Aroutis
Published: March 2023

Background

STEM minority participation programs have been widely implemented in higher education with the goal of diversifying the global STEM workforce. Informed by research highlighting the potential of targeted exploration of STEM roles and reflection on theselfin relation to STEM (identity exploration), this work examines how engagement in a government funded STEM minority participation program shaped these processes in current students and program alumni.

Results

Epistemic network analysis (ENA) was used to visualize conceptual connections between identity themes that emerged from interviews with present and past program participants. Network models were developed for current students and alumni for cross-group comparisons. Differences were found in how participants at different stages of their careers enact and describe their identity exploration processes. Summative network models highlighted how students discussed action-taking (sometimes through participation in STEM minority program initiatives) as they explored less-certain possible future STEM roles, while alumni integrated more diverse and holistic facets of their identities when conceptualizing their futures. To close the interpretive loop, a qualitative interpretation of interview discourse was used to give context to network patterns.

Conclusions

Results highlight the differences between novices’ and professionals’ conceptualizations of their future selves and illustrate how minoritized individuals describe their long-term patterns of identity exploration related to STEM majors and careers. Implications for future STEM identity research and practice, including higher education programming as a tool to support students’ STEM identity exploration processes, are discussed.
CMC development of [14C]-labeled sotorasib for the conduct of microtracer human ADME study
Authors: Sharma Sonika , Agarwal Prashant , Parsons Andrew T. , Huckle James E. , Correll Tiffany L.
Published: March 2023

Human absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (hADME) studies of new drugs are required for global regulatory filings. Recent advances in high sensitivity analytical technologies have enabled microtracer hADME studies wherein very low radioactive doses can be administered to healthy volunteers to study drug pharmacokinetic profile. Microtracer hADME studies are advantageous to accelerate study timelines during drug development. However, there are limited examples in peer-reviewed journals that highlight the key chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) development challenges and requirements for enabling these clinical microtracer hADME studies. The current manuscript summarizes the CMC activities, risk assessment, and mitigation strategies that were put in place and executed to enable and accelerate the microtracer hADME study of [14C]-labeled sotorasib (AMG 510, compound 1). Sotorasib is a first in class KRASG12C inhibitor used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with a KRASG12Cmutation (Canon et al., Nature 575:217–223, 2019). The key CMC activities included the synthesis of low nanocurie [14C]-labeled AMG 510 drug substance, development of a drug-in-bottle (DIB) formulation, use of simulation software to predict absorption profiles, associated drug substance and drug product analytical control strategies development, and the utilization of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) as a CMC tool enabling low radioactive strength formulation analysis.
Prevalence of insomnia in a sample of Internet addicts in different age groups in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Authors: Shaheen Somaya H. , Abdullah Eman Ahmed , Razik Mohammed M. Abdel , Mostafa Nehal
Published: March 2023

Background

Internet addiction, insomnia, and depression have a major health concern. The association of these problems can severely affect education, work productivity with negative outcomes for society. Internet addiction has been reported to be associated with insomnia and depression that may differ by age. The aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of insomnia and depression and their correlation with Internet addiction in all age groups and to detect age differences. A total of 386 participants were recruited. Data were collected using an online survey that contains questions about sociodemographic, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) to measure insomnia, Internet addiction, and depression, respectively.

Results

The overall prevalence of clinically significant insomnia was 22.5% while subthreshold insomnia was present in 38.5%. There was a significant negative correlation of age with IAT and PHQ9. Also, a highly significant positive correlation was found between ISI, IAT, and PHQ9 within the total sample and each age group (p = 0.000).

Conclusions

A great proportion of the general population suffers from insomnia, Internet addiction, and depression, and their prevalence rates differ by age. Also, there is a strong association between them. Identifying these problems is important, and interventions should include the three problems.