bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology and genetic diversity of Burkholderia pseudomallei from Riau Province, Indonesia
Authors: Anggraini Dewi , Siregar Fajri Marindra , Rosdiana Dani , Kemal Rahmat Azhari , Yovi Indra , Triani Zhana Daisya , Jasmin Novira , Dwijelita Norsila , Webb Jessica R. , Mayo Mark , Kaestli Mirjam , Currie Bart J.
Published: May 2024

Melioidosis is a bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, that is common in tropical and subtropical countries including Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. The magnitude of undiagnosed and untreated melioidosis across the country remains unclear. Given its proximity to regions with high infection rates, Riau Province on Sumatera Island is anticipated to have endemic melioidosis. This study reports retrospectively collected data on 68 culture-confirmed melioidosis cases from two hospitals in Riau Province between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2021, with full clinical data available on 41 cases. We also describe whole genome sequencing and genotypic analysis of six isolates of B. pseudomallei. The mean age of the melioidosis patients was 49.1 (SD 11.5) years, 85% were male and the most common risk factor was diabetes mellitus (78%). Pulmonary infection was the most common presentation (39%), and overall mortality was 41%. Lung as a focal infection (aOR: 6.43; 95% CI: 1.13–36.59, p = 0.036) and bacteremia (aOR: 15.21; 95% CI: 2.59–89.31, p = 0.003) were significantly associated with death. Multilocus sequence typing analysis conducted on six B.pseudomallei genomes identified three sequence types (STs), namely novel ST1794 (n = 3), ST46 (n = 2), and ST289 (n = 1). A phylogenetic tree of Riau B. pseudomallei whole genome sequences with a global dataset of genomes clearly distinguished the genomes of B. pseudomallei in Indonesia from the ancestral Australian clade and classified them within the Asian clade. This study expands the known presence of B. pseudomallei within Indonesia and confirms that Indonesian B. pseudomallei are genetically linked to those in the rest of Southeast Asia. It is anticipated that melioidosis will be found in other locations across Indonesia as laboratory capacities improve and standardized protocols for detecting and confirming suspected cases of melioidosis are more widely implemented.
A scoping review on the use of traditional medicine and oral health in Africa
Authors: Foláyan Moréniké Oluwátóyìn , Olagunju Mobolaji Timothy , Abodunrin Olunike Rebecca , Alade Omolola Titilayo
Published: May 2024

Background

This review aimed to chart the landscape of literature concerning the precise applications of traditional medicine in managing specific oral diseases and, in doing so, to pinpoint knowledge gaps surrounding the use of traditional medicine for oral disease management in the African context.

Methods

A systematic search of the literature was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL. The search was conducted from the inception of the database till September 2023. A search of related citations and references was also carried out. Only English language publications were included. A summary of studies that met the inclusion criteria was conducted.

Results

Of the 584 records identified, 11 were duplicates and 12 studies, published between 2006 and 2021, met the inclusion criteria. The studies were published from eight countries located in the five sub-regions on the continent. All the studies were either experimental designs or ethnobotanical surveys and they all utilized plant-based remedies. The five experimental studies aimed to assess the impact of whole plants or plant extracts on the three microorganisms responsible for dental caries and seven responsible for periodontal diseases. The number of plant species identified by the seven ethnobotanical surveys ranged from 29 to 62 while the number of plan families ranged from 15 to 29. The remedies were either topical applied, use as mouth rinses, gargled, or chewed. The systemic routes of administration identified were inhalation and drinking. The remedies were used for the treatment of hard such as dental caries and tooth sensitivity, to soft tissue lesions such as mouth ulcers, gingival bleeding, and mouth thrush. Other oral disorders managed include halitosis, jaw fracture, and oral cancer.

Conclusions

Given the increasing prevalence of oral diseases within the region, the shortage of oral healthcare professionals and limited access to financial resources, it becomes imperative to support the generation of empirical evidence to enhance the provision of traditional medicine for oral healthcare in Africa.
Entomological assessment of hessian fabric transfluthrin vapour emanators as a means to protect against outdoor-biting Aedes after providing them to households for routine use in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Authors: Supreme Chicoye , Damus Obrillant , Frederick Joseph , Lemoine Jean-Frantz , Raccurt Christian , McBeath Justin , Mirzai Nosrat , Ogoma Sheila B. , Corbel Vincent , Impoinvil Daniel , Killeen Gerry F. , Czeher Cyrille
Published: May 2024

Background

A simple treated fabric device for passively emanating the volatile pyrethroid transfluthrin was recently developed in Tanzania that protected against nocturnal Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes for several months. Here these transfluthrin emanators were assessed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti against outdoor-biting Aedes.

Methods

Transfluthrin emanators were distributed to participating households in poor-to-middle class urban neighbourhoods and evaluated once every two months in terms of their effects on human landing rates of wild Aedes populations. A series of three such entomological assessment experiments were conducted, to examine the influence of changing weather conditions, various transfluthrin formulations and emanator placement on protective efficacy measurements. Laboratory experiments assessed resistance of local Aedes aegypti to transfluthrin and deltamethrin, and the irritancy and repellency of the transfluthrin-treated fabric used in the field.

