bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Language
Authors: McIvor Charlotte , Walsh Ian R.
Published: June 2024

English spoken in Ireland is made unique by the influence of and translation from the Irish language and in this process becomes inherently theatrical in its strangeness, intensity and immediacy. Irish playwrights have exploited this and the tradition of storytelling in Ireland with its power to create communion amongst characters and audiences. The unique phrases and rhythms of Hiberno-English have been employed to adapt works written in other languages to register the similarities and differences of other cultures. The three frameworks and accompanying case studies that model the application of these critical lenses to key theatre productions are: (i) Hiberno-English: An Untamed Language for the Stage (Enda Walsh’s Disco Pigs); (ii) Storytelling: A Language Searching for Community (Conor McPherson’s The Weir); and (iii) Adaptation and Heteroglossia (Lucy Caldwell’s version of Chekhov’s Three Sisters).
Body
Authors: McIvor Charlotte , Walsh Ian R
Published: June 2024

This chapter explores how bodies work and signify as individuals but also as stand-ins for a greater whole (both materially and representationally) within the contemporary Irish theatre and by extension, Irish society. The participation and presence of bodies in theatrical and extra-theatrical events connected to the contemporary Irish theatre as a network of individuals, practices and institutions indexes not only the aesthetic but the political and social status of the body within Irish society at any given time. Understanding the limits of theatrical representation and participation by individuals and/or communities as artists in the Irish theatre gives us deeper insight into the rights accorded to individual bodies and/or those grouped according to a shared identity such as gender, sexuality, religion, class, race/ethnicity and/or disability, as well as drawing attention to how theatre and performance as live and embodied art forms can sometimes push productively at the limits of what is legally or socially possible at the scale of the body. This chapter proposes the following frameworks for studying the body as a key vehicle towards utopian performatives in contemporary Irish theatre:

Acting Bodies (Olwen Fouréré),

Bodies as Tools (Panti Bliss/Rory O’Neill and the “Noble Call”),

Intersectional Bodies (Christian O’Reilly’s Sanctuary with Blue Teapot Theatre and No Magic Pill).
Introduction: The Epistemology of History and the Realities of Teaching
Authors: Åström Elmersjö Henrik
Published: June 2024

This introduction establishes the framework of the book. It introduces some basic concepts of epistemology in history and history teaching, a brief overview of the field, and the problems that are faced at the present, including the difficulties in establishing consistent views, the ‘wobbling’ of teachers on epistemic issues, and what this means for the field in general and for the idea of teachers’ epistemological views creating opportunities or obstacles in the teaching of history to students. The chapter is also an outline of the entire book, describing the parts of the book, as well as each individual chapter.
Why an Integrated Approach Matters: Searching for a Way to Understand the Formation of Prospective History Teachers’ Epistemological Beliefs
Authors: Nitsche Martin
Published: June 2024

This chapter argues for an integrated perspective of developmental, dimensional, and contextual approaches to epistemological beliefs to understand how they might be shaped in prospective history teachers during history teacher education. To this end, the various approaches are discussed, drawing on literature from educational psychology, historical theory, and history education to construct an integrative framework of epistemological beliefs. The empirical studies are presented to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the approach. The discussion concludes with related challenges and future directions.
Exploring Taiwanese History Teachers’ Epistemic Beliefs about History
Authors: Chang Chih-Ching
Published: June 2024

In this chapter, Chang explores the personal trajectory of Taiwanese high school teachers’ epistemic beliefs towards history as a discipline. With the result from the Epistemic Network Analysis, this chapter provides an integrated discussion on the changes in teachers’ historical epistemic beliefs throughout one academic year. The pattern-based model reported from this study contributes an alternative methodological approach to analyse historical epistemic beliefs moving away from developmental stage-like models. Four major patterns of historical epistemic beliefs are also proposed in the chapter. As a starting point of the research in teachers’ personal epistemology, this chapter concludes with a suggestion for future research implications.
EphA2 promotes the transcription of KLF4 to facilitate stemness in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Bai Junqiang , Chen Yang , Sun Yunqing , Wang Xinmiao , Wang Yifan , Guo Shutian , Shang Zhengjun , Shao Zhe
Published: June 2024

