bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of near-forward scattering driven photon acceleration in the interaction between an intense laser and under-dense plasmas
Authors: Yue Dong-Ning , Dong Quan-Li , Chen Min , Zhao Yao , Geng Pan-Fei , Yuan Xiao-Hui , Sheng Zheng-Ming , Zhang Jie ,   School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai 264209, China,   Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China,   Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China,   School of Science, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
Published: April 2023

The mechanism of photon acceleration driven by the near-forward scattering (NFS) in the interaction between an intense laser and under-dense plasmas is studied by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. This mechanism utilizes tunneling ionization effect to stimulate electron plasma waves when the intense laser pulse propagates in under-dense plasmas. The electron plasma density is inhomogeneous both in longitudinal and transverse direction. In the longitudinal direction, a steep ionized electron density front is generated by incident laser ionizing the helium gas. Around the ionization front, the incident laser interacts with electron plasma waves, thus generating the first kind of NFS waves. Compared with the frequency of laser, the frequency of NFS wave increases. This is the first characteristic peak in the frequency spectrum. In the transverse direction, the electron plasma waves have different phase velocities, which makes the incident laser pulse undergo NFS process and upshift its frequency. This is the second characteristic peak in the frequency spectrum. Owing to the fact that the electron density inhomogeneity is much larger than the electron density perturbation of electron plasma wave, the scattering model and dispersion relationships, which are based on perturbation theory like stimulated Raman scattering, are no longer applicable to this case. Our further study shows that the incident laser, electron density plasma waves and NFS waves still satisfy the energy conservation and momentum conservation that is, they still satisfy the three-wave coupling relationship of momentum and energy conservation under the condition of heterogeneous density, thus explaining the appearance of two characteristic peaks in the frequency spectrum and their growth in the wave-vector space. This study has significant reference to the spectrum evolution when the intense laser pulse propagates in under-dense plasma.
Inhibitors of Rho kinases (ROCK) induce multiple mitotic defects and synthetic lethality in BRCA2-deficient cells
Authors: Martino Julieta , Siri Sebastián Omar , Calzetta Nicolás Luis , Paviolo Natalia Soledad , Garro Cintia , Pansa Maria F , Carbajosa Sofía , Brown Aaron C , Bocco José Luis , Gloger Israel , Drewes Gerard , Madauss Kevin P , Soria Gastón , Gottifredi Vanesa
Published: April 2023

The trapping of Poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) on DNA caused by PARP inhibitors (PARPi) triggers acute DNA replication stress and synthetic lethality (SL) in BRCA2-deficient cells. Hence, DNA damage is accepted as a prerequisite for SL in BRCA2-deficient cells. In contrast, here we show that inhibiting ROCK in BRCA2-deficient cells triggers SL independently from acute replication stress. Such SL is preceded by polyploidy and binucleation resulting from cytokinesis failure. Such initial mitosis abnormalities are followed by other M phase defects, including anaphase bridges and abnormal mitotic figures associated with multipolar spindles, supernumerary centrosomes and multinucleation. SL was also triggered by inhibiting Citron Rho-interacting kinase, another enzyme that, similarly to ROCK, regulates cytokinesis. Together, these observations demonstrate that cytokinesis failure triggers mitotic abnormalities and SL in BRCA2-deficient cells. Furthermore, the prevention of mitotic entry by depletion of Early mitotic inhibitor 1 (EMI1) augmented the survival of BRCA2-deficient cells treated with ROCK inhibitors, thus reinforcing the association between M phase and cell death in BRCA2-deficient cells. This novel SL differs from the one triggered by PARPi and uncovers mitosis as an Achilles heel of BRCA2-deficient cells.
Impaired bone strength and bone microstructure in a novel early-onset osteoporotic rat model with a clinically relevant PLS3 mutation
Authors: Hu Jing , Zhou Bingna , Lin Xiaoyun , Zhang Qian , Guan Feifei , Sun Lei , Liu Jiayi , Wang Ou , Jiang Yan , Xia Wei-bo , Xing Xiaoping , Li Mei
Published: April 2023

Plastin 3 (PLS3), a protein involved in formation of filamentous actin (F-actin) bundles, is important in human bone health. Recent studies identify PLS3 as a novel bone regulator and PLS3 mutations can lead to a rare monogenic early-onset osteoporosis. However, the mechanism of PLS3 mutation leading to osteoporosis is unknown, and its effective treatment strategies have not been established. Here, we have constructed a novel rat model with clinically relevant hemizygous E10-16del mutation in PLS3 (PLS3E10-16del/0) that recapitulates the osteoporotic phenotypes with obviously thinner cortical thickness, significant decreases in yield load, maximum load, and breaking load of femora at 3, 6, 9 months old compared to wild-type rats. Histomorphometric analysis indicates a significantly lower mineral apposition rate in PLS3E10-16del/0 rats. Treatment with alendronate (1.0 µg/kg/day) or teriparatide (40 µg/kg five times weekly) for 8 weeks significantly improves bone mass and bone microarchitecture, and bone strength is significantly increased after teriparatide treatment (p＜0.05). Thus, our results indicate that PLS3 plays an important role in the regulation of bone microstructure and bone strength, and we provide a novel animal model for the study of X-linked early-onset osteoporosis. Alendronate and teriparatide treatment could be a potential treatment for early-onset osteoporosis induced by PLS3 mutation.
Elucidating a locus coeruleus-dentate gyrus dopamine pathway for operant reinforcement
Authors: Petter Elijah A , Fallon Isabella P , Hughes Ryan N , Watson Glenn DR , Meck Warren H , Ulloa Severino Francesco Paolo , Yin Henry H
Published: April 2023