Results

Across all three entomological field assessments, little evidence of protection against wild Ae. aegypti was observed, regardless of weather conditions, transfluthrin formulation or emanator placement: A generalized linear mixed model fitted to the pooled data from all three assessment rounds (921 females caught over 5129 hours) estimated a relative landing rate [95% Confidence interval] of 0.87 [0.73, 1.04] for users of treated versus untreated emanators (P = 0.1241). Wild Ae. aegypti in this setting were clearly resistant to transfluthrin when compared to a fully susceptible colony.

Conclusions

Transfluthrin emanators had little if any apparent effect upon Aedes landing rates by wild Ae. aegypti in urban Haiti, and similar results have been obtained by comparable studies in Tanzania, Brazil and Peru. In stark contrast, however, parallel sociological assessments of perspectives among these same end-users in urban Haitian communities indicate strong satisfaction in terms of perceived protection against mosquitoes. It remains unclear why the results obtained from these complementary entomological and sociological assessments in Haiti differ so much, as do those from a similar set of studies in Brazil. It is encouraging, however, that similar contrasts between the entomological and epidemiological results of a recent large-scale assessment of another transfluthrin emanator product in Peru, which indicate they provide useful protection against Aedes-borne arboviral infections, despite apparently providing only modest protection against Aedes mosquito bites.
Fuzzy ensemble of fined tuned BERT models for domain-specific sentiment analysis of software engineering dataset
Authors: Anwar Zeeshan , Afzal Hammad , Altaf Naima , Kadry Seifedine , Kim Jungeun
Published: May 2024

Software engineers post their opinions about various topics on social media that can be collectively mined using Sentiment Analysis. Analyzing this opinion is useful because it can provide insight into developers’ feedback about various tools and topics. General-purpose sentiment analysis tools do not work well in the software domain because most of these tools are trained on movies and review datasets. Therefore, efforts are underway to develop domain-specific sentiment analysis tools for the Software Engineering (SE) domain. However, existing domain-specific tools for SE struggle to compute negative and neutral sentiments and can not be used on all SE datasets. This work uses a hybrid technique based on deep learning and a fine-tuned BERT model, i.e., Bert-Base, Bert-Large, Bert-LSTM, Bert-GRU, and Bert-CNN presented that is adapted as a domain-specific sentiment analysis tool for Community Question Answering datasets (named as Fuzzy Ensemble). Five different variants of fine-tuned BERT on the SE dataset are developed, and an ensemble of these fine-tuned models is taken using fuzzy logic. The trained model is evaluated on four publicly available benchmark datasets, i.e., Stack Overflow, JavaLib, Jira, and Code Review, using various evaluation metrics. The fuzzy Ensemble model is also compared with the state-of-the-art sentiment analysis tools for the software engineering domain, i.e., SentiStrength-SE, Senti4SD, SentiCR, and Generative Pre-Training Transformer (GPT). GPT mode is fine-tuned by the authors for domain-specific sentiment analysis. The Fuzzy Ensemble model covers the limitation of existing tools and improve accuracy to predict neutral sentiments even on diverse dataset. The fuzzy Ensemble model performs superior to state-of-the-art tools by achieving a maximum F1-score of 0.883.
GPR168 functions as a tumor suppressor in mouse melanoma by restraining Akt signaling pathway
Authors: Guo Xiang , Guo Zongliang , Bai Peirong , Guo Congfang , Liu Xuewei , Zhu Kaiyi , Li Xiaoyan , Zhao Yiyan
Published: May 2024

Malignant melanoma (MM) is a malignant tumor associated with high mortality rates and propensity for metastasis. Despite advancement in treatment, the incidence of MM continue to rise globally. GPR168, also known as MrgprF, is a MAS related GPR family member. The low expression of GPR168 has also been reported in many malignant tumors including MM. In the study, the statistical analysis from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed a significant down regulation of GPR168 in melanoma compared to normal melanocytes, underscoring its importance in MM. The aim of the present study is to investigate the affect of GPR168 overexpression and elucidate its molecular mechanisms in MM cells. In addition, we used mouse melanoma B16-F10 cell line and xenograph tumor model to explore the function of GPR168 in melanoma. Our findings demonstrate that GPR168 overexpression could inhibit B16-F10 cell proliferation, migration, and xenografts tumor growth. Further, mechanistic studies revealed that GPR168 affected B16-F10 progress through Akt signal pathway with the decreased expression of p-Akt, p-GSK-3β, β-catenin, Myc, CyclinD1 and CDK4. In order to validate these findings, a rescue experiment was formulated employing GPR168 polyclonal antibody (Anti-GPR168 pAbs) to block GPR168 functionality. The addition of Anti-GPR168 pAbs into the culture medium restored both cell proliferation and migration. In conclusion, the overexpression of GPR168 in mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells suppressed proliferation and migration through the Akt signaling pathway. These findings collectively propose GPR168 as a promising novel tumor suppressor in MM, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target in future interventions.
Scientific text citation analysis using CNN features and ensemble learning model
Authors: Alnowaiser Khaled
Published: May 2024