Ephrin receptor A2 (EphA2), a member of the Ephrin receptor family, is closely related to the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play essential roles in OSCC development and occurrence. The underlying mechanisms between EphA2 and CSCs, however, are not yet fully understood. Here, we found that EphA2 was overexpressed in OSCC tissues and was associated with poor prognosis. Knockdown of EphA2 dampened the CSC phenotype and the tumour-initiating frequency of OSCC cells. Crucially, the effects of EphA2 on the CSC phenotype relied on KLF4, a key transcription factor for CSCs. Mechanistically, EphA2 activated the ERK signalling pathway, promoting the nuclear translocation of YAP. Subsequently, YAP was bound to TEAD3, leading to the transcription of KLF4. Overall, our findings revealed that EphA2 can enhance the stemness of OSCC cells, and this study identified the EphA2/KLF4 axis as a potential target for treating OSCC.
A tale of two shuffle algebras
Authors: Neguț Andrei
Published: June 2024

As a quantum affinization, the quantum toroidal algebra $${U_{q,{{\overline{q}}}}(\ddot{{\mathfrak {gl}}}_n)}$$

U

q
,

q
¯

(

gl
¨

n

)

is defined in terms of its “left” and “right” halves, which both admit shuffle algebra presentations (Enriquez in Transform Groups 5(2):111–120, 2000; Feigin and Odesskii in Am Math Soc Transl Ser 2:185, 1998). In the present paper, we take an orthogonal viewpoint, and give shuffle algebra presentations for the “top” and “bottom” halves instead, starting from the evaluation representation $${U_q({\dot{{\mathfrak {gl}}}}_n)}\curvearrowright {{\mathbb {C}}}^n(z)$$

U
q

(

gl
˙

n

)

↷

C

n

(
z
)

and its usual R-matrix $$R(z) \in \text {End}({{\mathbb {C}}}^n \otimes {{\mathbb {C}}}^n)(z)$$

R

(
z
)

∈
End

(

C

n

⊗

C

n

)

(
z
)

(see Faddeev et al. in Leningrad Math J 1:193–226, 1990). An upshot of this construction is a new topological coproduct on $${U_{q,{{\overline{q}}}}(\ddot{{\mathfrak {gl}}}_n)}$$

U

q
,

q
¯

(

gl
¨

n

)

which extends the Drinfeld–Jimbo coproduct on the horizontal subalgebra $${U_q({\dot{{\mathfrak {gl}}}}_n)}\subset {U_{q,{{\overline{q}}}}(\ddot{{\mathfrak {gl}}}_n)}$$

U
q

(

gl
˙

n

)

⊂

U

q
,

q
¯

(

gl
¨

n

)

.
Reassembly of ground-dwelling ant communities in reforestation plots in SW Costa Rica
Authors: Karolak M. , Fiedler K.
Published: June 2024

Due to agriculture and logging, Costa Rica has lost many primary forests, making reforestation an important task. To judge the progress of reforestation, it is important to follow the reassembly of organismal communities within restored habitats. The COBIGA project near La Gamba, in the Golfo Dulce region of Costa Rica, aims at reforestation of lowland sites with native tree species. Ants, as ubiquitous and highly abundant terrestrial organisms, have a substantial influence on tropical ecosystems. The multiple roles include scavenging, predation, herbivory, and mutualistic interactions. We examined ant community responses to reveal the status of community regeneration and functional integrity. We compared the composition and diversity of the ant assemblages at three different age reforestation sites (2, 8, and 10 years old) with those at an old-growth forest as a reference site. By offering canned tuna fish at ground level along replicated transects, we observed 43 ant species representing six functional groups during the 2 months of sampling. Most of the observed ant species were omnivorous, but old-growth forests harbored a substantial number of other functional groups, such as generalized predators, arboreal predators, and arboreal omnivores. In contrast, the youngest reforestation site harbored a severely impoverished ant assemblage comprising mostly generalized polygynous and polydomous ant species from lower trophic levels. The within-site heterogeneity of the ant assemblages increased from the youngest to the oldest forest. In addition, our results show the importance of monitoring the progress of forest recovery to avoid the spread of invasive species into primary habitats.
Auswirkungen der Pflegevisite auf die Prozessverantwortliche Pflege
Authors: Johnen Dirk , Krüger Lars , Mannebach Thomas , Squiccimarro Francesco , Langer Gero , Hotze Elke
Published: June 2024

Hintergrund

An einem Universitätsklinikum wurde die Pflegevisite (PV) auf einer Intensivstation (ITS) nach einer Pilotphase im Jahr 2017 implementiert. Bisher fehlt es an publizierten Erkenntnissen zur Auswirkung der PV auf das Pflegeorganisationssystem Primary Nursing (Prozessverantwortliche Pflege [PP]).

