bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social, environmental, and developmental factors affect the microbiota of barn owls (Tyto alba) in a cross-fostering experiment
Authors: Corl Ammon , Charter Motti , Rozman Gabe , Turjeman Sondra , Toledo Sivan , Kamath Pauline L. , Getz Wayne M. , Nathan Ran , Bowie Rauri C. K.
Published: December 2024

Background

Species host diverse microbial communities that can impact their digestion and health, which has led to much interest in understanding the factors that influence their microbiota. We studied the developmental, environmental, and social factors that influence the microbiota of nestling barn owls (Tyto alba) through a partial cross-fostering experiment that manipulated the social and nest environment of the nestlings. We then examined the nestling microbiota before and three weeks after the exchange of nestlings between nests, along with the microbiota of the adults at the nest and nestlings in unmanipulated nests.

Results

We found that nestlings had higher bacterial diversity and different bacterial communities than adults. The microbiota of nestlings was more like that of their mothers than their fathers, but the similarity to the father tended to increase with the amount of time the father was in close proximity to the nest, as measured from movement data. Cross-fostered offspring had higher bacterial diversity and greater changes in bacterial community composition over time than control offspring. Cross-fostering led the microbiota of the nestlings in the experiment to converge on similar bacterial communities. The microbiota of nestling owls therefore rapidly changed along with alterations to their social and nest environments.

Conclusions

These results highlight the dynamic nature of the microbiota during early development and that social interactions can shape microbial communities.
Does the hedge pay? Assessing natural hedging’s role in firm valuation under varying macroeconomic conditions
Authors: Saharan Anureet , Rajendran Madhumathi
Published: December 2024

This study aims to assess the influence of natural hedging on firm value, incorporating the mediating role of financial derivatives and the moderating impact of macroeconomic variables. Employing partial least square structural equation modeling on data spanning 21,169 firm years (3050 firms) from 2015 to 2022, our analysis discerns significant effects. Natural hedging notably impacts firm value, while the impact on financial derivatives is contingent on the nature of the natural hedging strategy. High transactional involvement renders the relationship complementary, while a strategy with fewer and flexible transactions signifies a substitutive relation. An inflexible, cash flow-specific natural hedging strategy, such as foreign debt, can be mutually exclusive with financial derivatives when the cash inflow in foreign currency matches perfectly with interest payments. However, in subsequent periods, when the nature of cash inflows changes, this relationship can become complementary, allowing for the integration of financial derivatives to fine-tune and enhance the overall hedging strategy. Macroeconomic fluctuations do not moderate the relationship between natural hedging and firm value within the same period. Instead, the impact is moderated by GDP growth rates in subsequent periods.
Impact of cognitive tasks on postural stability in young and older adults
Authors: Shah Sakshi , Nanavati Nikita
Published: December 2024

Background

Postural stability requires coordination of the visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems. Cognitive tasks can divert attention from maintaining posture, potentially reducing body sway and fall risk. The effect on postural stability increases with cognitive load complexity. Understanding these aspects is crucial for studying the relationship between cognitive functions and postural stability, especially in older adults who may face declines in both areas.

Method

The study involved 70 participants, divided into 2 groups: group I consisted of 35 young adults, and group II included 35 older adults. Each participant underwent a hearing test using pure-tone audiometry and was screened for vestibular and cognitive function. Postural stability was assessed using a stabilometer, with evaluations conducted under various conditions, both with and without cognitive tasks. The cognitive tasks utilized included word generation, backward letter repetition, and backward serial 7 subtraction.

Results

Compared to noncognitive tasks, postural stability improved with cognitive tasks for both groups. When compared across different cognitive tasks, the backward letter repetition task enhanced postural stability more than word generation and backward serial 7 subtraction task. The most significant differences were observed on a cushioned surface with eyes closed when comparing noncognitive to cognitive tasks and across different cognitive tasks in both groups. However, younger adults exhibited better postural stability with cognitive tasks than older adults.

Conclusion

Postural stability was enhanced with cognitive tasks compared to noncognitive tasks for both young and older adults.
Super-resolution Magnetotelluric Data Inversion with Seismic Texture Constraint
Authors: Zhou Hongyu , Guo Rui , Hu Zuzhi , Wei Wei , Li Maokun , Yang Fan , Xu Shenheng , Shi Yanling
Published: December 2024