Animals can learn to repeat behaviors to earn desired rewards, a process commonly known as reinforcement learning. While previous work has implicated the ascending dopaminergic projections to the basal ganglia in reinforcement learning, little is known about the role of the hippocampus. Here, we report that a specific population of hippocampal neurons and their dopaminergic innervation contribute to operant self-stimulation. These neurons are located in the dentate gyrus, receive dopaminergic projections from the locus coeruleus, and express D1 dopamine receptors. Activation of D1 + dentate neurons is sufficient for self-stimulation: mice will press a lever to earn optogenetic activation of these neurons. A similar effect is also observed with selective activation of the locus coeruleus projections to the dentate gyrus, and blocked by D1 receptor antagonism. Calcium imaging of D1 + dentate neurons revealed significant activity at the time of action selection, but not during passive reward delivery. These results reveal the role of dopaminergic innervation of the dentate gyrus in supporting operant reinforcement.
Dynamic fibronectin assembly and remodeling by leader neural crest cells prevents jamming in collective cell migration
Authors: Martinson William Duncan , McLennan Rebecca , Teddy Jessica M , McKinney Mary C , Davidson Lance A , Baker Ruth E , Byrne Helen M , Kulesa Paul M , Maini Philip K
Published: April 2023

Collective cell migration plays an essential role in vertebrate development, yet the extent to which dynamically changing microenvironments influence this phenomenon remains unclear. Observations of the distribution of the extracellular matrix (ECM) component fibronectin during the migration of loosely connected neural crest cells (NCCs) lead us to hypothesize that NCC remodeling of an initially punctate ECM creates a scaffold for trailing cells, enabling them to form robust and coherent stream patterns. We evaluate this idea in a theoretical setting by developing an individual-based computational model that incorporates reciprocal interactions between NCCs and their ECM. ECM remodeling, haptotaxis, contact guidance, and cell-cell repulsion are sufficient for cells to establish streams in silico, however, additional mechanisms, such as chemotaxis, are required to consistently guide cells along the correct target corridor. Further model investigations imply that contact guidance and differential cell-cell repulsion between leader and follower cells are key contributors to robust collective cell migration by preventing stream breakage. Global sensitivity analysis and simulated gain- and loss-of-function experiments suggest that long-distance migration without jamming is most likely to occur when leading cells specialize in creating ECM fibers, and trailing cells specialize in responding to environmental cues by upregulating mechanisms such as contact guidance.
Structural and functional properties of a plant NRAMP-related aluminum transporter
Authors: Ramanadane Karthik , Liziczai Márton , Markovic Dragana , Straub Monique S , Rosalen Gian T , Udovcic Anto , Dutzler Raimund , Manatschal Cristina
Published: April 2023

The transport of transition metal ions by members of the SLC11/NRAMP family constitutes a ubiquitous mechanism for the uptake of Fe2+ and Mn2+ across all kingdoms of life. Despite the strong conservation of the family, two of its branches have evolved a distinct substrate preference with one mediating Mg2+ uptake in prokaryotes and another the transport of Al3+ into plant cells. Our previous work on the SLC11 transporter from Eggerthella lenta revealed the basis for its Mg2+ selectivity (Ramanadane et al., 2022). Here, we have addressed the structural and functional properties of a putative Al3+ transporter from Setaria italica. We show that the protein transports diverse divalent metal ions and binds the trivalent ions Al3+ and Ga3+, which are both presumable substrates. Its cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure displays an occluded conformation that is closer to an inward- than an outward-facing state, with a binding site that is remodeled to accommodate the increased charge density of its transported substrate.
Are some mutations more equal than others?
Authors: Cote-L’Heureux Auden , Maithania Yogesh NK , Franco Melissa , Khrapko Konstantin
Published: April 2023

A large-scale study of mutations in mitochondrial DNA has revealed a subset that do not accumulate with age.
HVA_CPS proposal: a process for hazardous vulnerability analysis in distributed cyber-physical systems
Authors: Jamieson Alan , Few Chris , Awuson-David Kenny , Al-Hadhrami Tawfik
Published: April 2023