Ziel

Primäres Ziel war, Auswirkungen der PV auf die PP aus Sicht der Pflegenden zu untersuchen. Als sekundäre Ziele sollten mit einem Vergleich zu den Ergebnissen der Pilotierungsphase (t0) u. a. weitere Auswirkungen, Rahmenbedingungen der PV und die Gesamtbewertung ermittelt werden.

Methode

Die quantitative Evaluationsstudie erfolgte mittels eines standardisierten Fragebogens.

Ergebnisse

Die Befragung fand von 09. bis 10.2023 (t1) mit einem Rücklauf von 74,6 % (n = 47) statt. Auf einer Skala von 1–6 (stimme voll zu; stimme überhaupt nicht zu) trug die PV bei 100,0 % der prozessverantwortlich Pflegenden (PP; n = 8) und 77,0 % der Pflegenden ohne Prozessverantwortung (P; n = 30) mit den Stufen 1–3 (p = 0,328) dazu bei, die Pflegeplanung bei prozessverantwortlich betreuten Patientinnen und Patienten zu evaluieren. Die PV stellte eine Unterstützung für die Umsetzung der PP dar (PP: 100,0 %, n = 8; P: 79,5 %, n = 31; p = 0,318) und hatte einen statistisch signifikanten Effekt (r = 0,97; p = 0,035) auf die Verbesserung der Pflegequalität und Pflegeplanung für prozessverantwortlich betreute Patientinnen und Patienten. Die Teilnehmenden gaben mit den Stufen 1–3 an, dass die Patientinnen und Patienten durch die PV bewusster in den Fokus der Pflege gerückt werden (t1: 74,4 %, n = 35; t0: 86,4 %, n = 38; p = 0,953). Die PV sollte wöchentlich stattfinden und wurde im Median mit einer 2 (IQR t1: 1–3; t0:1–2) bewertet.

Schlussfolgerung

PV unterstützen die Umsetzung von PP sowie die Patientinnen- und Patientenzentrierung auf der ITS.
Could radiological parameters help to predict the failure of ureteral access sheath placement
Authors: Erdogan Erhan , Kuzan Taha Yusuf , Burak Sahinler Emre , Kanberoglu Ahmet Fatih , Uslu Mehmet , Arikan Ozgur , Sobay Resul , Asik Alper , Sarica Kemal
Published: June 2024

To identify the radiological parameters which may help to predict the success of ureteral access sheath (UAS) placement during retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS).The study included 49 patients in whom failure ureteral access sheath placement in RIRS and 49 control group patients who were successfully placement between January 2023 and December 2023. The age, gender, body mass index (BMI), non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT), and kidney ureter bladder (KUB) radiographs were compared between the two groups. Measurements of the anteroposterior (ap) diameter of the pelvic inlet, anteroposterior diameter of the pelvic outlet, interspinous distance diameter were taken from non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT), while pelvic anteroposterior diameter and pelvic lateral diameter were measured from kidney ureter bladder (KUB) radiography. There were no significant differences between the groups in age, gender, body mass index, ap pelvic inlet diameter, ap pelvic outlet, and interspinous distance diameter. However, a statistically significant difference was found between the pelvic ap diameter and pelvic lateral diameter values measured on the KUB radiography. The values for pelvic ap diameter and pelvic lateral diameter measured in the KUB radiographs can be used to predict the likelihood of UAS passage during RIRC procedures. However, further studies with larger patient groups are needed to establish a cut-off value.
Treatment trends for undescended testis and impact of guideline changes a medical health care analysis of orchidopexy and cryptorchidism in Germany between 2006 und 2020
Authors: Sondermann Marcus , Menzel Viktoria , Borkowetz Angelika , Baunacke Martin , Huber Johannes , Eisenmenger Nicole , Thomas Christian , Boehm Katharina
Published: June 2024

Background

The last decades revealed new scientific knowledge regarding the fertility and potential malignancy of undescended testis AQ2(UDT). Accordingly, many guidelines changed their recommendation concerning timing of therapy, with the goal of an earlier time of surgery.

Methods

We analyzed the number of new diagnosis and performed surgeries in predefined age groups provided by the obligatory annual reports of German hospitals in the reimbursement.INFO”-tool between 2006 and 2020.

Results

Overall, 124,741 cases were analyzed. We showed a slight increase in performed surgeries in the first year by 2% per year with a main increase till 2011, a constant number of surgeries between first and 4th year and a decrease of surgeries between 5 and 14th year of living with a main decrease till 2009 by 3% per year.