Citation illustrates the link between citing and cited documents. Different aspects of achievements like the journal’s impact factor, author’s ranking, and peers’ judgment are analyzed using citations. However, citations are given the same weight for determining these important metrics. However academics contend that not all citations can ever have equal weight. Predominantly, such rankings are based on quantitative measures and the qualitative aspect is completely ignored. For a fair evaluation, qualitative evaluation of citations is needed in addition to quantitative ones. Many existing works that use qualitative evaluation consider binary class and categorize citations as important or unimportant. This study considers multi-class tasks for citation sentiments on imbalanced data and presents a novel framework for sentiment analysis in in-text citations of research articles. In the proposed technique, features are retrieved using a convolutional neural network (CNN), and classification is performed using a voting classifier that combines Logistic Regression (LR) and Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD). The class imbalance problem is handled by the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE). Extensive experiments are performed in comparison with the proposed approach using SMOTE-generated data and machine learning models by term frequency (TF), and term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed approach for citation analysis. It is found that the proposed voting classifier using CNN features achieves an accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score of 0.99 for all. This work not only advances the field of sentiment analysis in academic citations but also underscores the importance of incorporating qualitative aspects in evaluating the impact and sentiments conveyed through citations.
Direct interaction in digital interactive media and stock performance: Evidence from Panorama
Authors: Huang Jinshui , Wang Jun , Jin Xiaoman
Published: May 2024

Media information plays an essential role in the stock market. Recent financial research has verified that media information could shock stock price by influencing investors’ expectation. Now, a new type of interactive media, called Digital Interactive Media (DIM), is popular in Chinese stock market and becomes the main channel for investors to understand listed companies. Unlike general news media or investor forums, DIM enables direct interaction between listed companies and investors. In the modern society where digital economy is booming, media information would largely affect investors’ decisions. Therefore, it is urgent to use natural language processing (NLP) technology to deconstruct the massive questions and answers (Q&A) interactive information in DIM and extract valuable factors that affect stock prices and stock performances to explore the influence mechanism of digital interactive information on stock performances. This paper firstly uses web crawling technology to obtain approximately 110000 Q&A text information from the digital interactive platform (‘Panoramic Network’) from 2015 to 2021. Then we use big data text analysis technology and emotional quantification technology to extract valuable influencing factors from the massive text. A Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) model was created to explore specific influence mechanism of digital interactive information on stock price performance. The empirical results show that the emotions implicit in investors’ questions do not significantly impact stock performance. However, the emotions and attitudes of the answers by listed companies can significantly affect corresponding stock prices, which indirectly confirms the Proximate Cause Effect of behavioral finance. This effect is particularly evident in the stock prices on the current trading day and the next trading day. In the Robustness Test, this paper replaces dependent variable and adds relevant control variables, and the conclusion remains valid. In the Endogeneity Test, this paper selects sample data before the launch of Panorama Network in 2014 as a comparison, and uses a Difference-in-Difference (DID) model to prove the significant impact of the launch of Panorama Network on Chinese stock market. In the Heterogeneity Test, the paper classifies the market value, region, and industry of listed companies and regressed the sub samples, once again confirming the reliability of the empirical conclusions. The results of Robustness Test, Endogeneity Test, and Heterogeneity Test conducted in this paper all support empirical conclusions.
The ASSIST trial: Acute effects of manipulating strength exercise volume on insulin sensitivity in obese adults: A protocol for a randomized controlled, crossover, clinical trial
Authors: Silva Luis Filipe Rocha , Garcia Bruna Caroline Chaves , Esteves Elizabethe Adriana , Mang Zachary Aaron , Amorim Fabiano Trigueiro , Dias-Peixoto Marco Fabrício , Gripp Fernando , Tricoli Valmor , de Castro Magalhaes Flavio
Published: May 2024

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a disease in which insulin action is impaired, and an acute bout of strength exercise can improve insulin sensitivity. Current guidelines for strength exercise prescription suggest that 8 to 30 sets could be performed, although it is not known how variations in exercise volume impact insulin sensitivity. Additionally, this means an almost 4-fold difference in time commitment, which might directly impact an individual’s motivation and perceived capacity to exercise. This study will assess the acute effects of high- and low-volume strength exercise sessions on insulin sensitivity. After being thoroughly familiarized, 14 obese individuals of both sexes (>40 year old) will undergo 3 random experimental sessions, with a minimum 4-day washout period between them: a high-volume session (7 exercises, 3 sets per exercise, 21 total sets); a low-volume session (7 exercises, 1 set per exercise, 7 total sets); and a control session, where no exercise will be performed. Psychological assessments (feeling, enjoyment, and self-efficacy) will be performed after the sessions. All sessions will be held at night, and the next morning, an oral glucose tolerance test will be performed in a local laboratory, from which indexes of insulin sensitivity will be derived. We believe this study will aid in strength exercise prescription for individuals who claim not to have time to exercise or who perceive high-volume strength exercise intimidating to adhere to. This trial was prospectively registered (ReBEC #RBR-3vj5dc5 https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-3vj5dc5).
River valley urban network and morphology: A study on the urban morphology evolution of Lanzhou
Authors: Yang Minan , Qian Yongsheng , Li Xin , Ou Yueqing , Zeng Junwei
Published: May 2024