Magnetotelluric (MT) data inversion reconstructs the subsurface resistivity structure using measured natural electromagnetic (EM) fields. Due to the attenuation of lowfrequency EM waves in geological conductors, MT inversion has lower sensitivity and resolution for subsurface structures compared with seismic reflection imaging. Seismic reflection provides rich, detailed subsurface information that complements EM data, such as the spatial locations of geological boundaries and fine-scale geophysical attributes. This work presents a super-resolution MT inversion approach incorporating the seismic texture constraint. We develop a multi-resolution model parametrization scheme to represent the unknown model with both the coarse-scale resistivity background and fine-scale resistivity details. A modified, pre-trained VGG19 neural network (NN) serves as an effective texture extraction operator. This inversion method requires no neural network training and simultaneously optimizes MT data misfit, texture discrepancy, and various regularization penalties using the Adaptive Moment Estimation (ADAM) optimizer. Experiments show that the proposed inversion can reduce or at least maintain the data misfit and effectively improve MT inversion resolution to a seismic-like level. This approach has promising application potential in the oil industry for highlighting quasi-layered subsurface structures.
STRUCTURES IN THE ACTIVE WESTERN FOOTHILLS OF SOUTHWESTERN TAIWAN: FAULT-RELATED FOLDING VERSUS SHALE TECTONICS
Authors: Aleem Hassan , Le Béon Maryline , Lin Andrew Tien-Shun , Ching Kuo-En , Soto Juan I. , Chen Kai-Feng , Nguyen Ngoc-Thao
Published: December 2024

Taiwan is an active orogen where a west-verging fold-and-thrust belt deforms a Plio-Pleistocene foreland basin sequence. In southwestern Taiwan, the 3-4-km-thick Gutingkeng mudstone, Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene in age, has similar characteristics to mobile shales, such as overpressure conditions and sourcing mud volcanoes. Present uplift rates as fast as 2 cm/yr were observed mainly on the footwall of steep thrusts, including the Gutingkeng Fault, which trace features several mud volcanoes. We integrate surface observations near this fault with regional subsurface data to construct an upper crustal cross-section and evaluate the roles of competing models of fault-related folding and shale tectonics in deforming the region. Field observations show steep and well-preserved bedding on the hanging wall and footwall and a wide reverse fault zone with penetrative shearing, corresponding to the Gutingkeng Fault. No distinct structure explaining footwall uplift were found in the outcrops. At the cross-section scale, surface geology and subsurface data point to a structural style with fairly narrow anticlines with steep limbs, growing above a relatively deep detachment. This geometry is not easily explained using classical fault-related fold models. We infer that folding on the Gutingkeng Fault footwall and in the core of a frontal anticline occurs through layer thickening (pure shear) facilitated by the weak mudstone rheology. The increase in pore-fluid pressure under burial and tectonic compression within the fold cores could lead the mudstone to mobilize and undergo plastic flow, causing inflation of the fold cores. Fold growth, possibly aided by shale tectonics, would have progressively increased the dip of the Gutingkeng thrust, eventually leading to thrust inactivity and uplift mainly occurring on the footwall. Our study area offers a unique opportunity to study an active shale-dominated fold-thrust belt exposed on-land and highlights the importance of combining geodetic observations to investigate on-going deformations in these settings.
N6-methyladenosine reader YTHDF2 in cell state transition and antitumor immunity
Authors: Wang Liangliang , Weichselbaum Ralph R. , He Chuan
Published: December 2024

Recent studies have revealed that the YTHDF family proteins bind preferentially to theN6-methyladenosine (m6A)-modified mRNA and regulate the functions of these RNAs in different cell types. YTHDF2, the first identified m6A reader in mammals, has garnered significant attention because of its profound effect to regulate the m6A epitranscriptome in multiple biological processes. Here, we review current knowledge on the mechanisms by which YTHDF2 exerts its functions and discuss recent advances that underscore the multifaceted role of YTHDF2 in development, stem cell expansion, and immune evasion. We also highlight potential therapeutic interventions targeting the m6A/YTHDF2 axis to improve the response to current antitumor therapies.
Efficacy of supra-inguinal fascia iliaca compartment block in proximal femoral nail antirotation internal fixation for patients with intertrochanteric fractures
Authors: Ding Genfeng , Shang Jinling , Wang Qing
Published: December 2024

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of supra-inguinal fascia iliaca compartment block (S-FICB) in patients undergoing proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) internal fixation surgery for intertrochanteric fracture (ITF).
Methods: Retrospective analysis of 95 patients with ITF undergoing PFNA internal fixation surgery in the First People’s Hospital of Yong Kang from March 2021 to August 2023 was performed. Among them, 49 patients received general anesthesia (GA; GA group) and 46 patients received S-FICB combined with general anesthesia (S-FICB group). Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), anesthesia effect, pain, stress index levels, functional recovery, and adverse reactions were compared between two groups.
Results: Perioperative MAP and HR, extubation time, anesthesia recovery time, and dosage of remifentanil and propofol were significantly lower compared to the GA group (P<0.05). Perioperative pain level in the S-FICB group was significantly lower than in the GA group (P<0.05). On the first day after the surgery, stress response of the S-FICB group was significantly lower than that of the GA group (P<0.05). Patients who underwent S-FICB required significantly shorter time for getting out of bed and for straight leg elevation, and lower hospitalization time (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Compared to GA, S-FICB for ITF internal fixation surgery is associated with more stable hemodynamics, lower pain levels, less consumption of opioids, lower perioperative stress response, reduced postoperative complications, and shorter hospital stay in patients during the perioperative period.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.10715
How to cite this: Ding G, Shang J, Wang Q. Efficacy of supra-inguinal fascia iliaca compartment block in proximal femoral nail antirotation internal fixation for patients with intertrochanteric fractures. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(1):71-76. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.10715
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Neurological disorders in Pregnancy: Radiological insights and Obstetric implications
Authors: Rukhsana Aziz  , Yasmin Sumaira , Nasreen Aman  , Huma Shams
Published: December 2024