Conclusion

Even if our results illustrate an increasing adaption of the guideline’s recommendation, there is still a significant number of patients who receive later treatment. More research about the reasons and circumstances for the latter is needed.
Xenografted human iPSC-derived neurons with the familial Alzheimer’s disease APPV717I mutation reveal dysregulated transcriptome signatures linked to synaptic function and implicate LINGO2 as a disease signaling mediator
Authors: Qu Wenhui , Lam Matti , McInvale Julie J. , Mares Jason A. , Kwon Sam , Humala Nelson , Mahajan Aayushi , Nguyen Trang , Jakubiak Kelly A. , Mun Jeong-Yeon , Tedesco Thomas G. , Al-Dalahmah Osama , Hussaini Syed A. , Sproul Andrew A. , Siegelin Markus D. , De Jager Philip L. , Canoll Peter , Menon Vilas , Hargus Gunnar
Published: June 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and disease mechanisms are still not fully understood. Here, we explored pathological changes in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons carrying the familial AD APPV717I mutation after cell injection into the mouse forebrain. APPV717I mutant iPSCs and isogenic controls were differentiated into neurons revealing enhanced Aβ42 production, elevated phospho-tau, and impaired neurite outgrowth in APPV717I neurons. Two months after transplantation, APPV717I and control neural cells showed robust engraftment but at 12 months post-injection, APPV717I grafts were smaller and demonstrated impaired neurite outgrowth compared to controls, while plaque and tangle pathology were not seen. Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing of micro-dissected grafts, performed 2 months after cell injection, identified significantly altered transcriptome signatures in APPV717I iPSC-derived neurons pointing towards dysregulated synaptic function and axon guidance. Interestingly, APPV717I neurons showed an increased expression of genes, many of which are also upregulated in postmortem neurons of AD patients including the transmembrane protein LINGO2. Downregulation of LINGO2 in cultured APPV717I neurons rescued neurite outgrowth deficits and reversed key AD-associated transcriptional changes related but not limited to synaptic function, apoptosis and cellular senescence. These results provide important insights into transcriptional dysregulation in xenografted APPV717I neurons linked to synaptic function, and they indicate that LINGO2 may represent a potential therapeutic target in AD.
Memory function in autoimmune encephalitis: a cross-sectional prospective study utilising multiple memory paradigms
Authors: Griffith Sarah P. , Wesselingh Robb , Seery Nabil , Rushen Tiffany , Kyndt Chris , Long Brian , Seneviratne Udaya , Kalincik Tomas , Buzzard Katherine , Butzkueven Helmut , O’Brien Terence J. , Alpitsis Rubina , Malpas Charles B. , Monif Mastura ,   Australian Autoimmune Encephalitis Consortium
Published: June 2024

Background and objective

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is often associated with clinically significant memory impairment. This study aimed to evaluate memory in a cross-sectional prospective AE cohort using multiple memory paradigms.

Methods

52 patients (50% seropositive) meeting Graus criteria for possible AE were prospectively recruited between October 2019 and August 202. A comprehensive examination of memory was performed, including tests of supraspan verbal memory (list learning), logicosemantic memory (story learning), figural memory (learning of geometric designs), and verbal associative learning (verbal paired associates). Memory scores were compared to demographically adjusted normative data. Pattern analysis was conducted to assist in the identification of patterns in memory performances.

Results

Mean memory scores were not significantly below the normative mean. At an individual patient level, over 20% of the cohort exhibited impaired delayed figural memory, supraspan verbal memory learning and recall. Observed performances were significantly below expected performance for story learning (p = 0.017) and recall (p = 0.003), figural recall (p < 0.0001), initial acquisition (p < 0.001) and final acquisition of a list (p < 0.001) and all delayed recall measures of the list (p < 0.00001). 54.76% of patients exhibited intact psychometrics, and 16 distinct patterns of impairment emerged, indicating variability in memory outcomes.

Discussion

While statistical evidence for memory impairment did not emerge at an aggregate level, a proportion of patients present with evidence of abnormal memory performance on psychometrics. Variability in impaired memory measures argues for an individualised patient-focused approach to clinical assessment in AE. Future research should validate these findings with a larger sample size and explore the relationships between memory profiles and other cognitive functions.
Strength and muscle mass development after a resistance-training period at terrestrial and normobaric intermittent hypoxia
Authors: Benavente C. , Padial P. , Scott B. R. , Almeida F. , Olcina G. , Pérez-Regalado S. , Feriche B.
Published: June 2024