The present study investigates the dynamic evolution characteristics of urban spatial morphology by analyzing real road network data from 2000, 2010, and 2020, along with nighttime lighting data employing spatial analysis methods and spatial syntax models. Accordingly, two separate dimensions of urban morphology: internal and external, are covered. First, the integration and synergy of interior morphology features are analyzed using spatial syntactic modeling. Subsequently, the spatial compactness, fractal dimension, and level of center of gravity shift of the city are assessed by combining the nighttime lighting data with the earlier dataset. This analysis facilitated the deep exploration of the spatiotemporal evolution of the city’s external morphology. Building upon this foundation, the interaction between the "internal and external" domains was analyzed further. The main findings of the study reveal a synchronous pattern of urban expansion throughout the evolution of urban spatial morphology. Furthermore, the urban form was observed to undergo a progressive transformation, transitioning from a "single core" morphology to a "primary and secondary double core" morphology. Over time, this development progressed and evolved into a "belt-like multi-core" structure. Additionally, the coupling characteristics further validate the relationship between the structure of the road network and the urban morphology in river valley-type cities. In particular, accessibility of dense and horizontally distributed transportation network was found to significantly influence the spatial development of these cities. As observed, the findings provides valuable insights into understanding the characteristics of internal and external associations regarding urban spatial patterns.
An agent-based model of the spread of behavioural risk-factors for cardiovascular disease in city-scale populations
Authors: Archbold James , Clohessy Sophie , Herath Deshani , Griffiths Nathan , Oyebode Oyinlola
Published: May 2024

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality globally, and is the second main cause of mortality in the UK. Four key modifiable behaviours are known to increase CVD risk, namely: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol. Behaviours that increase the risk of CVD can spread through social networks because individuals consciously and unconsciously mimic the behaviour of others they relate to and admire. Exploiting these social influences may lead to effective and efficient public health interventions to prevent CVD. This project aimed to construct and validate an agent-based model (ABM) of how the four major behavioural risk-factors for CVD spread through social networks in a population, and examine whether the model could be used to identify targets for public health intervention and to test intervention strategies. Previous ABMs have typically focused on a single risk factor or considered very small populations. We created a city-scale ABM to model the behavioural risk-factors of individuals, their social networks (spousal, household, friendship and workplace), the spread of behaviours through these social networks, and the subsequent impact on the development of CVD. We compared the model output (predicted CVD events over a ten year period) to observed data, demonstrating that the model output is realistic. The model output is stable up to at least a population size of 1.2M agents (the maximum tested). We found that there is scope for the modelled interventions targeting the spread of these behaviours to change the number of CVD events experienced by the agents over ten years. Specifically, we modelled the impact of workplace interventions to show that the ABM could be useful for identifying targets for public health intervention. The model itself is Open Source and is available for use or extension by other researchers.
The incidence of admission ionised hypocalcaemia in paediatric major trauma—A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Hibberd Owen , Price James , Thomas Stephen H. , Harris Tim , Barnard Edward B. G.
Published: May 2024

Objectives

In adult major trauma patients admission hypocalcaemia occurs in approximately half of cases and is associated with increased mortality. However, data amongst paediatric patients are limited. The objectives of this review were to determine the incidence of admission ionised hypocalcaemia in paediatric major trauma patients and to explore whether hypocalcaemia is associated with adverse outcomes.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. All studies including major trauma patients <18 years old, with an ionised calcium concentration obtained in the Emergency Department (ED) prior to the receipt of blood products in the ED were included. The primary outcome was incidence of ionised hypocalcaemia. Random-effects Sidik-Jonkman modelling was executed for meta-analysis of mortality and pH difference between hypo- and normocalcaemia, Odds ratio (OR) was the reporting metric for mortality. The reporting metric for the continuous variable of pH difference was Glass’ D (a standardized difference). Results are reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and significance was defined as p <0.05.

Results

Three retrospective cohort studies were included. Admission ionised hypocalcaemia definitions ranged from <1.00 mmol/l to <1.16 mmol/l with an overall incidence of 112/710 (15.8%). For mortality, modelling with low heterogeneity (I2 39%, Cochrane’s Q p = 0.294) identified a non-significant (p = 0.122) estimate of hypocalcaemia increasing mortality (pooled OR 2.26, 95% CI 0.80–6.39). For the pH difference, meta-analysis supported generation of a pooled effect estimate (I2 57%, Cochrane’s Q p = 0.100). The effect estimate of the mean pH difference was not significantly different from null (p = 0.657), with the estimated pH slightly lower in hypocalcaemia (Glass D standardized mean difference -0.08, 95% CI -0.43 to 0.27).