Objective: To explore the radiological findings of neurological disorders in obstetrics patients, their obstetric and fetal outcome.
Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Lady Ready Hospital (LRH), Peshawar from June 2022 till March, 2023. Sixty two obstetric patients with neurological symptoms were included. Their clinical records were explored. MRI/MRV brain were performed in patients requiring brain imaging and followed till the end of pregnancy.
Results: Seizures were the commonest symptom found in 74.2% patients followed by hemiparesis; 8.1%. About 92% had never experienced hypertension and 62.3% had pregnancy-induced hypertension in current pregnancy. Twenty eight patients underwent MRI, revealing Dural sinus thrombosis (DST) in 42.9%, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in 17.9%, infarcts in 14.3% and hemorrhage in 7.1%. Normal baby was born in 69% patients; stillbirth, preterm birth and miscarriage were found in 25.9%, 3.2% and 1.6% respectively. Apgar scores of 7–10, 4-6 and 0-3 were found in 67.2%, 6.9% and 25.9% respectively. Fits were observed in 10.3% babies and 32.8% required neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care. Fits and ischemic infarct were commoner in prenatal. DST and PRES were commoner in postnatal patients. All PRES patients presented with fits. DST patients presented with fits, headache, hemiparesis and altered consciousness. All PRES patients delivered normal alive babies. DST mothers delivered alive babies at term in 81.8%, dead pre-term baby and miscarriage in 9.1% each.
Conclusion: Pregnancy-related neurological problems should be taken carefully and evaluated, since even seemingly insignificant symptoms like headaches may be signs of serious illnesses like PRES or DST.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.9680
How to cite this: Aziz R, Yasmin S, Aman N, Shams H. Neurological disorders in Pregnancy: Radiological insights and Obstetric implications. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(1):182-188. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.9680
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Correlation of Burnout Syndrome with Emotional Intelligence among Clinicians at Workplace
Authors: Badshah Aliena , Yousaf Adnan , Mahboob Usman , Khan Muhammad Babar
Published: December 2024

Objective: To determine the correlation of burnout syndrome with emotional intelligence at workplace.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in six public sector hospitals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between June and November, 2022. Male and female clinicians from Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics / Gynaecology, Paediatrics Medicine, Paediatric Surgery, Gastroenterology, Anesthesiology, Psychiatry, Radiology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Nephrology, Urology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Cardiology were included in the study. The study was initiated after ethical approval from ethical review board of Khyber Medical University. Informed consent was taken from all study participants. They were given a proforma to fill. The proforma was divided into three categories; clinician demographics, Maslach Burnout inventory, and Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale. All questions on the Maslach Burnout inventory and Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale pertained to their duty hours from 8am to 4pm. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was stratified into three sub-scales of emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishment and depersonalization. Results were compiled in SPSS 25. Correlation between the three strata of MBI was made with SEIS and stratified on the basis of gender, specialty, designation, institute, and clinical experience.
Results: Emotional exhaustion has a negative correlation at Spearman correlation = -0.272 with SEIS; Personal accomplishment has a positive correlation at Spearman correlation = 0.402; Depersonalization has a negative correlation with SEIS at Spearman correlation = -0.349.
Conclusions: There is a weak correlation between burnout syndrome and emotional intelligence among clinicians. Further studies need to be conducted on a larger scale to explore the reasons behind this weak correlation.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.9725
How to cite this: Badshah A, Yousaf A, Mehboob U, Khan MB. Correlation of Burnout Syndrome with Emotional Intelligence among Clinicians at Workplace. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(1):83-89. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.9725
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Measurement of angle of progression by trans perineal-ultrasound in labour to predict mode of delivery in nulliparous women
Authors: Masood Humaira , Rubaba Abid  , Muhammad Ahmed  , Munir Mehmood
Published: December 2024

