bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NMN Works in HFD-Induced T2DM by Interesting Effects in Adipose Tissue, and Not by Mitochondrial Biogenesis
Authors: Popescu Roua Gabriela , Dinischiotu Anca , Soare Teodoru , Vlase Ene , Marinescu George Cătălin
Published: October 2023

Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has emerged as a promising therapeutic intervention for age-related disorders, including Type 2 Diabetes.

In this study, we investigated the effects of NMN treatment on glucose uptake and its underlying mechanisms in various tissue and cell lines. Through a comprehensive proteomic analysis, we uncovered a series of distinct organ-specific effects that contribute to the observed improvements in glucose metabolism.

Notably, we observed the upregulation of thermogenic UCP1, promoting enhanced glucose utilization in muscle tissue. Additionally, liver and muscle cells displayed a unique response, characterized by spliceosome down-regulation and concurrent upregulation of chaperones, proteasomes, and ribosomes, leading to a mildly impaired and energy-inefficient protein synthesis machinery. Adipose tissue exhibited increased protein synthesis and degradation, fatty acid degradation, Lysosome and mTOR cell proliferation signalling up-regulation, while showing a surprising repressive effect on mitochondrial biogenesis.

Furthermore, our findings revealed a remarkable metabolic rewiring in the brain, involving increased production of ketone bodies, down-regulation of mitochondrial OXPHOS components and the TCA cycle, and the induction of known fasting-associated effects.

Collectively, our data elucidate the multifaceted nature of NMN action, highlighting its organ-specific effects and their role in modulating glucose metabolism. These findings deepen our understanding of NMN’s therapeutic potential and pave the way for novel strategies in managing metabolic disorders.
The genetic architecture of protein stability
Authors: Faure Andre J. , Martí-Aranda Aina , Hidalgo-Carcedo Cristina , Schmiedel Jörn M. , Lehner Ben
Published: October 2023

There are more ways to synthesize a 100 amino acid protein (20100) than atoms in the universe. Only a miniscule fraction of such a vast sequence space can ever be experimentally or computationally surveyed. Deep neural networks are increasingly being used to navigate high-dimensional sequence spaces. However, these models are extremely complicated and provide little insight into the fundamental genetic architecture of proteins. Here, by experimentally exploring sequence spaces >1010, we show that the genetic architecture of at least some proteins is remarkably simple, allowing accurate genetic prediction in high-dimensional sequence spaces with fully interpretable biophysical models. These models capture the non-linear relationships between free energies and phenotypes but otherwise consist of additive free energy changes with a small contribution from pairwise energetic couplings. These energetic couplings are sparse and caused by structural contacts and backbone propagations. Our results suggest that artificial intelligence models may be vastly more complicated than the proteins that they are modeling and that protein genetics is actually both simple and intelligible.
Ocular dominance-dependent binocular combination of monocular neuronal responses in macaque V1
Authors: Zhang Sheng-Hui , Zhao Xing-Nan , Tang Shi-Ming , Yu Cong
Published: October 2023

Primates rely on two eyes to see depth, while keeping a stable vision when one eye is closed. Although psychophysical and modeling studies have investigated how monocular signals are combined to form binocular vision, the corresponding neuronal mechanisms, especially in V1 where most neurons become binocular but with different eye preferences, are not well understood. Here we used two-photon calcium imaging to compare monocular and binocular responses of thousands of V1 superficial-layer neurons in three awake macaques. Under monocular stimulation, neurons preferring the stimulated eye responded substantially stronger than those preferring both eyes. However, under binocular stimulation, the responses of neurons preferring either eye were suppressed, and those preferring both eyes were enhanced, so that neuronal responses became similar regardless of eye preferences. A neuronally realistic model of binocular combination, which includes ocular dominance-dependent divisive interocular inhibition, and binocular summation, is proposed to account for these observations.
Reviewing the affordability and adequacy of affordable housing in urban India: impact of the covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Agarwal Shagun , Singh Tribhuvan Pratap , Bajaj Deepak
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Housing policies in India (last modified in 2017) define “affordable housing” on three main parameters – income of the target group, dwelling unit size and house price to income ratio. The Covid-19 pandemic has questioned the robustness of the defining parameters of affordable housing. This paper aims to study the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on housing affordability and adequacy for the urban poor and highlights how one pandemic has directly challenged the practicality of the affordable housing criteria in urban India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on a pilot test conducted through interviews with the consumer group. Furthermore, the affordable housing policies of urban India were studied in conjunction with the pandemic guidelines laid down by the World Health Organization. The consumer responses were analyzed in relation to the policies and guidelines to arrive at the inferences. The secondary case examples of the Dharavi slums in Mumbai and the Savda Ghevra slum resettlement colony in Delhi, along with the findings of the primary survey in the economically weaker section category, are used to formulate the conclusions.