This study investigated the effect of a resistance training (RT) period at terrestrial (HH) and normobaric hypoxia (NH) on both muscle hypertrophy and maximal strength development with respect to the same training in normoxia (N). Thirty-three strength-trained males were assigned to N (FiO2 = 20.9%), HH (2,320 m asl) or NH (FiO2 = 15.9%). The participants completed an 8-week RT program (3 sessions/week) of a full body routine. Muscle thickness of the lower limb and 1RM in back squat were assessed before and after the training program. Blood markers of stress, inflammation (IL-6) and muscle growth (% active mTOR, myostatin and miRNA-206) were measured before and after the first and last session of the program. Findings revealed all groups improved 1RM, though this was most enhanced by RT in NH (p = 0.026). According to the moderate to large excess of the exercise-induced stress response (lactate and Ca2+) in HH and N, results only displayed increases in muscle thickness in these two conditions over NH (ES > 1.22). Compared with the rest of the environmental conditions, small to large increments in % active mTOR were only found in HH, and IL-6, myostatin and miR-206 in NH throughout the training period. In conclusion, the results do not support the expected additional benefit of RT under hypoxia compared to N on muscle growth, although it seems to favour gains in strength. The greater muscle growth achieved in HH over NH confirms the impact of the type of hypoxia on the outcomes.
Inferring occluded projectile motion changes connectivity within a visuo-fronto-parietal network
Authors: Zbären Gabrielle Aude , Kapur Manu , Meissner Sarah Nadine , Wenderoth Nicole
Published: June 2024

Anticipating the behaviour of moving objects in the physical environment is essential for a wide range of daily actions. This ability is thought to rely on mental simulations and has been shown to involve frontoparietal and early visual areas. Yet, the connectivity patterns between these regions during intuitive physical inference remain largely unknown. In this study, participants underwent fMRI while performing a task requiring them to infer the parabolic trajectory of an occluded ball falling under Newtonian physics, and a control task. Building on our previous research showing that when solving the physical inference task, early visual areas encode task-specific and perception-like information about the inferred trajectory, the present study aimed to (i) identify regions that are functionally coupled with early visual areas during the physical inference task, and (ii) investigate changes in effective connectivity within this network of regions. We found that early visual areas are functionally connected to a set of parietal and premotor regions when inferring occluded trajectories. Using dynamic causal modelling, we show that predicting occluded trajectories is associated with changes in effective connectivity within a parieto-premotor network, which may drive internally generated early visual activity in a top-down fashion. These findings offer new insights into the interaction between early visual and frontoparietal regions during physical inference, contributing to our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the ability to predict physical outcomes.
Clinical and structural disconnectome evaluation in a case of optic aphasia
Authors: Veronelli Laura , Bonandrini Rolando , Caporali Alessandra , Licciardo Daniele , Corbo Massimo , Luzzatti Claudio
Published: June 2024

Optic Aphasia (OA) and Associative Visual Agnosia (AVA) are neuropsychological disorders characterized by impaired naming on visual presentation. From a cognitive point of view, while stimulus identification is largely unimpaired in OA (where access to semantic knowledge is still possible), in AVA it is not. OA has been linked with right hemianopia and disconnection of the occipital right-hemisphere (RH) visual processing from the left hemisphere (LH) language areas.

In this paper, we describe the case of AA, an 81-year-old housewife suffering from a deficit in naming visually presented stimuli after left occipital lesion and damage to the interhemispheric splenial pathway. AA has been tested through a set of tasks assessing different levels of visual object processing. We discuss behavioral performance as well as the pattern of lesion and disconnection in relation to a neurocognitive model adapted from Luzzatti and colleagues (1998). Despite the complexity of the neuropsychological picture, behavioral data suggest that semantic access from visual input is possible, while a lesion-based structural disconnectome investigation demonstrated the splenial involvement.

Altogether, neuropsychological and neuroanatomical findings support the assumption of visuo-verbal callosal disconnection compatible with a diagnosis of OA.
Circular RNA circLIFR suppresses papillary thyroid cancer progression by modulating the miR-429/TIMP2 axis
Authors: Zhang Fengyuan , Li Jiazheng , Xu Jingjing , Jiang Xugan , Chen Shengxia , Nasser Qais Ahmad
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their important roles in various cancers, including papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The specific mechanisms by which the circLIF receptor subunit alpha (circLIFR, hsa_circ_0072309) influences PTC progression remain largely unknown.

Methods

In our study, CircLIFR, miR-429, and TIMP2 levels were assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The roles of circLIFR and miR-429 in PTC cells were determined using Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell assays. Western blotting was utilized to examine the levels of TIMP2. The direct interaction between circLIFR, TIMP2, and miR-429 was confirmed using dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation, and fluorescence in situ hybridization assays.