Society is increasingly dependent upon the use of distributed cyber-physical systems (CPSs), such as energy networks, chemical processing plants and transport systems. Such CPSs typically have multiple layers of protection to prevent harm to people or the CPS. However, if both the control and protection systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, an attack may cause CPS damage or breaches of safety. Such weaknesses in the combined control and protection system are described here as hazardous vulnerabilities (HVs). Providing assurance that a complex CPS has no HVs requires a rigorous process that first identifies potential hazard scenarios and then searches for possible ways that a cyber-attacker could cause them. This article identifies the attributes that a rigorous hazardous vulnerability analysis (HVA) process would require and compares them against related works. None fully meet the requirements for rigour. A solution is proposed, HVA_CPS, which does have the required attributes. HVA_CPS applies a novel combination of two existing analysis techniques: control signal analysis and attack path analysis. The former identifies control actions that lead to hazards, known as hazardous control actions (HCAs); the latter models the system and searches the model for sequences of attack steps that can cause the HCAs. Both analysis techniques have previously been applied alone on different CPSs. The two techniques are integrated by extending the formalism for attack path analysis to capture HCAs. This converts the automated search for attack paths to a selected asset into an exhaustive search for HVs. The integration of the two techniques has been applied using HCAs from an actual CPS. To preserve confidentiality, the application of HVA_CPS is described on a notional electricity generator and its connection to the grid. The value of HVA_CPS is that it delivers rigorous analysis of HVs at system design stage, enabling assurance of their absence throughout the remaining system lifecycle.
Image classification model based on large kernel attention mechanism and relative position self-attention mechanism
Authors: Liu Siqi , Wei Jiangshu , Liu Gang , Zhou Bei
Published: April 2023

The Transformer has achieved great success in many computer vision tasks. With the in-depth exploration of it, researchers have found that Transformers can better obtain long-range features than convolutional neural networks (CNN). However, there will be a deterioration of local feature details when the Transformer extracts local features. Although CNN is adept at capturing the local feature details, it cannot easily obtain the global representation of features. In order to solve the above problems effectively, this paper proposes a hybrid model consisting of CNN and Transformer inspired by Visual Attention Net (VAN) and CoAtNet. This model optimizes its shortcomings in the difficulty of capturing the global representation of features by introducing Large Kernel Attention (LKA) in CNN while using the Transformer blocks with relative position self-attention variant to alleviate the problem of detail deterioration in local features of the Transformer. Our model effectively combines the advantages of the above two structures to obtain the details of local features more accurately and capture the relationship between features far apart more efficiently on a large receptive field. Our experiments show that in the image classification task without additional training data, the proposed model in this paper can achieve excellent results on the cifar10 dataset, the cifar100 dataset, and the birds400 dataset (a public dataset on the Kaggle platform) with fewer model parameters. Among them, SE_LKACAT achieved a Top-1 accuracy of 98.01% on the cifar10 dataset with only 7.5M parameters.
PAIP1 regulates expression of immune and inflammatory response associated genes at transcript level in liver cancer cell
Authors: Zheng Jianfeng , Fan Weiwei , Zhang Xiaoyu , Quan Weili , Wu Yunfei , Shu Mengni , Chen Moyang , Liang Ming
Published: April 2023

Poly(A) binding protein interacting protein 1 (PAIP1) is a translation regulator and also regulate the decay of mRNA. PAIP1 has also been reported to be a marker of increased invasive potential of liver cancer. However, the roles and underlying molecular mechanism of PAIP1 in liver cancer is still unclear. Here, cell viability and the gene expression profile of liver cancer line HepG2 transfected with PAIP1 siRNA was compared with cells transfected with non-targeting control siRNA. The results showed that PAIP1 knockdown inhibited cell viability, and extensively affects expression of 893 genes at transcriptional level in HepG2 cells. Gene function analysis showed that a large number of PAIP1 up-regulated genes were enriched in term of DNA-dependent transcription and the down-regulated genes were enriched in some pathways including immune response and inflammatory response. qPCR confirmed that PAIP1 knockdown positively regulated the expression of selected immune and inflammatory factor genes in HepG2 cells. Expression analysis of TCGA revealed that PAIP1 had positive correlations with two immune associated genes IL1R2 and PTAFR in liver tumor tissue. Taken together, our results demonstrated that PAIP1 was not only a translation regulator, but also a transcription regulator in liver cancer. Moreover, PAIP1 could function as a regulatory factor of immune and inflammatory genes in liver cancer. Thus, our study provides important cues for further study on the regulatory mechanism of PAIP1 in liver cancer.
Analysing transcriptomic signatures and identifying potential genes for the protective effect of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines
Authors: Chen Hongquan , Zhang Lu , Xu Chen , Shen Xiaoyun , Lou Jiazhou , Wu Shengjun
Published: April 2023

Inactivated vaccines are one of the most effective strategies for controlling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the response genes for the protective effect of inactivated vaccines are still unclear. Herein, we analysed the neutralization antibody responses elicited by vaccine serum and carried out transcriptome sequencing of RNAs isolated from the PBMCs of 29 medical staff receiving two doses of the CoronaVac vaccine. The results showed that SARS-CoV-2 neutralization antibody titers varied considerably among individuals, and revealed that many innate immune pathways were activated after vaccination. Furthermore, the blue module revealed that NRAS, YWHAB, SMARCA5, PPP1CC and CDC5L may be correlated with the protective effect of the inactivated vaccine. Additionally, MAPK1, CDC42, PPP2CA, EP300, YWHAZ and NRAS were demonstrated as the hub genes having a significant association with vaccines. These findings provide a basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of the host immune response induced by inactivated vaccines.
Funcionamento da renovacalcMD: uma visão aplicada à produção do etanol de primeira geração
Authors: Fornaro Daniel Henrique , Dos Santos Jeronimo Alves , Marjotta-Maistro Marta Cristina
Published: April 2023