Findings

The pilot test conducted for the target consumer group clearly indicates that (i) the pandemic has severely affected the housing purchase capacity of the target consumer, thereby questioning the “affordability” of housing; (ii) proposed housing solutions are inadequate to enable livability, thereby questioning the “adequacy” of housing; and (iii) proposed housing solutions are inept to accommodate pandemic protocols. The Covid-19 pandemic and the conditions it imposed on the built environment clearly highlight the inadequacy of affordable housing parameters being followed in urban India.

Research limitations/implications

Further research may be conducted on global best practices in housing, which may advise the housing policies in India.

Practical implications

The study suggests key areas that need intervention and modification to make the housing policies more robust and effective.

Social implications

The study explores the social sustainability aspects of housing, which are often considered secondary in policies.

Originality/value

Because housing has a direct bearing on the physical, social and mental well-being of society, it is imperative to find housing solutions that are safe and resilient for a sustainable future. This paper is an original attempt by the author to question and highlight how the current affordable housing solutions adopted in urban India will continue to fail under any external adverse conditions unless modifications are considered in the existing housing parameters.
Deep learning architectures in dental diagnostics: a systematic comparison of techniques for accurate prediction of dental disease through x-ray imaging
Authors: Hasnain Muhammad Adnan , Malik Hassaan , Asad Muhammad Mujtaba , Sherwani Fahad
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to classify the radiographic images into three categories such as fillings, cavity and implant to identify dental diseases because dental disease is a very common dental health problem for all people. The detection of dental issues and the selection of the most suitable method of treatment are both determined by the results of a radiological examination. Dental x-rays provide important information about the insides of teeth and their surrounding cells, which helps dentists detect dental issues that are not immediately visible. The analysis of dental x-rays, which is typically done by dentists, is a time-consuming process that can become an error-prone technique due to the wide variations in the structure of teeth and the dentist's lack of expertise. The workload of a dental professional and the chance of misinterpretation can be decreased by the availability of such a system, which can interpret the result of an x-ray automatically.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses deep learning (DL) models to identify dental diseases in order to tackle this issue. Four different DL models, such as ResNet-101, Xception, DenseNet-201 and EfficientNet-B0, were evaluated in order to determine which one would be the most useful for the detection of dental diseases (such as fillings, cavity and implant).

Findings

Loss and accuracy curves have been used to analyze the model. However, the EfficientNet-B0 model performed better compared to Xception, DenseNet-201 and ResNet-101. The accuracy, recall, F1-score and AUC values for this model were 98.91, 98.91, 98.74 and 99.98%, respectively. The accuracy rates for the Xception, ResNet-101 and DenseNet-201 are 96.74, 93.48 and 95.65%, respectively.

Practical implications

The present study can benefit dentists from using the DL model to more accurately diagnose dental problems.

Originality/value

This study is conducted to evaluate dental diseases using Convolutional neural network (CNN) techniques to assist dentists in selecting the most effective technique for a particular clinical condition.
Psychological capital and multifaceted nature of job performance: mediation by intrinsic motivation and goal-commitment
Authors: Shaheen Musarrat , Gupta Ritu , Zeba Farrah
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The researchers aim to investigate the role of psychological capital (PsyCap) in facilitating intrinsic motivation and goal-commitment among employees at the workplace, affecting outcome variables, namely, in-role and extra-role job performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 640 employees working in the information technology sector of India. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

Analysis revealed a significant positive impact of PsyCap on the two behavioral facets of job performance. Intrinsic motivation and goal-commitment were found mediating the influence of PsyCap on the two facets of job performance.

Practical implications

The information technology sector is characterised by continuous change. It requires voluntary prosocial behavior from employees, where the employees are expected to display multifaceted job performance behaviors, where they go beyond their job duties to cater for the dynamics of the IT sector. The present study provides means by which intrinsic motivated and goal-committed behavior are facilitated for both the in-role and extra-role job performance.

Originality/value

The present study is among the few preliminary studies that have provided evidence that intrinsic motivation and goal-commitment are the two variables which aid PsyCap in predicting both the prescribed and voluntary job performance behaviors.
The relative significance of behavioural finance factors in the investment decisions of Australasian REITs
Authors: Lam Terence Y.M. , Hasell Taylah O. , Tipping Malvern L.D.B.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Referring to “behavioural finance” and “normative model” theories, this study explores the relative significance of behavioural heuristic biases in the investment decisions of real estate investment trusts (REITs) when compared with the conventional normative decision factors, with an ultimate aim to identify the significant behavioural factors that should be avoided to ensure rational asset acquisitions and market efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

A triangulation approach was adopted. Qualitative multiple case studies were conducted, with four cases selected from Australian and New Zealand REITs across the industry, to identify what normative and behavioural finance factors are involved in investment decisions. This formed the basis for the subsequent expert review survey to explore how significant the behavioural factors were manifested in the judgement when compared with the normative factors.