Results

In PTC tissues and cells, a decrease in circLIFR and TIMP2 levels, accompanied by an increase in miR-429 levels, was observed. Overexpression of circLIFR or downregulation of miR-429 effectively suppressed the proliferation and migration of PTC cells. Conversely, the knockdown of circLIFR or overexpression of miR-429 had the opposite effect. Furthermore, circLIFR overexpression suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, circLIFR modulated TIMP2 expression by serving as a sponge for miR-429. Rescue experiments indicated that the antitumor effect of circLIFR could be reversed by miR-429.

Conclusion

This study confirmed circLIFR as a novel tumor suppressor delayed PTC progression through the miR-429/TIMP2 axis. These findings suggested that circLIFR held promise as a potential therapeutic target for PTC.
Mechanistic insights into 125I seed implantation therapy for Cholangiocarcinoma: focus on ROS-Mediated apoptosis and the role of GPX2
Authors: Luo Jun , Yao Zheng , Liang Weiren , Song Danjun , Zeng Hui , Jiang Yi , Bao Zhehan , Zheng Jiaping , Ding Yinan
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis and poses significant therapeutic challenges. Herein, we investigated the mechanism of efficacy of 125I seed implantation therapy in CCA, focusing on the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis and the involvement of glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2).

Materials and methods

Human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines QBC939 and RBE were purchased for in vitro studies. In vivo studies were performed using a rabbit VX2 CCA model. Apoptosis and proliferation were detected by TUNEL staining and clone formation, respectively. ROS generation was detected by dihydroethidium staining. Histological evaluation was performed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Protein expression was determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.

Results

Our results demonstrate that 125I seeds effectively inhibited tumor growth in the rabbit VX2 tumor model and promoted the apoptosis of CCA cells in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. Molecular analyses indicate a marked increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels following treatment with 125I seeds, suggesting the involvement of ROS-mediated apoptosis in the therapeutic mechanism. Furthermore, the downregulation of glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2) was observed, indicating its potential role in modulating ROS-mediated apoptosis in CCA.

Conclusion

125I seed implantation therapy exerts therapeutic effects on CCA by inducing ROS-mediated apoptosis. The downregulation of GPX2 may contribute to enhanced ROS accumulation and apoptotic cell death. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the therapeutic potential of 125I seed implantation for CCA and highlight ROS-mediated apoptosis and GPX2 regulation as promising targets for further investigation and therapeutic intervention in this malignancy.
Paleoenvironment and vegetational history of a Middle Pennsylvanian intramontane peat swamp: an example from the Lower Radnice Coal, Kladno coalfield (Czech Republic)
Authors: Opluštil Stanislav , Eble Cortland , Šimůnek Zbyněk , Drábková Jana
Published: June 2024

The depositional environment, hydrology and vegetational history of the Lower Radnice Coal (Duckmantian) in the Kladno coalfield was studied using sedimentary geology, coal petrology and paleobotanical/palynological methods. The peat accumulating wetland of the coal formed in a fluvial paleovalley approximately 15 km long and 2–5 km wide, bordered by basement paleohighs and landlocked in the interior of the central European Variscides. The peat swamp evolved on top of mud-dominated floodplain successions pedogenically modified to a vertic gleyed Protosol. Probably climatically controlled rising ground water table resulted in paludification that from downstream part gradually spread upstream. Most clastic load was deposited in the upper part of the valley, whereas only mud suspension was dispersed downstream throughout the vegetated swamp. The best conditions for peat accumulation were situated in the eastern part of the paleovalley, where up to 1.5 m thick coal with thin bands of impure coal and carbonaceous mudstone formed in an occasionally inundated rheotrophic system with peat accretion controlled by regional ground water table. The peat swamp was vegetated mainly by lepidodendrid lycopsids with Lepidodendron and Paralycopodites being dominant genera. Shrubby to ground cover vegetation was represented by medulosallean pteridosperms, small shrubby lycopsids, sphenopsids, and herbaceous ferns. Tree ferns were locally abundant, especially in mineral-rich substrates. The rheotrophic character of the peat swamp may indicate higher seasonality of the Variscan interior, compared to coastal areas in the North Variscan foreland with contemporaneous ombrotrophic peats. Modern equivalents of the Lower Radnice Coal swamp are inland planar tropical peat swamps in tributary paleovalleys of the Tasek Bera in peninsular Malaysia and central Congo basins.