A RenovaCalc é uma ferramenta no formato de planilha de Excel que deriva do Programa RenovaBio, estabelecido pela Lei nº 13.576, de 26 de dezembro de 2017, que criou o primeiro crédito de carbono oficial do país, o CBIO. O CBIO é um crédito de descarbonização e pode ser negociado na Bolsa de Valores (B3), o que torna necessária a criação de um lastro ambiental e financeiro para este ativo. Para isto, foi criada a RenovaCalc, baseada em metodologias científicas do Painel Intergovernamental sobre Mudança do Clima (IPCC). Na ferramenta, o produtor de biocombustível insere dados sobre todo o seu processo produtivo que depois são auditados por iniciativas legalmente credenciadas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de buscar entender o funcionamento dessa ferramenta, a partir de uma revisão bibliográfica narrativa, com o foco na sua aplicação para a produção do etanol de primeira geração. O principal resultado foi encontrar uma maneira simplificada de explicar essa aplicação, elucidando os principais itens para o preenchimento da planilha. Concluiu-se que a abordagem facilitou o entendimento das variáveis que compõem a RenovaCalc e auxiliar na tomada de decisão.
Reckoning the Status of HER2/neu Protein and Oncogene in Breast Cancer Specimens: Comparison of IHC Assay with FISH Assay at a Tertiary Care Centre, West India
Authors: Solanki Ranjana , Saini Sarla , Sharma Utkarsh , Shihora Nidhi V. , Maan Pratibha
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Breast carcinoma is the most prevalent malignant neoplasm among women with more than one million new cases per year. The benefit of humanised anti-Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2)/neu monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) in HER2/neu-positive breast cancers has been well documented. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for protein overexpression and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation (FISH) for detecting HER2/neu gene amplification is widely used. Some laboratories use IHC as primary test with FISH for subset of cases while using FISH as primary investigation followed by IHC if needed is done by others. Aim: To evaluate IHC assay in breast carcinoma cases for HER2/neu as screening test before FISH. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive type of observational study was conducted in the Department of Pathology and Multi-Disciplinary Research Unit, SMS Medical College and attached hospitals Jaipur, India, between April 2020 and December 2021. A total 122 samples of invasive breast carcinoma were included in study for IHC and FISH analysis. On paraffin embedded breast tumour tissue sections, IHC was performed using mouse monoclonal antibody targeting the intracellular domain of HER2/neu protein and FISH was implemented by dual colour probes targeting the HER2/neu gene on chromosome 17. Cases were classified according to HER2/neu status on IHC interpretation and FISH interpretation as per American Society of Clinical Oncology/ the College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) HER2/neu-2018 testing guidelines. Chi-square test, kappa coefficient and Z-test were applied for statistical analysis. The p-value<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Of the 122 patients of Invasive Duct Carcinoma (IDC), the mean age was 50.3±12.7 years with a age range of 25-70 years. HER2/neu IHC score 3+ (over expression) was seen in 19 (15.6%) cases while 2+ (equivocal) result was obtained in 84 (68.8%) cases and 19 (15.6%) cases showed negative (1+/0) HER2/neu expression. Out of 19 IHC positive cases, all cases were amplified by FISH and all 19 IHC negative cases, were non amplified by FISH. There were 84 IHC equivocal cases of which 37 (44%) cases were amplified, 45 (53.6%) non amplified and 2 (2.4%) cases were equivocal when analysed by FISH. Also, 11 (9%) cases were found Centromere Enumeration Probe (CEP) amplified in the study, they were negative or equivocal on IHC and none was IHC positive. Conclusion: The study concluded that combined FISH and IHC methodologies could optimise information on HER2/neu status in breast cancer patients. Also, testing algorithm is emphasised where laboratories may use IHC as a screening method and FISH can be used as accurate and specific method in IHC (2+) equivocal cases. Thus, patients with HER2/neu status positive of IHC (3+) or FISH (gene amplified) can be proposed to be treated with herceptin (trastuzumab).
The Roles of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 (FGFR3) in the Spectrum of Skeletal Dysplasia
Authors: Okikiade Adedeji , Afolayan-Oloye Olayinka , Agboola Rasheed , Oluwatosin Aruwajoye , Sithole Joy , Akinyode Esther , Akoth Annah , Oyewole Adijat , Potts-Johnson Sotonye
Published: April 2023

The fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene mutations were identified to be involved in the pathogenesis of most chondropathies. The FGFR3 gene encodes the FGFR3 receptor and is involved in the regulation of bone growth by limiting the ossification of long bones. Mutations of the FGFR3 gene result in abnormal cell proliferation and improper cartilage development. We aim to provide an overview of the roles of FGFR3 in skeletal dysplasia by highlighting the pathogenesis, clinical variants of skeletal dysplasia, diagnosis, and their management.