Findings

Three out of four theoretical behavioural factors manifested themselves in the investment decisions: investor sentiment, anchoring factors and overconfidence. The overall impact of these three behavioural factors was that they were as significant as normative factors in investment decisions. The heuristic availability of information was found to have no significant effect on experienced REIT fund managers.

Research limitations/implications

The findings were based on four multiple cases and an expert review survey of six frontline fund managers, which form a baseline upon which further research can be conducted to widen the scope of research to cover all REITs in Australasia so that the results can become more robust to benefit the entire market in the region.

Practical implications

As behavioural factors are significant in the decision-making process, REIT fund managers should raise awareness to avoid the significant behavioural factors identified, in particular investor sentiment, which was found to be the most significant one.

Originality/value

This study confirms the relative significance of behavioural factors in property investment decisions within the context of Australasian REITs and alerts fund managers to the ways they should follow to ensure rational investments and market efficiency. It also extends the scale of existing studies to cover not only Australia but also New Zealand for the benefit of the entire Australasian market.
Advertising to Gen-Z college students with memes? A focus group study
Authors: Vardeman Christopher
Published: October 2023

Purpose

As a result of increasingly pervasive public social media use over the past decade, brands and marketers have begun to use internet memes as digital advertising vehicles, with some using specialized professionals to create memetic ad content. Despite this, little scholarly research on the phenomenon has appeared. This study aims to provide exploratory evidence for how older members of Generation Z (Gen-Z), a digitally native cohort, perceive and regard brands’ use of internet memes as advertisements.

Design/methodology/approach

A series of six focus groups conducted with older Gen-Z undergraduates at a large Western US university yields consonant and dissonant beliefs and perspectives about this emergent and conceivably powerful advertising and marketing practice.

Findings

Participants express that memetic advertising has potential for nonserious, lighthearted brands with a consistent social media presence but less potential for serious brands or brands that try to appropriate meme culture for financial gain. The importance of humor, cultural narratives and social connections as they relate to internet meme culture is inherent in these discussions.

Originality/value

This study joins a small body of work examining the effectiveness, viability and limitations of memetic advertising as an online advertising venture. Implications and prescriptive advice are offered.
Labour market rigidity and firm innovation
Authors: Gao Limin , Anwar Sajid
Published: October 2023

This paper examines the impact of pro‐worker interference on wage contracts and innovation incentives in the labour market. Using a general equilibrium model, we find that excessive interference affects contingent wage contracts in innovator start‐ups and tech‐intensive firms, especially for complex innovation. When worker dismissal is restricted, high wages may not effectively drive innovation. Moreover, without an efficient intellectual property market, excessive labour market interference can lead to innovation stagnation. Our findings highlight the importance of balancing labour market regulations to foster innovation and ensure its continued growth.
Antifertility effects of EP‐1 (quinestrol and levonorgestrel) on Pacific rats (Rattus exulans)
Authors: LIU Jing , TU Feiyun , LIU Ming , WANG Jichao , ZHANG Zhibin
Published: October 2023

Pest rodents pose a serious threat to island biodiversity. Fertility control could be an alternative approach to control the impact of rodents on these islands. In this study, we examined the antifertility effects of EP‐1 baits containing quinestrol (E) and levonorgestrel (P) using a dose of 50 ppm E and P at three different ratios (E:P ratio = 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1) on Pacific rats (Rattus exulans) in the Xisha Islands, Hainan, China. Compared to the control group, all animals in EP‐1 treatment groups showed significantly decreased food intake and body weight. In treated males, there were obvious abnormalities in testis structure and a significant decrease of relative seminal vesicle weight, but no significant effect on relative uterine and ovarian weights (g kg−1 body weight), or ovarian structure in females. Adding 8% sucrose to the original 50‐ppm baits (E:P ratio = 1:1) significantly increased bait palatability for males and females. This dose induced uterine edema and abnormalities of ovarian structure in females but had no significant negative effect on the relative testis, epididymis, and seminal vesicle weights (g kg−1 body weight) or sperm density in males. In summary, 50‐ppm EP‐1 (1:1) baits have the potential to disrupt the fertility of females, and 8% sucrose addition to the EP‐1 baits (E:P ratio = 1:1) could improve bait palatability. This dose disrupted the testis structure in males. Future studies are needed to improve bait acceptance and assess the antifertility effects of EP‐1 (1:1) on Pacific rats in captive breeding trials and under field conditions.
Individual, environmental and demographic factors may play a role in the prognosis of fatal and non‐fatal paediatric drowning
Authors: Bellini Tommaso , Baffi Susanna , Brisca Giacomo , Calevo Maria Grazia , Franzone Daniele , Misley Silvia , D'Alessandro Matteo , Piccotti Emanuela , Moscatelli Andrea
Published: October 2023

Aim

Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional death. Ongoing efforts are dedicated to preventing these tragic incidents. Our aim was to evaluate whether demographic, environmental and epidemiological characteristics of drowned children influence their prognosis.