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess whether the measurement of the angle of progression in nulliparous women in labour can predict the mode of delivery.
Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi Medical University from 16th February to 25th March 2024. Nulliparous pregnant women in the active first stage of labour with singleton pregnancy and cephalic presentation were included in the study after taking informed consent. The angle of progression (AOP) was measured by trans-perineal ultrasound using the curvilinear probe. The primary outcome was the mode of delivery in relation to angle of progression.
Results: Seventy-eight patients were included in the study. Angle of progression was wider in patients who underwent vaginal delivery and narrower in patients who underwent cesarean section. AOP of 121 or more is associated with 86.6% of vaginal delivery and an angle of progression of 70 or less is associated with 83.3% of cesarean section.
Conclusion: The angle of progression is a reliable tool for predicting the mode of delivery. Wider angle is associated with vaginal delivery and a narrower angle is associated with cesarean section.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.9930
How to cite this: Humaira Masood1, Rubaba Abid2, Muhammad Ahmed3, Munir Mehmood4. Measurement of angle of progression by trans perineal-ultrasound in labour to predict mode of delivery in nulliparous women. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(1):147-150.  doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.1.9930
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Sustainability communication on social media in the last decade: A review of research perspectives from Asia
Authors: Shetty Shruthi V , Nayak Smitha
Published: December 2024

The past decade has been marked by increased discussions on sustainability; some of the prominent accelerators being, mounting natural disasters, vocal climate activism, and the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The interest has crossed over from deliberations in global summits to grassroots-level communication. Additionally, the literature points to the increasing usage of social media in the communication of sustainability with an increase of interest in this area among Asian researchers. This paper aims to understand the direction of sustainability communication and the usage of social media in the communication of sustainability, in the last decade (2013-2023), from an Asian perspective – researchers and respondents from Asia. A comprehensive search of the literature by Asian researchers on sustainability communication on social media in the past decade was conducted using the Scopus database. The studies were clustered around common directions and terminologies, basis an in-depth content analysis. Based on the analysis, the study presents prominent themes and the current direction of research in sustainability communication on social media. The studies analyzed in the scoping review affirm that sustainability communication on social media in Asia has substantial potential to improve the environmental awareness of the public and promote actual pro-environmental behavior both in terms of green purchase as well as conservation behavior. The review provides a holistic view of the recent trends and possible future directions for sustainability communication on social media.
A guide to selecting high-performing antibodies for STXBP1 (UniProt ID: P61764) for use in western blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence
Authors: Ayoubi Riham , Alende Charles , Fotouhi Maryam , González Bolívar Sara , Laflamme Carl ,   NeuroSGC/YCharOS/EDDU collaborative group,   ABIF consortium
Published: December 2024

The Syntaxin-binding protein 1, STXBP1, is a protein involved in docking and fusion of synaptic vesicles, a crucial event for neurotransmitters release into the synapse. Here we have characterized twelve STXBP1 commercial antibodies for western blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls. These studies are part of a larger, collaborative initiative seeking to address antibody reproducibility issues by characterizing commercially available antibodies for human proteins and publishing the results openly as a resource for the scientific community. While use of antibodies and protocols vary between laboratories, we encourage readers to use this report as a guide to select the most appropriate antibodies for their specific needs.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion characteristics measured or reported in randomised trials of intrapartum interventions: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hannon Susan , Smith Aoife , Gilmore John , Smith Valerie
Published: December 2024

Background Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) has gained discursive momentum across multiple arenas, including in maternal health research. As a preliminary exploration for future discussion and development, we undertook a scoping review to identify the types, frequency, and extent of EDI characteristics that were measured and reported in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of intrapartum interventions specifically. Methods Joanna Briggs Institute methodological guidance for scoping reviews guided the conduct of the review. The population were women of any parity and risk category who were enrolled in intrapartum RCTs in any birth setting or geographical location. The concept was measured and reported EDI characteristics. CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched from January 2019 to March 2024. Data were extracted using a pre-designed form. The findings were summarised and narratively reported supported by illustrative tables and graphs. Results Two-hundred and forty-seven RCTs from 49 countries were included. Eleven EDI characteristics were measured or reported in at least one RCT, although frequency varied. Religion, for example, featured in three RCTs only, whereas Age featured in 222 RCTs. How the EDI characteristics featured also varied. Race/Ethnicity, for example, was described in 21 different ways in 25 RCTs. Similarly, Education was reported in 62 different ways across 96 RCTs. Ninety RCTs limited inclusion to nulliparous participants only, six RCTs required participants to have a minimum educational level, 127 RCTs had inclusion age cut-offs although 23 different variations of this were noted and 15 RCTs excluded participants on the grounds of disability. Conclusions This scoping review highlights EDI characteristic measurement and reporting deficits in intrapartum RCTs. There is a critical need for improvements in designing, conducting, and reporting RCTs to incorporate EDI. By adopting more extensive EDI practices a greater understanding of healthcare treatments and innovations leading to enhanced maternal health equity could be achieved.
A Strategic Approach to Succeed on Clinical Case-Based Multiple-Choice Exams
Authors: Jain Animesh , Patel Kunal P. , Fleischman Gita , Howard Neva , Lacy Smith Kelly , Niess Meredith , Bakal Erin , Shenvi Christina L.
Published: December 2024