Achondroplasia is the most common form of chondropathies, occurring in approximately 1 in 20,000-30,000 live births, and it is the most common form of genetic dwarfism. In over 80% of cases of achondroplasia, the mutation is sporadic, and only 20% are inherited autosomal dominant. Achondroplasia results from a point mutation in the gene encoding the transmembrane portion of FGFR3. Two viable base substitutions are identified in achondroplasia, including a point mutation of guanine substituted for adenine (c.1138G>A); this is identified in approximately 98% of the affected individuals, and transversion of guanine to cytosine (c.1138G>C).

Hypochondroplasia is a milder form of chondropathies with an incidence between 1 in 33,000 and 1 in 47,000 live births. Missense mutations of FGFR3 (p.Asn540Lys) are isolated in tyrosine kinase domain I occurring in approximately 60% of cases, and missense mutation of FGFR3 (p.Lys650Asn) identified in the tyrosine kinase domain II of FGFR3. Thanatophoric dysplasia is the most lethal form of chondropathies, with neonatal fetal death secondary to pulmonary hypoplasia. In thanatophoric dysplasia, there is Lys650Met substitution in FGFR3 (Type I) with impairment of endochondral bone growth and a pathogenic variant of p.Lys650Glu substitution in FGFR3 (Type II). In addition, specific amino acid substitution in the FGFR3 gene (G380R) was identified to be associated with severe achondroplasia with developmental delay and acanthosis nigricans (SADDAN).

The diagnosis of achondroplasias is routinely made from clinical presentations and radiological findings. FGFR3 molecular genetic testing is performed in children with atypical presentations. In addition, a pre-implantation genetic diagnosis should be available for parents pursuing in-vitro fertilization and embryo implantation procedures. Management of chondropathies includes symptomatic treatment with drugs, surgical intervention, and lifelong follow-up care. Different pharmacological options have been used, including those that directly block FGFR3 activation or regulate signalling pathways controlling chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation.
Isoconversional and Model-fitting Approaches to Kinetic and Thermoanalytic Study of Lanthanum Oxalate: Nonlinear Relationship between Kinetic Parameters
Authors: Nayak Himansulal
Published: April 2023

The data for the nonisothermal and isothermal thermal decompositions of lanthanum oxalate have been analysed using the model-free and model-fitting kinetic techniques. When applied to nonisothermal data using the Coat-Redfern(CR) equation, the widely used model-fitting approach that results excellent fitting for both isothermal and nonisothermal data but produces very ambiguous values of the Arrhenius parameters. These values cannot be compared to those obtained from isothermal experiments. On the other hand, the model-free strategy represented by the iso-conversional method, such as Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), emphasize propertionate  variation of the activation energy with the degree of conversion for both isothermal and nonisothermal experiments. The model free approach is recommended as a reliable way for obtaining consistent kinetic information from both isothermal and non-isothermal data. Despite their linear correlation, the kinetic parameters do not exhibit isokinetic behaviour. Thus, utilising Nonlinear Compensation Law, a greater association between kinetic triplets was examined.
Effect of Molybdenum and Zinc on Growth and Yield Attributes of Zaid Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: Latha Karur , Dawson Joy
Published: April 2023

The field experiment was conducted during Zaid season April-july 2022 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P). The aim was to study the effect of soil application of molybdenum and foliar application of zinc on growth and yield of groundnut. The treatments consisted of 3 levels of molybdenum (0.5,1.5,2.0 kg/ha) and zinc (0.25,0.50,0.75% foliar application). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with ten treatments and were replicated thrice. The soil of experimental plot was sandy loamy in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.2), low in organic carbon (0.48%) available N (171.48 kg/ha), available P (13.6 kg/ha), available K (215.4 kg/ha), available zinc (0.76ppm) and available Sulphur (12.41ppm). Application of 1.5kg/ha molybdenum with zinc 0.5% treatment-6 recorded Maximum plant height (54.50 cm), highest plant dry weight (54.14g), no. of nodules per plant (47), seed index (42.08 g), no. of pods per plant (23), no. of kernels per pod (2), seed yield (2985 kg/ha), harvest index (43.19%). Minimum parameters were recorded in treatment-10 control plot which is application of recommended dose of fertilizers 20:40:60 kg/ha NPK.
Investigating the Effect of Infrastructural Development on Economic Growth in Uganda
Authors: Mahebe Dennis , Mugobera Ronald
Published: April 2023

Aim: The study used quarterly time series data to investigate the effect of infrastructural development on Economic Growth in Uganda.

Place and Duration of Study: the study utilized data for the period between 2005-2020 obtained from the 2022 World Bank’s World Development Indicators (WDI) and the African Development Bank for African Infrastructure Development Index (AIDI).

Methodology: The study used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to analyze the relationship between infrastructure development and Economic Growth in Uganda.

Results: The findings from the study indicated a positive relationship between AIDI and Economic growth in Uganda. Overall improvement in AIDI considering the four infrastructure components creates an enabling environment for other factors of production to operate effectively and efficiently hence spurring economic growth in the country.