Methods

Single‐centre retrospective study spanning 12 years. Each patient's record included: age, sex, place of residence, presence of siblings, season of incident, location of event, associated trauma, loss of consciousness, need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, intubation, admission to intensive care unit, length of stay and mortality.

Results

We enrolled 60 patients, with a mean age of 5.9 ± 3.4 years; 63.5% were male. Children who did not reside near the sea were significantly older than those who did (p = 0.01) and faced a higher risk of experiencing sea‐related drowning (p = 0.05). No patients died. Loss of consciousness and need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation were recorded in 30 and 19 patients respectively. Seven patients sustained trauma. Only one patient requiring intubation. Pool‐related drowning were associated with a higher incidence of needing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (p = 0.02). The need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (p = 0.05) and the occurrence of trauma (p = 0.02) were identified as risk factors for a longer hospitalisation.

Conclusion

Prevention and early initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation are essential for achieving a favourable prognosis. Identifying demographic and environmental risk factors may help identify other effective preventive measures.
Editorial: HBsAg seroclearance after pegylated interferon treatment—The beginning of the end
Authors: Mak Lung‐Yi
Published: October 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Gao et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17670 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17710
Editorial: PPIs and gastric cancer – Are we dealing with a carcinogen? Authors' reply
Authors: Gong Eun Jeong , Jung Hye‐Kyung
Published: October 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Gong et al papers. To view these articles, visithttps://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17676andhttps://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17691
Editorial: Can liver fat quantification stratify cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes? Authors' reply
Authors: Kuo Selena Z. , Loomba Rohit
Published: October 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Kuo et al papers. To view these articles, visithttps://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17637andhttps://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17677
Process of constructing alternative social work discourses in Asia: A case study of Buddhist social work as social representations
Authors: Higashida Masateru
Published: October 2023

This preliminary study examined the process of constructing alternative discourses on social work. It focused on the exploration of Buddhist social work by researchers and practitioners in Asian countries, including monks and nuns. The present investigation was grounded in the analytical perspective of the social representation theory posited in the domain of social psychology. Books, reports, and any relevant papers written in English were collected as primary data sources (n = 22), and a qualitatively descriptive analysis was conducted on these data. The scrutiny specifically attended to the mechanism of familiarization, which comprises the process of anchoring and objectifying. The study's findings revealed the process of intentionally (re)naming activities and related events that were previously not necessarily described as Buddhist social work. These practices and occurrences were then classified and positioned within a particular cross‐border paradigm. Additionally, some monks, nuns, and other stakeholders became conversant with discussion and research activities related to Buddhist social work. Objectifying actions, such as (re)discovering and reproducing, thus became taken for granted by such functionaries. These findings suggest that cross‐border Buddhist social work discourses were actively constructed through the usage of relevant terms and concepts. In other words, the results of this study indicate that alternative discourse is internationally becoming the familiar form of discussion within the discipline.
Predicting ophthalmic clinic non‐attendance using machine learning: Development and validation of models using nationwide data
Authors: Breeze Finley , Hossain Ruhella R. , Mayo Michael , McKelvie James
Published: October 2023

Background

Ophthalmic clinic non‐attendance in New Zealand is associated with poorer health outcomes, marked inequities and costs NZD$30 million per annum. Initiatives to improve attendance typically involve expensive and ineffective brute‐force strategies. The aim was to develop machine learning models to accurately predict ophthalmic clinic non‐attendance.

Methods

This multicentre, retrospective observational study developed and validated predictive models of clinic non‐attendance. Attendance data for 3.1 million appointments from all New Zealand government‐funded ophthalmology clinics from 2009 to 2018 were aggregated for analysis. Repeated ten‐fold cross validation was used to train and optimise XGBoost and logistic regression models on several demographic and clinic‐related variables. Models developed using the entire training set were compared with those restricted to regional subsets of the data.

Results

In the testing data set from 2019, there were 407 574 appointments (median [range] age, 66 [0–105] years; 210 365 [51.6%] female) with a non‐attendance rate of 5.7% (n = 23 309 missed appointments), XGBoost models trained on each region's data achieved the highest mean AUROC of 0.764 (SD 0.058) and mean AUPRC of 0.157 (SD 0.072). XGBoost performed better than logistic regression (mean AUROC = 0.756, p = 0.002). Training individual XGBoost models for each region led to better performance than training a single model on the complete nationwide dataset (mean AUROC = 0.754, p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Machine learning algorithms can predict ophthalmic clinic non‐attendance with relatively basic demographic and clinic data. These findings suggest further research examining implementation of such algorithms in scheduling systems or public health interventions may be useful.
Evaluation of factors associated with recruitment rates in early phase clinical trials based on the European Clinical Trials Register data
Authors: Moraga Alapont Paloma , Prieto Paula , Urroz Mikel , Jiménez María , Carcas Antonio J. , Borobia Alberto M.
Published: October 2023