Despite the importance of case-based multiple-choice question (CBMCQ) exams, medical educators rarely discuss strategies to systematically approach these questions, and literature on the topic is limited. Through trial-and-error, many students develop more refined and efficient approaches to answering CBMCQs that help them maximize the application of their knowledge base. In this article we present a structured six-step approach to answering CBMCQs, grounded in dual process theory. We provide strategies for success on CBMCQ-based exams and approaches to challenging question types. We also present tips for helping neurodiverse students. Medical educators can use this structured approach and the related tips to coach students on improving performance on CBMCQ-based exams.
Music across the love-span: a mixed methods study into the use of music in romantic relationships
Authors: Vigl Julia , Bamford Joshua S. , Fleckenstein Abbigail , Saarikallio Suvi
Published: December 2024

Background Music is known to be a powerful tool for social bonding, but its role in romantic relationships remains poorly understood. The present study investigated the relevance of music to three core aspects of love (intimacy, passion and commitment) across relationship stages: attraction, building, and maintenance. Methods Using a mixed-methods approach, 174 participants responded to self-report ratings assessing the role of music for the three aspects of love across the three relationship stages, as well as open-ended questions reflecting on their music-related experiences at each relationship stage. Results Results from quantitative ratings showed that music promotes intimacy and passion, particularly during the attraction and building phases, with less impact on commitment and during the maintenance phase. Participants with greater musical expertise and reward reported greater overall importance of music, suggesting that musical ability and preference may be used as a tool to assess compatibility between partners, rather than being generally attractive traits. Qualitative analysis of 351 coded open responses revealed a set of 55 key musical actions (e.g., listening, sharing and making music) and outcomes (e.g., bonding, (re)connecting and assessing compatibility) related to participants’ use of music throughout the three relationship stages. Themes such as signalling attraction and emotional communication were most prominent in the attraction phase, whereas bonding through shared musical activities was more common in later phases. Conclusion The present study provides a first systematic investigation of the role of music for different phases and aspects of romantic relationships. The findings provide valuable insights for music research, relationship studies, and therapeutic practice, highlighting the role of music in fostering connection and intimacy in romantic relationships.
Proteomic profiling of kidney biopsies in nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Williams Emily , Fresquet Maryline , Li Anna S , Lawless Craig , Knight David , Colby Elizabeth , Watson Judy , Welsh Gavin I , Saleem Moin A , Lennon Rachel
Published: December 2024

Background Minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are patterns of kidney injury observed in the filtering units of the kidney known as glomeruli. These histological patterns are seen in kidney biopsies from individuals with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (iNS), which occurs in both children and adults. However, there is some indication that MCD and FSGS are within the same phenotypic spectrum. Methods From the NURTuRE cohort of individuals with NS, we performed laser microdissection and mass spectrometry analysis of kidney biopsy samples to identify proteomic patterns of disease. 56 individuals with iNS segregated by histological pattern (37 MCD and 19 FSGS) across three age groups: early childhood (0–6 years), late childhood (6–18 years) and adult (>18 years). Results We found no distinct clustering of proteomic profiles between MCD and FSGS, but identified global differences in glomerular cell and extracellular matrix composition related to both histological pattern and age. The proteomic data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD053362. Conclusions The lack of distinct clustering between MCD and FSGS in our study suggests shared biological processes between these injury patterns of iNS, supporting the hypothesis that they are part of the same disease spectrum. The global differences observed in glomerular cell and extracellular matrix composition suggest involvement of diverse biogeological processes as different patterns of iNS manifests in different age groups. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of pooling bioresources, central processing of heterogeneous tissue samples, and developing laser-microdissection and proteomic analysis methodology.
Data Note: Social role transitions (further/higher education, employment, living situation, parenthood, and being a carer) in the G1s of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)
Authors: Herbert Annie , Schoon Ingrid , McMunn Anne , Lacey Rebecca , Heron Jon , Howe Laura
Published: December 2024

Background Social roles common to adulthood (e.g. employment, parenthood) and their timing and combinations have been shown to relate to health. However, there is a lack of contemporary data to study complex patterns. We applied a pragmatic algorithmic approach to data from the ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children) G1 cohort born in 1991–1993 to build valid annual indicators at age 16–31 of being in (or out of) six key roles. Methods In February 2023 we searched the data catalogue and identified 449 relevant variables (318 root questions, 131 auxiliary) indicating if an individual had been or was currently in the following roles: further/higher education; employment; living away from the parental home; cohabiting with a partner/spouse; parenthood; being a carer. Variables were incorporated into four algorithms to determine whether each individual was in/out of a role per age year. We addressed missing indicator values with multiple imputation methods. We assessed how well indicators captured annual role status by using them to derive descriptive statistics and comparing with those from national and survey data from the same period. Results Descriptive statistics on transitioning to or leaving a particular role by age 30 were comparable to national official data. For example, by age 30, at least 27% of men and 50% of women indicated having left the parental home (at median age 23–24); of these individuals, 19–30% subsequently indicated living with their parents again by age 30 (median interval 2–3 years, interquartile range 1–4 years). However, employment and parenthood appeared to be under-captured, relative to the other four roles. Conclusions These indicators can now be flexibly used by other researchers, for example to study trajectories of a particular role, or construct (e.g. Not in Education, Employment, or Training) over time, in different social and health contexts.
FIRST REPORT OF CO-HARBORING BLEOMYCIN RESISTANCE GENE (bleMBL) AND CARBAPENEMASE RESISTANCE GENE (blaNDM-1) KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE IN IRAQ WITH COMPARISON STUDY AMONG THE SENSITIVITY TEST, THE BD PHOENIX CPO DETECT TEST, AND THE RAPIDEC® CARBA NP TEST
Authors: Hasan Sarah Ahmed , Raoof Waad Mahmood , Ahmed Khaled Khalil
Published: December 2024