Conclusion: The findings therefore implies that investment in infrastructure should consider all the four infrastructure components that comprise the AIDI namely, Transport, Electricity, ICT and Water and Sanitation for Uganda to be able to fully benefit from its investment in infrastructure in both the short and long run.
The Delineation of Watersheds in the Dhenkanal District, Odisha, India; Using Arc-GIS
Authors: Mishra Siba Prasad , Nayak Jasmini , Barik Kamal Kumar , Sethi Kumar Ch.
Published: April 2023

The watersheds of the Dhenkanal district of Odisha, India with the centrally flowing, river Brahmani identified and explored. The watersheds added with anthropogenic stresses are unattended that affect the land, hydrology, ecology, vegetation, and fertility of the soil. Population growth, migration to cities, challenges, continuous disasters, and anthropogenic stresses block the growth.

The Arc GIS software and its Hydrology toolset were utilized. The Digital Elevation Model is used to scale various maps like flow direction, stream order, flow accumulation, Stream features, Pour points, and watershed maps of the district. The Rengali Dam, and Samal barrage of the Brahmani system and its left and right canal system have a positive impact on watersheds on both sides of the river Brahmani but the surface and groundwater are polluted by industrial effluents.   

The watersheds in transition ridges of the Mahanadi and the Baitarani basin of the Brahmani basin have been poorly attended in Dhenkanal. Construction of farm ponds, groundwater recharge units, soil conservation activities, renovation, and new construction of waterbodies can cater to and care for the land, water, and vegetation of the district. It is high time to prepare large-scale maps by modern survey techniques (UAV, drones, GIS, and GPS) and the observed data used to identify, delineate, prioritize, and plan for sustainable environment management considering availability v/s demand of water through Integrated Watershed Management in the district.
Generalized Essential Telangiectasia
Authors: Matthews Stephanie , Dallo Christopher , Tate Jesalyn
Published: April 2023

This case report describes symmetrically distributed red to violaceous fine telangiectasias in a lacelike pattern on the dorsal feet and ankles.
Anatomic Locations of Procedurally Treated Keratinocyte Carcinomas in the US Medicare Population
Authors: Navsaria Lucy J. , Li Yao , Tripathy Sanjna , Cox Madisyn L. , Hinkston Candice L. , Margolis David J. , Wehner Mackenzie R.
Published: April 2023

Importance

Keratinocyte carcinomas are the most common cancers in the US. However, keratinocyte carcinomas are not included in US national cancer registries, and information on the anatomic locations of keratinocyte carcinomas is lacking.

Objective

To investigate the anatomic location of keratinocyte carcinomas in the US using a large claims data set.

Design, Setting, and Participants

We performed a cohort study using a deidentified, random sample of 4 999 999 fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older (2009-2018).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Proportion of procedurally treated keratinocyte carcinomas at each anatomic location, identified by linking diagnosis and treatment codes.

Results

A total of 2 415 514 keratinocyte carcinomas were identified in 792 393 beneficiaries. The mean (SD) age was 76.6 (8.1) years, 410 364 (51.8%) were women, and 96.7% were White. Of the 2 415 514 keratinocyte carcinomas, 796 542 could be subtyped into basal cell carcinoma (33.0%), 927 984 into squamous cell carcinoma (38.4%), and 690 988 (28.6%) could not be subtyped. The most common location of squamous cell carcinomas was the head and/or neck (44.3%) followed by upper limbs (26.7%). The most common location of basal cell carcinomas was head and/or neck (63.8%), followed by trunk (14.9%). In women, keratinocyte carcinomas were most common on the head and/or neck (47.3%) followed by upper and lower limb (18.5% and 16.6%, respectively). In men, keratinocyte carcinomas were most common on the head and/or neck (58.7%) followed by upper limb and trunk (17.3% and 11.4%, respectively).

Conclusions and Relevance

The results of this large Medicare cohort study highlight the anatomic locations of keratinocyte carcinomas over recent years and show the predominance of lesions occurring at head and/or neck anatomic location. This foundational information on keratinocyte carcinoma anatomic locations in the US is valuable for improved keratinocyte risk factor differentiation and skin cancer surveillance.
Emerging Challenges for Psychedelic Therapy
Authors: Aday Jacob S. , Carhart-Harris Robin L. , Woolley Joshua D.
Published: April 2023

This Viewpoint examines the benefits and challenges of psychedelic therapy using 4 fundamental questions.
Etiology, Diagnosis, and Modern Management of Chronic Pancreatitis
Authors: Cohen Stephanie M. , Kent Tara S.
Published: April 2023

Importance

The incidence of chronic pancreatitis is 5 to 12 per 100 000 adults in industrialized countries, and the incidence is increasing. Treatment is multimodal, and involves nutrition optimization, pain management, and when indicated, endoscopic and surgical intervention.

Objectives

To summarize the most current published evidence on etiology, diagnosis, and management of chronic pancreatitis and its associated complications.

Evidence Review

A literature search of Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed was conducted for publications between January 1, 1997, and July 30, 2022. Excluded from review were the following: case reports, editorials, study protocols, nonsystematic reviews, nonsurgical technical publications, studies pertaining to pharmacokinetics, drug efficacy, pilot studies, historical papers, correspondence, errata, animal and in vitro studies, and publications focused on pancreatic diseases other than chronic pancreatitis. Ultimately, the highest-level evidence publications were chosen for inclusion after analysis by 2 independent reviewers.