Conclusion

Admission ionised hypocalcaemia was present in at least one in six paediatric major trauma patients. Ionised hypocalcaemia was not identified to have a statistically significant association with mortality or pH difference.
Weighted composition operators on the logarithmic Bloch-Orlicz space
Authors: Zhou Hang
Published: May 2024

The boundedness and compactness of weighted composition operators on the logarithmic Bloch-Orlicz space B log φ are investigated in this paper.
Deep learning for identifying bee species from images of wings and pinned specimens
Authors: Spiesman Brian J. , Gratton Claudio , Gratton Elena , Hines Heather
Published: May 2024

One of the most challenging aspects of bee ecology and conservation is species-level identification, which is costly, time consuming, and requires taxonomic expertise. Recent advances in the application of deep learning and computer vision have shown promise for identifying large bumble bee (Bombus) species. However, most bees, such as sweat bees in the genus Lasioglossum, are much smaller and can be difficult, even for trained taxonomists, to identify. For this reason, the great majority of bees are poorly represented in the crowdsourced image datasets often used to train computer vision models. But even larger bees, such as bumble bees from the B. vagans complex, can be difficult to separate morphologically. Using images of specimens from our research collections, we assessed how deep learning classification models perform on these more challenging taxa, qualitatively comparing models trained on images of whole pinned specimens or on images of bee forewings. The pinned specimen and wing image datasets represent 20 and 18 species from 6 and 4 genera, respectively, and were used to train the EfficientNetV2L convolutional neural network. Mean test precision was 94.9% and 98.1% for pinned and wing images respectively. Results show that computer vision holds great promise for classifying smaller, more difficult to identify bees that are poorly represented in crowdsourced datasets. Images from research and museum collections will be valuable for expanding classification models to include additional species, which will be essential for large scale conservation monitoring efforts.
Description of a ‘plankton filtration bias’ in sequencing-based bacterial community analysis and of an Arduino microcontroller-based flowmeter device that can help to resolve it
Authors: Fournier Corentin , Fiedler Alexander , Weidele Maximilian , Kautz Harald , Schleheck David
Published: May 2024

Diversity studies of aquatic picoplankton (bacterioplankton) communities using size-class filtration, DNA extraction, PCR and sequencing of phylogenetic markers, require a robust methodological pipeline, since biases have been demonstrated essentially at all levels, including DNA extraction, primer choice and PCR. Even different filtration volumes of the same plankton sample and, thus, different biomass loading of the filters, can distort the sequencing results. In this study, we designed an Arduino microcontroller-based flowmeter that records the decrease of initial (maximal) flowrate as proxy for increasing biomass loading and clogging of filters during plankton filtration. The device was tested using freshwater plankton of Lake Constance, and total DNA was extracted and an 16S rDNA amplicon was sequenced. We confirmed that different filtration volumes used for the same water sample affect the sequencing results. Differences were visible in alpha and beta diversities and across all taxonomic ranks. Taxa most affected were typical freshwater Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes, increasing up to 38% and decreasing up to 29% in relative abundance, respectively. In another experiment, a lake water sample was filtered undiluted and three-fold diluted, and each filtration was stopped once the flowrate had reduced to 50% of initial flowrate, hence, at the same degree of filter clogging. The three-fold diluted sample required three-fold filtration volumes, while equivalent amounts of total DNA were extracted and differences across all taxonomic ranks were not statistically significant compared to the undiluted controls. In conclusion, this work confirms a volume/biomass-dependent bacterioplankton filtration bias for sequencing-based community analyses and provides an improved procedure for controlling biomass loading during filtrations and recovery of equivalent amounts of DNA from samples independent of the plankton density. The application of the device can also avoid the distorting of sequencing results as caused by the plankton filtration bias.
Peri-coronary fat attenuation index combined with high-risk plaque characteristics quantified from coronary computed tomography angiography for risk stratification in new-onset chest pain individuals without acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Zhang Xuelong , Cao Zelong , Xu Jianan , Guan Xing , He Honghou , Duan Linan , Ji Lishuang , Liu Gang , Guo Qifeng , You Yang , Zheng Mingqi , Wei Mei
Published: May 2024

This study aims to evaluate the role of the peri-coronary Fat Attenuation Index (FAI) and High-Risk Plaque Characteristics (HRPC) in the assessment of coronary heart disease risk. By conducting coronary CT angiography and coronary angiography on 217 patients with newly developed chest pain (excluding acute myocardial infarction), their degree of vascular stenosis, FAI, and the presence and quantity of HRPC were assessed. The study results demonstrate a correlation between FAI and HRPC, and the combined use of FAI and HRPC can more accurately predict the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Additionally, the study found that patients with high FAI were more prone to exhibit high-risk plaque characteristics, severe stenosis, and multiple vessel disease. After adjustment, the combination of FAI and HRPC improved the ability to identify and reclassify MACE. Furthermore, the study identified high FAI as an independent predictor of MACE in patients undergoing revascularization, while HRPC served as an independent predictor of MACE in patients not undergoing revascularization. These findings suggest the potential clinical value of FAI and HRPC in the assessment of coronary heart disease risk, particularly in patients with newly developed chest pain excluding acute myocardial infarction.
Identifying widespread and recurrent variants of genetic parts to improve annotation of engineered DNA sequences
Authors: McGuffie Matthew J. , Barrick Jeffrey E.
Published: May 2024