Two hundred and fifty samples were collected from burn and wound patients between January and July 2023 in Plastic Reconstructive and Burn Surgery Hospital at Sulaymaniyah city/Kurdistan region of Iraq, in addition to the Burn Unit and Wound Care Units of the Azadi Teaching Hospital in Kirkuk, Iraq. We performed a comparison study among (Antibiotic sensitivity test, BD Phoenix CPO detect test and RAPIDEC CARBA NP test), this was the first study of its kind to be performed in Iraq. The findings were supported by molecular detection of two of the most common major carbapenemases in the country, NDM-1 and OXA-48, as well as this study detected five of the recently identified minor/rare carbapenemases worldwide for the first time in Middle East (BKC-1, FRI-1, LMB-1 ,OXA-426, and OXA-198). We recorded five isolates containing chromosomal NDM-1 and OXA-48 genes. The findings indicated that the RAPIDEC CARBA NP test serves as a quick, accurate and sensitive means of detecting all five isolates containing the blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-48 genes. The antibiotic sensitivity test was insufficient in detecting the CPOs while phoenix NMIC-413 AST panel was revealed to be more reliable and accurate in identifying carbapenem resistant isolates in clinical settings than antibiotic sensitivity test and the BD Phoenix CPO detect test report was found to have low detection specificity, further confirmatory tests are required. The current study recorded first report of co-harboring bleomycin resistance gene (bleMBL) and carbapenemase resistance gene (blaNDM-1) Klebsiella pneumoniae in Iraq with accession NO. PP411935. The development of new routine tests for identifying isolates resistant to carbapenem in Iraqi hospitals and other developing countries is very essential. Gram-negative isolates from Iraq that were resistant to carbapenem did not harbor the recently found minor carbapenemase.
LEAF PRODUCTIVITY OF SHOOTS, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PROSPECTIVE BIOACTIVITY OF CELASTRUS SPECIES INTRODUCED INTO MOSCOW REGION
Authors: Savinov Ivan A. , Solomonova Ekaterina V. , Trusov Nikolay A. , Zhevnerov Alexey V. , Yembaturova Elena Yu. , Monakhos Sokrat G.
Published: December 2024

Plants are known to contain chemical constituents of great physiological activity, some of them are antioxidants or possess anti-cancer properties. The presence of these constituents in renewable plant parts – fruits and leaves – is particularly valuable. A search for plants with pronounced medicinal properties, including anti-cancer, within local floras or among cultivated plants that have passed introductory trials successfully, is of great relevance. An example of such plants introduced in Moscow region is the genus Celastrus and its representatives. Our research is aimed at revealing plants with the highest leaf productivity of shoots and contents of bioactive substances in the leaves within this genus. The research encompassed 6 taxa from the genus Celastrus grown in the Arboretum of the Main Botanic Garden named after N.V. Tsitsin RAS. For the study, 19-20 highly elongated annual shoots per plant of each taxon were collected, their leaf weight and morphometric characteristics were recorded, and the results processed by means of variation statistics. For biochemical studies, frozen leaf samples were analyzed by methods of high-performance liquid chromatography with UV and mass-detection. Spectral data of constituents prevailing in methanol extracts were obtained. Main classes of compounds found in leaves of the studied taxa were flavonoid glucosides: the derivatives of quercetin and kaempferol as well as condensed tannins, catechin and afzelechin derivatives. A comparative analysis demonstrated that C. flagellaris, C. strigillosus and C. orbiculatus var. punctatus, containing afzelechin and its derivatives in their leaves, can be recommended as promising plants for future investigations.
GENOTYPIC STRUCTURE OF THE BUUBEI AND ZABAIKALSKAYA BREED SHEEP ACCORDING TO THE GENES GDF9, CAST, KRT1.2, KAP1.3 AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH PRODUCTIVITY
Authors: Goncharenko Galina M. , Khamiruev Timur N. , Dashinimaev Solbon M. , Khoroshilova Tatyana S. , Khalina Olga L. , Grishina Natalya B.
Published: December 2024