Findings

A total of 75 publications were chosen for review. First-line imaging modalities for diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis included computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. More invasive techniques such as endoscopic ultrasonography allowed for tissue analysis, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography provided access for dilation, sphincterotomy, and stenting. Nonsurgical options for pain control included behavior modification (smoking cessation, alcohol abstinence), celiac plexus block, splanchnicectomy, nonopioid pain medication, and opioids. Supplemental enzymes should be given to patients with exocrine insufficiency to avoid malnutrition. Surgery was superior to endoscopic interventions for long-term pain control, and early surgery (<3 years from symptom onset) had more superior outcomes than late surgery. Duodenal preserving strategies were preferred unless there was suspicion of cancer.

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this systematic review suggest that patients with chronic pancreatitis had high rates of disability. Strategies to improve pain control through behavioral modification, endoscopic measures, and surgery must also accompany management of the sequalae of complications that arise from endocrine and exocrine insufficiency.
Association of Health Care Utilization and Access to Care With Vascular Assessment Before Major Lower Extremity Amputation Among US Veterans
Authors: Alabi Olamide , Beriwal Surabhi , Gallini Julia W. , Cui Xiangqin , Jasien Christine , Brewster Luke , Hunt Kelly J. , Massarweh Nader N.
Published: April 2023

Importance

Patient-level characteristics alone do not account for variation in care among US veterans with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Presently, the extent to which health care utilization and regional practice variation are associated with veterans receiving vascular assessment prior to major lower extremity amputation (LEA) is unknown.

Objective

To assess whether demographics, comorbidities, distance to primary care, the number of ambulatory clinic visits (primary and medical specialty care), and geographic region are associated with receipt of vascular assessment prior to LEA.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This national cohort study used US Department of Veterans Affairs’ Corporate Data Warehouse data from March 1, 2010, to February 28, 2020, for veterans aged 18 or older who underwent major LEA and who received care at Veterans Affairs facilities.

Exposures

The number of ambulatory clinic visits (primary and medical specialty care) in the year prior to LEA, geographic region of residence, and distance to primary care.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The main outcome was receipt of a vascular assessment (vascular imaging study or revascularization procedure) in the year prior to LEA.

Results

Among 19 396 veterans, the mean (SD) age was 66.78 (10.20) years and 98.5% were male. In the year prior to LEA, 8.0% had no primary care visits and 30.1% did not have a vascular assessment. Compared with veterans with 4 to 11 primary care clinic visits, those with fewer visits were less likely to receive vascular assessment in the year prior to LEA (1-3 visits: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82-0.99). Compared with veterans who lived less than 13 miles from the closest primary care facility, those who lived 13 miles or more from the facility were less likely to receive vascular assessment (aOR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.80-0.95). Veterans who resided in the Midwest were most likely to undergo vascular assessment in the year prior to LEA than were those living in other regions.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, health care utilization, distance to primary care, and geographic region were associated with intensity of PAD treatment before LEA, suggesting that some veterans may be at greater risk of suboptimal PAD care practices. Development of clinical programs, such as remote patient monitoring and management, may represent potential opportunities to improve limb preservation rates and the overall quality of vascular care for veterans.
Robust formation of optimal single spheroids towards cost‐effective in vitro three‐dimensional tumor models
Authors: Habra Kinana , Pearson Joshua R. D. , McArdle Stéphanie E. B.
Published: April 2023

While useful for fundamental in vitro studies, monolayer cell cultures are not physiologically relevant. Spheroids, a complex three‐dimensional (3D) structure, more closely resemble in vivo tumor growth. Spheroids allow the results obtained relating to proliferation, cell death, differentiation, metabolism, and various antitumor therapies to be more predictive of in vivo outcomes. In the protocol herein, a rapid and high‐throughput method is discussed for the generation of single spheroids using various cancer cell lines, including brain cancer cells (U87 MG, SEBTA‐027, SF188), prostate cancer cells (DU‐145, TRAMP‐C1), and breast cancer cells (BT‐549, Py230) in 96‐round bottom‐well plates. The proposed method is associated with significantly low costs per plate without requiring refining or transferring. Homogeneous compact spheroid morphology was evidenced as early as 1 day after following this protocol. Proliferating cells were traced in the rim, while dead cells were found to be located inside the core region of the spheroid using confocal microscopy and the Incucyte® live imaging system. H&E staining of spheroid sections was utilized to investigate the tightness of the cell packaging. Through western blotting analyses, it was revealed that a stem cell‐like phenotype was adopted by these spheroids. This method was also used to obtain the EC50 of the anticancer dipeptide carnosine on U87 MG 3D culture. This affordable, easy‐to‐follow five‐step protocol allows for the robust generation of various uniform spheroids with 3D morphology characteristics.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell‐derived exosomes reduce insulin resistance and obesity in mice via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Authors: Shi Hongwei , Hao Xiaojing , Sun Yaqin , Zhang Huilin , Zhao Yating , Wang Bin , Lu Jiayin , Hou Wei , Yan Yi , Yu Xiuju , Xue Linli , Luo Xiaomao , Wang Haidong
Published: April 2023