Engineered plasmids have been workhorses of recombinant DNA technology for nearly half a century. Plasmids are used to clone DNA sequences encoding new genetic parts and to reprogram cells by combining these parts in new ways. Historically, many genetic parts on plasmids were copied and reused without routinely checking their DNA sequences. With the widespread use of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, we now know that plasmids often contain variants of common genetic parts that differ slightly from their canonical sequences. Because the exact provenance of a genetic part on a particular plasmid is usually unknown, it is difficult to determine whether these differences arose due to mutations during plasmid construction and propagation or due to intentional editing by researchers. In either case, it is important to understand how the sequence changes alter the properties of the genetic part. We analyzed the sequences of over 50,000 engineered plasmids using depositor metadata and a metric inspired by the natural language processing field. We detected 217 uncatalogued genetic part variants that were especially widespread or were likely the result of convergent evolution or engineering. Several of these uncatalogued variants are known mutants of plasmid origins of replication or antibiotic resistance genes that are missing from current annotation databases. However, most are uncharacterized, and 3/5 of the plasmids we analyzed contained at least one of the uncatalogued variants. Our results include a list of genetic parts to prioritize for refining engineered plasmid annotation pipelines, highlight widespread variants of parts that warrant further investigation to see whether they have altered characteristics, and suggest cases where unintentional evolution of plasmid parts may be affecting the reliability and reproducibility of science.
Assessment of the localization of chondroitin sulfate in various types of endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Hosokawa Sho , Norimatsu Yoshiaki , Shinagawa Akiko , Kurokawa Tetsuji , Yoshida Yoshio , Nishikawa Takeshi , Suzuki Hisae , Irino Satoshi , Kobayashi Tadao K.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

This study aimed to assess the localization of chondroitin sulfate (CS), a primary extracellular matrix component, in the stromal region of endometrial carcinoma (EC).

Methods

Immunostaining was performed on 26 endometrial endometrioid carcinoma (EEC) samples of different grades and 10 endometrial serous carcinoma (ESC) samples to evaluate CS localization. This was further confirmed by Alcian Blue (AB) staining as well.

Results

In the G1-EEC samples, CS showed reactivity with fibrovascular stroma, supporting closely packed glandular crowding and papillary structures. As the grade increased, the original interstitial structure was re-established, and the localization of CS in the perigulandular region decreased. In the ESC samples, the thick fibrous strands supporting the papillary architecture showed reactivity with CS; however, the delicate stromal region branching into the narrow region showed poor reactivity. The AB staining results showed similar characteristics to the immunostaining ones.

Conclusions

The characteristic localization of CS in various EC types was elucidated. The present study provides new information on endometrial stromal assessment.
Macrophage- and CD4+ T cell-derived SIV differ in glycosylation, infectivity and neutralization sensitivity
Authors: Karsten Christina B. , Buettner Falk F. R. , Cajic Samanta , Nehlmeier Inga , Roshani Berit , Klippert Antonina , Sauermann Ulrike , Stolte-Leeb Nicole , Reichl Udo , Gerardy-Schahn Rita , Rapp Erdmann , Stahl-Hennig Christiane , Pöhlmann Stefan
Published: May 2024

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope protein (Env) mediates viral entry into host cells and is the primary target for the humoral immune response. Env is extensively glycosylated, and these glycans shield underlying epitopes from neutralizing antibodies. The glycosylation of Env is influenced by the type of host cell in which the virus is produced. Thus, HIV is distinctly glycosylated by CD4+ T cells, the major target cells, and macrophages. However, the specific differences in glycosylation between viruses produced in these cell types have not been explored at the molecular level. Moreover, it remains unclear whether the production of HIV in CD4+ T cells or macrophages affects the efficiency of viral spread and resistance to neutralization. To address these questions, we employed the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) model. Glycan analysis implied higher relative levels of oligomannose-type N-glycans in SIV from CD4+ T cells (T-SIV) compared to SIV from macrophages (M-SIV), and the complex-type N-glycans profiles seem to differ between the two viruses. Notably, M-SIV demonstrated greater infectivity than T-SIV, even when accounting for Env incorporation, suggesting that host cell-dependent factors influence infectivity. Further, M-SIV was more efficiently disseminated by HIV binding cellular lectins. We also evaluated the influence of cell type-dependent differences on SIV’s vulnerability to carbohydrate binding agents (CBAs) and neutralizing antibodies. T-SIV demonstrated greater susceptibility to mannose-specific CBAs, possibly due to its elevated expression of oligomannose-type N-glycans. In contrast, M-SIV exhibited higher susceptibility to neutralizing sera in comparison to T-SIV. These findings underscore the importance of host cell-dependent attributes of SIV, such as glycosylation, in shaping both infectivity and the potential effectiveness of intervention strategies.
An interview with Dr Kristin Congdon
Authors: Rang Linda
Published: May 2024