Effective participant recruitment is a critical challenge in clinical trials. Inadequate enrollment of participants can precipitate delays, escalated costs, and compromise scientific integrity. Despite its relevance, particularly during the early phases, it persists as an obstacle in the field of clinical research. The primary aim of this study was to analyze the recruitment rates of early‐phase clinical trials and evaluate their potential associations with key trial characteristics. Using a descriptive and statistical analysis, a research study was conducted based on the early‐phase trials registered at the European Clinical Trials Register (EU‐CTR), spanning the timeframe from January 2017 to December 2021. Among the 194 trials examined, we found median recruitment rates of 68%. A more detailed exploration revealed a greater level of success in terms of recruitment achievement in pediatric trials when compared to trials involving adults, non‐oncologic trials, or those also developed in non‐European countries. It is important to underscore that only 69 trials out of the total managed to conclude recruitment, with the most prevalent reason for premature cessation being the presence of efficacy and safety issues or sponsor's strategy. This number can be greatly improved. Despite certain disparities observed in the information within EU‐CTR, we have successfully determined the recruitment rates of the studies and established associations with some of the clinical trial characteristics analyzed. Owing to the inherent constraints of this study, further research is warranted to gain a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between trial characteristics and their impact on recruitment rates in early‐phase studies.
Endothelial and tumor‐intrinsic mechanisms of hepatic melanoma metastasis
Authors: Wohlfeil Sebastian A. , Géraud Cyrill
Published: October 2023

The treatment of metastatic cutaneous melanoma was fundamentally improved by the discovery and introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as anti‐PD‐1 and anti‐CTLA‐4 antibodies, and targeted therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibition. Unfortunately, many patients suffer a relapse due to resistance mechanisms that in part are mediated by organ‐specific metastatic sites. Especially, brain and liver metastases are negative predictive factors for both treatment modalities. There is still high unmet clinical need to prevent and treat spread to these organs. Therefore, experimental research should focus on mechanisms of hepatic melanoma metastasis to better understand this process and to identify therapeutic targets.
Zombie firms, misallocation and manufacturing capacity utilization rate: Evidence from China
Authors: Mao Qilin , Xu Jiayun
Published: October 2023

This paper investigates the effects of zombie firms on Chinese manufacturing capacity utilization rate (CUR hereafter) from the perspectives of both the intra‐industry and supply chain propagation. The results show that zombie firms not only significantly reduce the CUR of healthy firms in the same industry, but also inhibit the increase of CUR through the supply chain propagation. Specifically, if the supply chain propagation effect is not considered, the inhibitory effect of intra‐industry zombie firms on the healthy firms' CUR would be overestimated on one hand, and the overall inhibitory effect of zombie firms on CUR would be underestimated on the other hand. The heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the inhibitory effect of zombie firms on CUR is more pronounced for private firms, the firms in the industries with higher external financing dependence and the firms in the areas with a poorer institutional environment. In addition, this paper further studies the relationship among zombie firms, resource misallocation and the manufacturing aggregate CUR at the industry level, and finds that both intra‐industry and upstream (downstream) zombie firms have significant inhibitory effects on the growth of manufacturing aggregate CUR. However, there are differences in the ways of influence that, specifically, the upstream (downstream) zombie firms inhibit manufacturing aggregate CUR growth mainly through the within‐firm effect, while the intra‐industry zombie firms are more likely to restrain manufacturing aggregate CUR growth through resource misallocation. Our study contributes to a profound understanding of the causes of overcapacity in a large transition economy and also expands the research perspective of assessing the economic effects of zombie firms.
Not dear neighbours: Antennation and jerking, but not aggression, correlate with genetic relatedness and spatial distance in the ant Lasius niger
Authors: Czaczkes Tomer J. , Koch Alexandra , Schmid Sophie , Trindl Andreas , Heinze Jürgen , Cordonnier Marion
Published: October 2023

Neighbour–stranger response differences (NSRDs) are when individuals are either more aggressive (“Nasty Neighbour”) or less aggressive (“Dear Enemy” or “Dear Neighbour”) to direct neighbours than to other competitors perceived as “strangers” by the residents. Such effects are often reported in ants which, being fixed‐location central‐place foragers, may compete directly with their neighbours for resources or raid each other for brood. Overlayed onto this are potential spatial distance and relatedness effects on aggression, which are often not differentiated from NSRDs.

The literature on NSRDs and distance effects in ants does not reveal a systematic pattern across all ants due to their diversity of life histories, requiring each species to be evaluated individually. Lasius niger is a common Eurasian ant species, which can form very dense populations of colonies and shows pronounced nestmate recognition, so may be expected to show NSRDs.

Here, we take advantage of a semi‐regular colony array to examine the effect of spatial distance and relatedness on aggression and probe for NSRDs.