The purpose of this study is to identify the polymorphism of the GDF9, CAST, KRT1.2, KAP1.3 genes and to study their influence on the live weight and wool productivity of the Zabaikalskaya fine-wool breed and coarse-wooled Buubei sheep. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time a comparative evaluation of the genotypic features of sheep by SNP-markers and their association with productivity in the breeds has been carried out. The object of the study were sheep of the Zabaikalskaya fine-wool breed (100 heads) and coarse-wooled Buubei breed (60 heads). As a result of the research, it was found that for the genes GDF9/G1 and CAST the breeds have almost the same ratio of genotypes and alleles, for the genes KRT1.2 and KAP1.3 significant differences were found. The Buubei breed is characterized by a 17.7 % higher content of the KRT1.2MM genotype and a 15.7 % lower frequency of the KRT1.2MN genotype compared to the Zabaikalskaya fine-wool breed. The genotype frequency of the KAP1.3 gene in the Buubei breed was found in the ratio (26.7:46.6:26.7), in the Zabaikalskaya breed (61.6:36.0:3.0). The gene equilibrium in the herds is not disturbed (χ2= 0,006 - 0,713). There is no inbreeding in the herds (Fis – 0.0037 to +0.066), PIC is in the range from 0.192. to 0.203. The homozygosity coefficient SH – 17,7 and 9,5 %, Naj -1,32 and 1,27. It was found that rams with CASTMM genotype have higher live weight by 20.2 kg compared to the heterozygous animals. Buubei sheep with the KRT1.2MM genotype had 0.58 cm longer down than the animals with the KRT1.2MN heterozygous genotype. No priority genotypes associated with productivity have been identified in the Zabaikalskaya breed. The established structure of the Zabaikalskaya and Buubei breeds can serve as a basis for monitoring the genotypic structure of these breeds and in comparative evaluation with other Siberian breeds. The identified associative relationships of the genetic markers with wool productivity can be successfully used as additional criteria for selection of sheep for breeding traits.
E-learning course "Bioorganic chemistry"
Authors: Kataeva Natalya Nikolaevna , Naronova Natalia Anatolyevna , Golitsyna Kristina Olegovna
Published: December 2024

"The electronic training course ""Organic Chemistry"" was created as an auxiliary resource to accompany the curriculum of bioorganic chemistry for the specialties of Medical and Preventive Care.
The purpose of studying the course is to form ideas about the spatial structure, reactivity of bioorganic substances and their biological significance for the most important processes in human life.
Course objectives:
formation of knowledge about the structure of the main classes of bioorganic compounds;
formation of skills in writing the main chemical reactions of bioorganic compounds;
formation of skills in qualitative and quantitative reactions for the analysis of various classes of bioorganic compounds;
formation of experimental skills necessary in future professional activities.
The course labor intensity is 108 hours. The course consists of 3 didactic units.
Each topic of the course ""Organic Chemistry"" contains theoretical material, a training test to check the assimilation of the theory, and a final test. Each final test on the topic is equivalent to a control event according to the point-rating system. Laboratory work consists of a video file and a video test. In this way, laboratory work is carried out and the assimilation of theoretical and practical material is monitored."
Interactive notebook on anatomy "Digestive glands"
Authors: Yalunin Nikolay Viktorovich , Shestakova Anastasia Alexandrovna , Ushakov Alexey Alexandrovich , Spirina Galina Alekseevna , Yakupova Zhanna Bulatovna , Chepurnykh Varvara Pavlovna , Latypova Marina Maratovna
Published: December 2024

"Human anatomy is the first fundamental science in the medical education system, which forms the basic knowledge for the subsequent study of all clinical disciplines. The Federal State educational standard of higher education in the specialties ""Pediatrics"", ""Medicine"" not only puts anatomy in a leading place among the disciplines of the medical and biological cycle, but also emphasizes the importance of anatomy for all disciplines of professional orientation
The interactive workbook for practical classes in human anatomy has been developed in accordance with the work program of the discipline provided for in the curriculum for students in the areas of ""Medicine"" and ""Pediatrics"".
The interactive notebook presents the main questions on the anatomy of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, namely: external structure, internal structure, as well as situational tasks. The relevance of the reviewed notebook is due to the fact that in the first years of study at the medical university, anatomy is a fundamental subject. The study of anatomy with a clinical focus, that is, subject-oriented to clinical disciplines, is one of the main tasks of this work.
The educational and methodological manual meets the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard for the level of training ""Medicine"" and ""Pediatrics"" and can be recommended for publication and use in the educational process"
Electronic educational resource "Conflictology"
Authors: Vershinina T.S.
Published: December 2024