The following interview took place on 24 January 2023 by phone with Dr Kristin Congdon. She speaks about her life, ideas and experiences as an art educator and author. Throughout her life, she showed an interest in art, ultimately challenging institutional representations of under-represented groups, such as females, as well as people of colour. Her journey led her to study the work of folk artists. This important topic brings to light the fact that this group has been under-represented globally throughout history. She had trouble finding a university that believed folk art was important enough for her to study for her Ph.D. Ultimately, she was mentored by Dr June McFee at the University of Oregon, where she received her Ph.D. in art education, studying a theoretical approach for teaching folk art in an educational setting. She is currently a professor emerita of philosophy and humanities in the Department of Art, Film and Philosophy at the University of Central Florida.
Judíos entre cristianos: Realidades de convivencia cotidiana en el reino visigodo
Authors: Huertas Gómez Jesús
Published: May 2024

La presencia de judíos en la Península Ibérica chocaba frontalmente con el proyecto de unidad del reino en base a una identidad católica, propuesto tanto desde la monarquía como desde el episcopado. Por este motivo, se trató de menoscabar los derechos de los judíos y de limitar la libertad civil y religiosa de las comunidades judaicas diseminadas por Hispania. Sin embargo, frente a este fuerte antijudaísmo propugnado desde el poder y que ha quedado reflejado en la legislación, los cánones conciliares y la llamada literatura adversus Iudaeos, parece verse también con claridad que los judíos continuaron estando plenamente integrados entre el resto de la población, gozando de apoyos de gente de los distintos estratos sociales. Por tanto, el objetivo de este artículo es explorar las realidades de convivencia cotidianas que se pueden entrever en las distintas fuentes entre las poblaciones judías y cristianas.
Seasonal interactions between Quagga Mussel grazing and phytoplankton in western Lake Erie: The view from different measuring technologies
Authors: Vanderploeg H.A. , Glyshaw P.W. , Carrick H.J. , Carter G.S. , Dahal N. , Denef V.J. , Fanslow D.L. , Godwin C.M.
Published: May 2024

We measured Quagga Mussel grazing-induced changes in seston concentration in 20-L laboratory mesocosms containing lake water, during May-October, as part of a study to investigate the present role of mussel feeding and nutrient excretion in affecting phytoplankton composition. A variety of measuring methodologies including size-fractionated chlorophyll (< 2, 2-20, and >20 µm), phytoplankton groups by FluoroProbe, cyanobacterial genera by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and particulate C, N, and P gave us different insights into seasonal phytoplankton dynamics and mussel selective feeding and assimilation. High clearance rates and/or high assimilation rates were seen during late May-early July across all size categories, with high rates seen particularly in cryptophytes and diatoms as revealed by FluoroProbe. Starting in late July cyanophytes dominated the phytoplankton and feeding rate on them was generally zero or low. Sequencing analyses suggested that there was a diverse cyanobacterial community present, with Microcystis, contrary to expectation, dominating only in late June. Cyanobium was the dominant genera at most times during summer-fall, and as expected, Microcystis was rejected by mussels relative to other cyanobacteria. Planktothrix, dominant in spring, was readily ingested as well as Anabaena in late June. We show that a combination of methods is helpful to make progress in understanding plankton succession and grazing. These methods were important adjuncts to microscopic analysis (Carrick et al, this issue). Our results support the hypothesis that dreissenid mussels, when abundant, can affect seasonal succession of phytoplankton shifting composition to cyanobacteria and even changes within the cyanobacterial community; however, impacts are likely modest now due low mussel biomass (Carter et al., this issue). Assimilation of C, N, and P was generally high, which is important for mussel population maintenance.
Teardrops from My Eyes
Authors: Bergsman Steve
Published: May 2024

The music world at the start of the 1950s was in flux: record formats were changing, there were new names for bestselling record charts, and female blues and R&B singers were gaining popularity.
Theressa Hoover
Authors: Allured Janet
Published: May 2024

This chapter highlights the work of native Arkansan Theressa Hoover, a leading Black laywoman who challenged racial and gender barriers in both church and society. As chief executive of the financially independent 1.2-million-member United Methodist Women (1968-1990), Hoover provided direction, voice, and vision to one of the largest Christian women's organizations in the world. This role was both a locus for a career and a platform for articulating resistance to white patriarchy. An outspoken proponent of women's full participation in church policy-making bodies, and in her positions on the national boards of ecumenical organizations like Church Women United, the YWCA, the NCNW, and the National and World Council of Churches, Hoover advocated for anti-racism, feminism and LGBTQ+ rights. As much a theologian as many ordained preachers, Hoover critiqued the male-defined systems that impacted Black women in particular, showing that white feminist theology, though illustrative, was incomplete.
From Biblical Book to Musical Megahit
Authors: Karpf Juanita
Published: May 2024