Overt aggression does not vary with relatedness or spatial distance, and there is no evidence that direct neighbours represent a special case in terms of aggression. However, antennation and jerking decrease between less related and more spatially distant pairs, but are almost completely absent from allospecific interactions.

We tentatively propose that antennation and jerking together represent a ‘negotiation’ phase, which may either precede or reduce the need for overt aggression. While a Nasty Neighbour effect might occur, a Dear Neighbour effect is unlikely in this species, and overall NSRDs do not play a large role in the ecology of this species. More broadly, this work highlights the importance of considering non‐overtly aggressive responses when studying NSRDs.
A Manifesto on Enforcing Law in the Age of ‘Artificial Intelligence’
Authors:   Transatlantic Reflection Group on Democracy and the Rule of Law in the Age of “Artificial Intelligence”
Published: October 2023

Building upon A Manifesto In Defense of Democracy and the Rule of Law in the Age of ‘Artificial Intelligence’, we, the Transatlantic Reflection Group on Democracy and the Rule of Law in the Age of ‘Artificial Intelligence’, have reconvened to draft a second consensus manifesto that calls for the effective and legitimate enforcement of laws concerning AI systems. In doing so, we recognise the important and complementary role of standards and compliance practices. Whereas the first manifesto focused on the relationship between democratic law‐making and technology, this second manifesto shifts focus from the design of law in the age of AI to the enforcement of law. Concretely, we offer 10 recommendations for addressing the key enforcement challenges shared across transatlantic stakeholders. We call on those who support these recommendations to sign this manifesto. The Fifth Edition of The Athens Roundtable on AI and the Rule of Law will take place on November 30th and December 1st, 2023. It will delve into pressing governance challenges posed by foundation models and generative AI across jurisdictions.
Intracanal removal and apical extrusion of filling material after retreatment using rotary or reciprocating instruments: A new approach using human cadavers
Authors: Monteiro Thamyres M. , Cortes‐Cid Victor O. , Marceliano‐Alves Marilia F. V. , Campello Andrea F. , Bastos Luan F. , Lopes Ricardo T. , Siqueira José F. , Alves Flávio R. F.
Published: October 2023

Aim

This study compared intracanal removal of filling as well as the frequency and volume of extruded material after retreatment with either HyFlex or Reciproc instruments in mandibular teeth from cadavers.

Methodology

The root canals of 14 pairs of contralateral single‐rooted teeth in mandibles of cadavers were instrumented with Reciproc R40 and filled using lateral compaction. The mandibles were scanned in a micro‐computed tomographic (micro‐CT) device before and after retreatment procedures. The contralateral teeth were assigned to two groups (n = 14) according to the retreatment protocol using either HyFlex or Reciproc instrument systems. In the HyFlex group, the HyFlex Remover instrument was worked 3 mm short of the working length (WL), followed by HyFlex CM 40.04 and 50.04 at the WL. In the Reciproc group, the R50 instrument was worked up at the coronal two thirds, followed by two more cycles until the WL was reached. Pre‐ and post‐operative micro‐CT images were analysed for extrusion and intracanal removal of filling material.

Results

After retreatment, extrusion of filling material occurred in 11 (78%) and 14 (100%) teeth from HyFlex and Reciproc groups respectively (p > .05). A similar volume of extruded material was observed after retreatment with both systems (p > .05). A significant decrease in the intracanal filling volume was verified after retreatment with both tested systems (p < .05). However, residual filling material was found in all root canals, regardless of the system. The amount of filling material removed (HyFlex = 80.8%; Reciproc = 65.9%) and the operation time was similar between systems (p > .05).

Conclusions

A high frequency of filling material extrusion was observed after retreatment with the two systems in a cadaver model, with no significant difference between them. Both protocols obtained similar efficacy in filling material removal procedures, although none completely cleaned the canals.
Carbamazepine Induced Erythroderma with Systemic Lymphadenopathy
Authors: Okuyama Ryuhei , Ichinohasama Ryo , Tagami Hachiro
Published: October 2023

We describe a 13‐year‐old girl with carbamazepine (CBZ)‐induced erythroderma associated with marked generalized lymphadenopathy, a very rare form of CBZ hypersensitivity. The results of lymphocyte stimulation test (LST) and patch testing provided valuable evidence for distinguishing CBZ hypersensitivity from immunoblastic lymphadenopathy (IBL) and infectious mononucleosis (IM). An increased LST value was the only clue leading us to suspect a hypersensitivity reaction against CBZ at a peak stage of the skin eruption. In contrast, CBZ patch testing, which was negative at that time, became positive when the erythroderma regressed after discontinuation of CBZ. These findings suggest that LST can be a useful tool in diagnosing similar cases of hypersensitivity reactions to CBZ and other drugs, especially when patch test results are negative.
A Case of Disseminated Superficial Actinic Porokeratosis Subsequent to Renal Transplantation
Authors: Matsushita Shigeto , Kanekura Takuro , Kanzaki Tamotsu
Published: October 2023

Disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis is characterized by the development of numerous annular keratotic lesions on sun‐exposed areas, accompanied by pathological evidence of cornoid lamellae. We examined a case of disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis in a 40‐year‐old male who had undergone renal transplantation and was being treated with immunosuppressants. Five years after surgery, he began to develop numerous eruptions. Some of these eruptions enlarged and developed over a second period of five years until he finally required hospitalization.
The influence of enzyme concentration on the encapsulation of glutamate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase in red blood cells
Authors: Sanz S. , Pinilla M. , Garin M. , KF Tipton , Luque J.
Published: October 2023

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) have been encapsulated in sheep and human red blood cells (RBCs) by a hypotonic dialysis/isotonic resealing procedure. At a fixed enzyme level in the dialysis bag (100 units/ml of RBCs), a significant encapsulation yield was observed for ADH, both in human (17.2%) and sheep (47.9%) RBCs, whereas a very low entrapment of GDH was achieved (1‐3%) in either species. Carrier cell recovery was 61‐65% in humans and 30‐34% in sheep. Because of the aggregation of GDH to large polymers at protein levels above 1 mg/ml, the yield of encapsulation and the specific activity in human carrier RBCs were compared at different enzyme concentrations. While entrapment was not affected by differences in ADH up to 13,000 units/ml of RBCs (38 mg/ml), the yield of GDH encapsulation significantly decreased as the enzyme level increased up to 750 units/ml of RBCs (15 mg/ml), thus demonstrating the importance of protein concentration in the encapsulation process for those enzymes that tend to aggregate.
Polylysine enhances cationic liposome‐mediated transfection of the hepatoblastoma cell line Hep G2
Authors: KD Mack , RL Walzem , Lehmann‐Bruinsma K. , JS Powell , JB Zeldis
Published: October 2023

Plasmid DNA condensed by polylysine enhanced cationic‐liposome‐mediated transfection of Hep G2 cells. The luciferase expression plasmid pCMVL was complexed with the polycation poly‐L‐lysine and mixed with liposomes that contained a 1:1 molar ratio of the cationic lipid 1,2‐dioleoyloxy‐3‐trimethyl‐ammoniumpropane, with the neutral phospholipid 1,2‐di‐(cis‐9‐octadecenoyl)‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphoethanolamine. Polylysine enhanced cationic‐liposome‐mediated transfection of the hepatoblastoma cell line Hep G2 9‐fold compared with pCMVL complexed alone with liposomes. The ratio of cationic to anionic charge of the polylysine‐pCMVL complexes, and the quantity of cationic liposomes, are important determinants for optimal transfection of Hep G2 cells.
Structure and organization of albumin molecules forming the shell of air‐filled microspheres: evidence for a monolayer of albumin molecules of multiple orientations stabilizing the enclosed air
Authors: AH Myrset , Nicolaysen H. , Toft K. , Christiansen C. , Skotland T.
Published: October 2023

The structure and organization of albumin molecules in the shell of air‐filled microspheres formed by sonication of a 5% albumin solution have been investigated. By limited proteolysis of intact microspheres, it has been shown that every albumin molecule in the shell may be cleaved without disintegration of the microsphere structure. The microsphere shell accordingly appears to be composed of a monolayer of albumin molecules. Most of the main cleavage sites identified after N‐terminal sequencing of proteolytic fragments are localized in three distinct regions common to both native and microsphere albumin molecules: the extended region of the first domain, the extended region of the second domain and the first disulphide loop of the third domain. The similarity in the localization of cleavage sites in the native and microsphere albumin molecules suggests that the formation of microspheres implies only a limited degree of conformational change of the albumin molecules. The localization of the cleavage sites in the three‐dimensional structure of albumin suggests that the shell may be constituted of albumin molecules in both a native‐like heart‐shaped form and a more flipped‐out elongated form with different orientations.
Reversible binding of anthracycline antibiotics to erythrocytes treated with glutaraldehyde
Authors: FI Ataullakhanov , EV Kulikova , VM Vitvitsky
Published: October 2023

Human erythrocytes treated with glutaraldehyde can take up anthracycline antibiotics (daunorubicin and doxorubicin) from the incubation medium and do so faster than untreated cells. The antibiotics are readily released when the suspending medium is replaced with an antibiotic‐free one. Our findings provide evidence that glutaraldehyde‐treated erythrocytes remain capable of reversible binding of anthracycline antibiotics.
Expression of biologically active human granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor in the silkworm (Bombyx mori)
Authors: Shi X. , Qin J. , Zhu J. , Zhu D.
Published: October 2023