The electronic educational resource "Conflictology" is intended for 2nd year students of the specialty "Clinical Psychology". The e-Learning resources "Conflictology" consider issues related to the determination of the features of a conflict and the diagnosis of the presence of a conflict as such in the positions of the subjects of the conflict and the parties not involved in the conflict. Also, e-Learning resources acquaint students with such little-studied issues of the course of conflict as "power in conflict" and, in this regard, "power relations in conflict", "types and forms of speech behavior as one of the most important factors in the emergence and escalation of conflict". In addition, materials are presented for understanding such categories of conflictology as "cultural substrate" and "cultural contagion with conflict".
Ancient Greek Philosophy and Medieval Philosophy
Authors: Kozyreva Olga Aleksandrovna , Gushchin Ilya Andreevich
Published: December 2024

The course aims at familiarizing students with the features of Ancient Greek and Medieval philosophies. The course adapts the problematic approach to the history of philosophy, which involves the study of the problems posed in certain periods of philosophy and their possible solutions. The main idea of ​​the course is that studying philosophy does not simply involve assimilation of the material but rather active analysis of arguments, their validity and soundeness, finding objections to these arguments and the ways to defend them from these objections. The works of ancient Greek and medieval philosophers are used as a material for practicing the above mentioned reasoning skills, which contributes to the development of the future spesialists' abilities to reflect, critically think, and use the rational argumentation in any type of discussion. The course complexity is 23 hours. The course consists of one didactic unit named"Ancient Greek Philosophy and Medieval Philosophy".
Online education: application of the Russian videoconferencing platform
Authors: Tkachenko Tatyana Yakovlevna , Shestakova Anastasia Alexandrovna , Berhold Natalia Borisovna , Tuzlukova Svetlana Gennadievna , Pasko Olesya Valeryevna , Suetina Alina Sergeevna
Published: December 2024

The e-learning course «Online education: the application of the Russian videoconferencing platform» is a set of electronic educational resources aimed at improving the skills of teachers in the field of modern distance learning tools. The course includes 18 hours of video lectures, tests and webinars dedicated to the use of BigBlueButton video conferencing systems (VCS) and "Vkurse" VCS in distance education.
Improved Guarantees for Offline Stochastic Matching via New Ordered Contention Resolution Schemes
Authors: Brubach Brian , Grammel Nathaniel , Ma Will , Srinivasan Aravind
Published: December 2024

Matching is one of the most fundamental and broadly applicable problems across many domains. In these diverse real-world applications, there is often a degree of uncertainty in the input, which has led to the study of stochastic matching models. Here, each edge in the graph has a known, independent probability of existing derived from some prediction. Algorithms must probe edges to determine existence and match them irrevocably if they exist. Further, each vertex may have a patience constraint denoting how many of its neighboring edges can be probed. We present new ordered contention resolution schemes yielding improved approximation guarantees for some of the foundational problems studied in this area. For stochastic matching with patience constraints in general graphs, we provide a 0.382-approximate algorithm, significantly improving over the previous best 0.31-approximation. When the vertices do not have patience constraints, we describe a 0.432-approximate random order probing algorithm with several corollaries, such as an improved guarantee for the Prophet Secretary problem under Edge Arrivals. Finally, for the special case of bipartite graphs with unit patience constraints on one of the partitions, we show a 0.632-approximate algorithm that improves on a recent result providing a guarantee of 1/3.

Funding: N. Grammel and A. Srinivasan were financially supported in part by the National Science Foundation Division of Computing and Communication Foundations [Award CCF-1749864] and by research awards from Amazon and Google.
Clinical and Carotid Plaque Features in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Zhou Shili , Yan Yanhong , Hui Pinjing
Published: December 2024

Aims/Background Ischemic stroke (IS), a cerebrovascular condition, is commonly detected by evaluating carotid intima-media (CIA) stenosis. Symptomatic CIA stenosis carries a high risk (up to 32%) of another ischemic event within 12 weeks, while asymptomatic CIA stenosis has an annual risk ranging from 1% to 2%. Therefore, this study aims to explore the diagnostic value of clinical features and carotid plaque characteristics in both symptomatic and asymptomatic IS.

Methods This study enrolled 543 consecutive patients with internal carotid artery stenosis confirmed by carotid ultrasonography. Participants were categorized into the symptomatic group (n = 356) and the asymptomatic group (n = 187) by clinical symptoms and computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Demographic data, clinical features, and ultrasonographic characteristics of the carotid plaque were collected, and logistics regression analysis was carried out to explore the predictive risk factors of IS.

Results According to the differences in clinical and carotid plaque characteristics between the two groups, coronary heart disease (CHD), stenosis degree, plaque diameter, plaque length, plaque vulnerability, and plaque echo type were included. The results of the multivariate logistics regression analysis showed that plaque vulnerability, CHD, and plaque hypoechogenicity were independent predictors of symptomatic stroke. The clinical-ultrasonographic prediction model showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82–0.88], a sensitivity of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.69–0.78), and a specificity of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.76–0.87), with a good performance in the model prediction.

Conclusion Plaque vulnerability, CHD, and plaque hypoechogenicity are meaningful predictors of symptomatic ischemic stroke and deserve attention in the future.