Graphical abstract

Lower Radnice Coal peat swamp.
Influence of clinical expertise and practical experience on transfer accuracy in guided dental implant placement - an in vitro study
Authors: Reiff Florian Sebastian , Bischoff Charlotte , Woelfler Henriette , Roehling Stefan
Published: June 2024

Purpose

To investigate whether inexperienced users applying a static navigation system can perform in-vitro a fully guided implant placement protocol and achieve similar results in terms of accuracy compared to experienced clinicians.

Methods

Based on 36 identical resin models, a computer-assisted implant planning was performed and a surgical guide was produced accordingly. Three study groups were composed with 12 operators, each: control group with experienced surgeons (DOC), test group 1 with dental technicians (TEC) and test group 2 with non-specialists (OFC). Using a fully guided drilling protocol, two implants were placed into each of the 36 models. Subsequently, the differences between the virtually planned and final implant positions were determined and the transfer accuracy was evaluated.

Results

For the control group DOC, the mean value of axial deviation was 1.90 ± 1.15 degrees, for 3-dimensional deviation at the implant base 0.52 ± 0.33 mm, for 3-dimensional deviation at the implant tip 0.76 ± 0.39 mm and for vertical deviation at the implant tip − 0.11 ± 0.51 mm. For corresponding parameters, the mean values of test group TEC were 1.99 ± 0.87 degrees, 0.42 ± 0.21 mm, 0.68 ± 0.30 mm and − 0.03 ± 0.33 mm and for test group OFC 2.29 ± 1.17 degrees, 0.63 ± 0.35 mm, 0.89 ± 0.43 mm and − 0.24 ± 0.57 mm, respectively. The results did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the control and the 2 test groups (p˃0.05).

Conclusion

The results of the present in-vitro study demonstrated that inexperienced users applying a static navigation system can perform a fully guided implant placement protocol and achieve similar results in terms of accuracy compared to experienced clinicians in this specific in vitro setup.
Axiomatising an information flow logic based on partial equivalence relations
Authors: Filinski Andrzej , Larsen Ken Friis , Jensen Thomas P.
Published: June 2024

We present a relational program logic for reasoning about information flow properties formalised in an assertion language based on partial equivalence relations. We define and prove the soundness of the logic, a proof technique for precise, logic-based information flow properties. The logic extends Hoare logic and its unary state predicates to binary PER-based predicates for relating observationally equivalent states. A salient feature of the logic is that it is capable of reasoning about programs that test on secret data in a secure manner.
Deciphering of karst geomorphology and sinkhole (doline) structures using multiple geophysical and geological methods (Trabzon, NE Türkiye)
Authors: Alemdağ Hilal , Köroğlu Fatih , Aydın Zeynep Öğretmen , Şeren Aysel , Babacan Ali Erden , Ersoy Arzu Fırat
Published: June 2024

To date, in Türkiye only a limited number and volume of combined geophysical and geological studies about karst have been performed. In this study, karstification and geomorphological features were examined with geophysical and geological methods together and initial results were obtained for Türkiye. Although the geology of the limestone forming the Şahinkaya Member, which contains Çayırbağı, Çalköy, and Çal Cave, near the Düzköy district of Trabzon/Türkiye province was studied by many researchers to date, there is no geophysical study to determine the internal structural features, groundwater, dolines, and karstic voids. The aim of this study was to identify karst formations and their structural extensions in Şahinkaya Member with geophysical methods. Therefore, three different study locations with a total surface area of approximately 3.2 km2 were examined with electrical resistivity tomography, self-potential, seismic refraction tomography, multichannel analysis of surface waves, and ground penetrating radar. These geophysical applications in limestone helped to identify karst cavities, water-saturated zones and dolines. Finally, the order of priority and efficiency of the five applied geophysical methods was compared, and the stages of the applications were outlined. In addition, the origin of karstification in the area investigated in this study was supported by petrographic, petrophysical and rock mechanic data.
The impact of Boric Acid tubes on quantitative urinary bacterial cultures in hospitalized patients
Authors: Ben-David Debby , Cohen Yael , Zohar Iris , Maor Yasmin , Schwartz Orna
Published: June 2024

Introduction

The accuracy of urine culture results can be affected by pre-analytical factors such as transport delays and storage conditions. The objectives of this study were to analyze urine collection practices and assess the impact of introducing boric acid tubes for urine collection on quantitative urinary bacterial cultures of hospitalized patients in medical wards.

Methods

A quasi-experimental pre-post study conducted in an acute care facility. In the pre-intervention phase (2020–2021), urine samples were transported without preservatives at room temperature. In 2022 (post-intervention), we transitioned to boric acid transport tubes, evaluating its effect on significant bacterial growth (≥ 105 CFU/ml). Bivariate and multivariate analyses identified predictors of culture positivity.