Using virus derived from Bombyx mori (silkworm) nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV), we constructed an infectious recombinant virus carrying the human granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (hGM‐CSF) cDNA placed downstream from the polyhedrin promoter. The BmN cells infected with the recombinant baculovirus BmNPV‐GM‐CSF expressed recombinant (r)hGM‐CSF up to 3.9 times 10(5) colony‐formation units/ml in the medium. The maximum activity of rhGM‐CSF was 4.3 times 10(6) colony‐formation units/ml in the haemolymph of silkworm (Bombyx mori) larvae infected with BmNPV‐GM‐CSF. Three distinct species of GM‐CSF of molecular masses 15, 18 and 20 kDa were detected by immunoblotting. The specific activity of rhGM‐CSF purified from the haemolymph was up to 2.92 times 10(7) colony‐formation units/mg. The isoelectric point of the purified rhGM‐CSF was 5.5‐5.7.
Concentration and recovery of the bacteriocin nisin from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
Authors: JS Van't Hul , WR Gibbons
Published: October 2023

This investigation compared various techniques to concentrate and recover nisin from Lactococcus lactis cells. Centrifugation, combined with pH manipulation, was initially investigated as it is known that nisin will adsorb to producer cells at pH 6.5 and desorb at pH < or = 3.0. Unfortunately, centrifugation stripped producer cells of nisin even at pH 6.5; therefore a milder separation process (microfiltration) was evaluated. Results using a medium (LTB) containing peptone, tryptone, yeast extract, NaCl, Na2HPO4 and glucose demonstrated that nisin could be at least partially concentrated with cells via microfiltration. However, when a filtered stillage‐based medium was used, nisin production was boosted to levels which exceeded the holding capacity of producer cells, resulting in release of nisin from cells at pH 6.5. Since it appears unfeasible to use producer cells for nisin recovery, an alternative may be to separately immobilize cells/ fragments in a re‐usable column to act as a ‘resin’ to adsorb nisin. Microfiltration could then be used to release nisin from cells, with nisin recovered by passing the permeated material through the immobilized‐cell columns at pH 6.5.
Purification and characterization of xylanases from Cellulomonas sp. N.C.I.M. 2353
Authors: Chaudhary Priya , Deobagkar Dileep N.
Published: October 2023

Cellulomonas produces multiple xylanases in the presence of xylan, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), starch and, to a very much lesser extent, cellobiose. A procedure involving (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, DEAE‐cellulose chromatography and gel filtration was used to purify the xylanases. True xylanases and xylanases with multiple specificity were detected. True xylanases had an optimum pH of 6.5, a temperature optimum of about 55 ° C, and pI values of about 8.0. The molecular masses of the purified xylanases were found to be 23, 33 and 53 kDa. The Km and Vmax values of the 33 and 53 kDa enzymes were 1.7 and 1.5 mg/ml, and 380 and 690 mmol/min per mg respectively. The 33 and 53 kDa enzymes were totally inactivated in the presence of HgCl2 and AgNO3. These two enzymes were not affected by 5 mM concentrations of KCl, MgCl2, NaCl and MnSO4. These enzymes were identified as endoxylanases on the basis of their end products. Xylanases other than these three enzymes were also found in a “cellulosome” type of complex in Cellulomonas. Enzymes in this complex showed activity towards both CMC and xylan.
A study of combined filtration and adsorption on nylon‐based dye‐affinity membranes:separation of recombinant L‐alanine dehydrogenase from crude fermentation broth
Authors: Weissenborn Michael , Hutter Bernd , Singh Mahavir , Beeskow Thomas C. , Anspach F. Birger
Published: October 2023

Dextran, hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were covalently linked to bisoxirane‐activated nylon membranes. Cibacron Blue F3G‐A was immobilized on to these membranes to yield a dye‐affinity membrane. The hydrodynamic permeability of affinity membranes was reduced to 50′ of that of the original Nylon membrane due to extension of polymer coils into flow‐through pores. Adsorption of pre‐purified human serum albumin (HSA) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) displayed highest maximum binding capacities on HEC‐coated dye‐ligand‐affinity membranes, ranging from 163 mg/cm2 for HSA to 316 mg/cm2 for MDH. The protein recovery of HSA was 100% on dextran‐coated membranes compared with 70% on PVA‐coated membranes, whereas almost 100′ recovery was found for MDH, independent of the polymer. Application of crude supernatant from recombinant Escherichia coli yielded purification factors of 7.4, 8.9 and 11.2 for recombinant alanine dehydrogenase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis for HEC‐, dextran‐ and PVA‐coated membranes respectively. Dynamic capacities decreased remarkably to 3 mg/cm2 due to co‐adsorption of host proteins. The presence of cell debris caused only a slight decrease of purification factors, but a dramatic decrease of the permeability of affinity membranes due to development of a particle layer in front of the membranes. Although enzyme recoveries were up to 90% using cell‐free supernatant, more than 50′ of the product was lost due to polarization, concentration and rejection at particle layers when using crude homogenates. In order to further improve this integrated downstream process, sophisticated membrane techniques are required by which the formation of a filter cake is circumvented. Further refinement of polymer‐coated membranes would not help one to avoid this problem.