Obesity is a common chronic metabolic disease that induces chronic systemic inflammation in the body, eventually leading to related complications such as insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndromes such as cardiovascular disease. Exosomes transfer bioactive substances to neighboring or distal cells through autosomal, paracrine, or distant secretion, regulating the gene and protein expression levels of receptor cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell‐derived exosomes (BMSC‐Exos) on high‐fat diet obese mice and mature 3T3‐L1 adipocyte models of IR. BMSC‐Exo treatment of obese mice promoted their metabolic homeostasis, including reduction of obesity, inhibition of M1‐type proinflammatory factor expression, and improvement of insulin sensitivity. In vitro analysis revealed that BMSC‐Exos improved IR and lipid droplet accumulation in mature 3T3‐L1 adipocytes treated with palmitate (PA). Mechanistically, BMSC‐Exos cause increased glucose uptake and improved IR in high‐fat chow‐fed mice and PA‐acting 3T3‐L1 adipocytes by activating the phosphoinositide 3‐kinases/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway and upregulating glucose transporter protein 4 (GLUT4) expression. This study offers a new perspective for the development of treatments for IR in obese and diabetic patients.
Hazard testing to reduce risk in the development of automated planning tools
Authors: Nealon Kelly A. , Douglas Raphael J. , Han Eun Young , Kry Stephen F. , Reed Valerie K. , Simiele Samantha J. , Court Laurence E.
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Hazard scenarios were created to assess and reduce the risk of planning errors in automated planning processes. This was accomplished through iterative testing and improvement of examined user interfaces.

Methods

Automated planning requires three user inputs: a computed tomography (CT), a prescription document, known as the service request, and contours. We investigated the ability of users to catch errors that were intentionally introduced into each of these three stages, according to an FMEA analysis. Five radiation therapists each reviewed 15 patient CTs, containing three errors: inappropriate field of view, incorrect superior border, and incorrect identification of isocenter. Four radiation oncology residents reviewed 10 service requests, containing two errors: incorrect prescription and treatment site. Four physicists reviewed 10 contour sets, containing two errors: missing contour slices and inaccurate target contour. Reviewers underwent video training prior to reviewing and providing feedback for various mock plans.

Results

Initially, 75% of hazard scenarios were detected in the service request approval. The visual display of prescription information was then updated to improve the detectability of errors based on user feedback. The change was then validated with five new radiation oncology residents who detected 100% of errors present. 83% of the hazard scenarios were detected in the CT approval portion of the workflow. For the contour approval portion of the workflow none of the errors were detected by physicists, indicating this step will not be used for quality assurance of contours. To mitigate the risk from errors that could occur at this step, radiation oncologists must perform a thorough review of contour quality prior to final plan approval.

Conclusions

Hazard testing was used to pinpoint the weaknesses of an automated planning tool and as a result, subsequent improvements were made. This study identified that not all workflow steps should be used for quality assurance and demonstrated the importance of performing hazard testing to identify points of risk in automated planning tools.
Spoiler alert: How narrative film captures attention
Authors: Cohen Anna‐Lisa , Goldberg Chaim , Mintz Jonathan , Shavalian Elliot
Published: April 2023

Narrative transportation is a state of total immersion that arises when one becomes engaged in a story. In Cohen et al. (2015), participants viewed a suspenseful film either with order of scenes intact or scrambled (out of chronological order). Participants had to remember to raise their hand every time they heard a film character say the word “gun.” Results revealed participants were less likely to remember this instruction in the intact condition because their attention shifted away from processing their own goals to the goals of the protagonist. In three studies, we examined the boundary conditions of this effect by including a spoiler by telling participants the film ending (Study 1), having participants view the film individually or in groups (Study 2), and offering a reward incentive (Study 3). Overall, results showed that knowing the ending of the story did not improve performance, however, offering an incentive did boost goal maintenance. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Influence of Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion Process Parameters on Transformation Temperatures and Pseudoelasticity of Shape Memory Nickel Titanium
Authors: Lin Zeyu , Surreddi Kumar Babu , Hulme Christopher , Dadbakhsh Sasan , Rashid Amir
Published: April 2023

Electron beam powder bed fusion (PBF‐EB) is used to manufacture dense nickel titanium parts using various parameter sets, including the beam current, scan speed, and postcooling condition. The density of manufactured NiTi parts is investigated in relation to the linear energy input. The results imply that the part density increases with increasing linear energy density to over 98% of the bulk density. With a constant energy input, a combination of low power and low scan speed leads to denser parts. This is attributed to lower electrostatic repulsive forces from lower number density of the impacting electrons. After manufacturing, the densest parts with distinct parameter sets are categorized into three groups: 1) high power with high scan speed and vacuum slow cooling, 2) low power with low scan speed and vacuum slow cooling, and 3) low power with low scan speed and medium cooling rate in helium gas. Among these, a faster cooling rate suppresses phase transformation temperatures, while vacuum cooling combinations do not affect the phase transformation temperatures significantly. Herein, all the printed parts exhibit almost 8% pseudoelasticity regardless of the process parameters, while the parts cooled in helium have a higher energy dissipation efficiency (1 − η), which implies faster damping of oscillations.