Many church goers will recognize the name, William Bradbury, a nineteenth-century American composer of popular hymns still sung at Sunday services. Bradbury’s name may also bring to mind Esther, the Beautiful Queen, his choral setting of a text based on the biblical Book of Esther. Written for amateur singers, the uncomplicated score became enormously popular almost immediately after its initial publication in 1856. In From Biblical Book to Musical Megahit: William B. Bradbury’s “Esther, the Beautiful Queen,” Juanita Karpf traces the work’s rich performance and reception history.
Bradbury emphatically stated that he intended Esther to be sung as an unadorned religious and educational piece. Yet many music directors exploited the potential for his score, producing elaborately staged events with costumes, scenery, and acting. Although directors retained Bradbury’s original music, they nonetheless facilitated Esther’s rapid entrée into the realm of music theater. This stylistic transformation ignited a firestorm of controversy. Some clergy and religiously pious citizens condemned theatrical representations of biblical texts as the epitome of debauchery, sacrilege, and sin. In contrast, more tolerant and openminded theater enthusiasts welcomed the dramatic staging of Esther as wholesome entertainment and as evidence of a refreshingly enlightened approach to biblical interpretation.
However heated this debate seemed at times, it did little to quell the continued rise in popularity of Esther. In fact, by the late 1860s, Bradbury’s score had worked its way across the continent, north to Canada and, eventually, overseas. With performances recorded over a century after Bradbury published his score, Esther became, by any measure, an international megahit.
Exploring the Land of Ooo
Authors: Thomas Paul A.
Published: May 2024

This book provides an overview of Adventure Time, the animated television series that was created by visionary artist Pendleton Ward and which initially aired from 2010 to 2018. Known for its distinct sense of humor, bold aesthetic choices, and memorable characters, the series amassed a large fan-following and won a myriad of coveted awards during its run. In this thorough overview, author Paul A. Thomas explores the nuances of the series’ characters, production history, ancillary media, and vibrant fandom. Based in part on interviews with dozens of the creative individuals who made the show possible, the volume comprises a captivating mix of oral history and primary source analysis. With fresh insight, the book considers the show’s guest-directed episodes, outlines its most famous songs, and explores how its characters were created and cast. Written for fans and scholars alike, Exploring the Land of Ooo ensures that, when it comes to Adventure Time, the fun truly will never end.
Coming of Age in Ooo
Authors: Thomas Paul A.
Published: May 2024

This chapter provides a history of Adventure Time’s production, covering season six and beyond. The chapter begins by discussing the darker approach the show’s writers took when working on its sixth season; although the season’s darkness received a mix response from many in the fandom, the author argues that many viewers overlooked the season’s richness. The chapter then segues into a discussion of seasons seven and eight. In this portion of the chapter, great emphasis is placed on how the Stakes, Islands, and Elements miniseries came to be. After discussing the history of the show’s final season and its original finale, “Come Along with Me,” the chapter closes by considering the Distant Lands specials that aired on HBO Max after the series initial cancellation.
The Ancillary Adventures of Finn and Jake
Authors: Thomas Paul A.
Published: May 2024

Adventure Time is not just a television series; it is a media empire that has spawned a variety of ancillary media, like comics, games, toys, and the like. Unfortunately, these supplementary works are often overlooked by fans who are more interested in the source material. This is something of a shame, for while many of these creations might seem subordinate to the television program, they are still works of human labor overflowing with the same sort of artistic effervescence that made the Adventure Time television series so remarkable in the first place. To make up for this neglect, the present chapter takes a closer look at three of Adventure Time’s most important ancillary offsprings: the mainline comic book series (written largely by Ryan North and Christopher Hastings), the Adventure Time video games, and the abandoned film adaptation.
Blood on the Sand, Cause of Injury: “Integrational”
Authors: Lemco Amy
Published: May 2024

This chapter looks into the aftermath of Dr. Gilbert Mason's arrest. It details the demonstrations on the beach and the final effort to intimidate the would-be Black swimmers wherein photos showcased gleeful attackers chasing demonstrators across the sand. Moreover, during the Bloody Sunday affair, the police made several more arrests, with the charges of resisting arrest, drunk and disorderly conduct, and destruction of property. However, despite the chaos and violence, there was some impromptu help from some of the white onlookers. The chapter highlights Mason's determination to demonstrate regardless of the dangers inherent in continuing to pursue his civil rights goals.
White Sand, White Solidarity
Authors: Lemco Amy
Published: May 2024

This chapter discusses the continued policing of Harrison County beaches. It provides an overview of the federal suit of the United States v. Harrison County case. The police walked a fine line between discouraging and breaking up the gatherings while avoiding further arrests during the rebellion against Jim Crow traditions. Moreover, the wade-ins have sparked more conviction regarding the use of all federal land. The chapter elaborates on the desegregation event at Desoto National Park, which eventually drew national attention, and local journalist Tom Cook's efforts to help the State Sovereignty Commission in minimizing the publicity of the event's coverage.