Results

Throughout the duration of the study, a total of 12,660 urine cultures were analyzed. Date and time documentation was complete for 38.3% of specimens. Culture positivity was higher with longer processing times: positivity was 21.3% (220/1034) when specimens were processed within 4 h, 28.4% (955/3364) when processed in 4–24 h, and 32.9% (137/417) when processed after 24 h (p < 0.0001). For 4-24-hour processing, positivity decreased from 30.4% (704/2317) pre-intervention to 24.0% (251/1047) post-intervention (p < 0.001), with no significant changes in < 4 or ≥ 24-hour specimens. Stratified analysis by processing time revealed that the intervention was associated with reduced positivity only in cultures processed within 4–24 h (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.67–0.94; p = 0.008).

Conclusion

The introduction of boric acid transport tubes predominantly influenced cultures transported within a 4–24-hour window. This presents an opportunity to improve urine tract infection diagnostic practices in healthcare settings.
Long-term ileoanal pouch survival after pouch urinary tract fistulae
Authors: Uchino T. , Lincango E. P. , Lavryk O. , Lipman J. , Wood H. , Angermeier K. , Steele S. R. , Hull T. L. , Holubar S. D.
Published: June 2024

Background

Ileoanal pouch is a demanding procedure with many potential technical complications including bladder or ureteral injury, while inflammation or stricture of the anastomosis or anal transition zone may lead to the formation of strictures and fistulae, including to the adjacent urethra. Pouch urinary tract fistulae are rare. We aimed to describe the presentation, diagnostic workup, and management of patients with pouch urinary at our center.

Methods

Our prospectively maintained pouch registry was queried using diagnostic codes and natural language processing free-text searches to identify ileoanal pouch patients diagnosed with any pouch-urinary tract fistula from 1997 to 2022. Descriptive statistics and pouch survival using Kaplan–Meier curves are presented. Numbers represent frequency (proportion) or median (range).

Results

Over 25 years, urinary fistulae were observed 27 pouch patients; of these, 16 of the index pouches were performed at our institution [rate 0.3% (16/5236)]. Overall median age was 42 (27–62) years, and 92.3% of the patients were male. Fistula locations included pouch-urethra in 13 patients (48.1%), pouch-bladder in 12 patients (44.4%), and anal-urethra in 2 (7.4%). The median time from pouch to fistula was 7.0 (0.3–38) years. Pouch excision and end ileostomy were performed in 12 patients (bladder fistula, n = 3; urethral fistula, n = 9), while redo ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) was performed in 5 patients (bladder fistula, n = 3; urethral fistula, n = 2). The 5-year overall pouch survival after fistula to the bladder was 58.3% vs. 33.3% with urethral fistulae (p = 0.25).

Conclusion

Pouch-urinary tract fistulae are a rare, morbid, and difficult to treat complication of ileoanal pouch that requires a multidisciplinary, often staged, surgical approach. In the long term, pouches with bladder fistulae were more likely to be salvaged than pouches with urethral fistulae.
Identification of lipid metabolism-related gene signature in the bone marrow microenvironment of multiple myelomas through deep analysis of transcriptomic data
Authors: Feng Dan , Wang Zhen , Cao Shengji , Xu Hui , Li Shijun
Published: June 2024

Dysregulated lipid metabolism in the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) plays a vital role in multiple myeloma (MM) development, progression, and drug resistance. However, the exact mechanism by which lipid metabolism impacts the BMM, promotes tumorigenesis, and triggers drug resistance remains to be fully elucidated.By analyzing the bulk sequencing and single-cell sequencing data of MM patients, we identified lipid metabolism-related genes differential expression significantly associated with MM prognosis, referred to as LMRPgenes. Using a cohort of ten machine learning algorithms and 117 combinations, LMRPgenes predictive models were constructed. Further exploration of the effects of the model risk score (RS) on the survival status, immune status of patients with BMM, and response to immunotherapy was conducted. The study also facilitated the identification of personalized therapeutic strategies targeting specified risk categories within patient cohorts.Analysis of the scRNA-seq data revealed increased lipid metabolism-related gene enrichment scores (LMESs) in erythroblasts and progenitor, malignant, and Tprolif cells but decreased LMESs in lymphocytes. LMESs were also strongly correlated with most of the 50 hallmark pathways within these cell populations. An elevated malignant cell ratio and reduced lymphocytes were observed in the high LMES group. Moreover, the LMRPgenes predictive model, consisting of 14 genes, showed great predictive power. The risk score emerged as an independent indicator of poor outcomes. Inverse relationships between the RS and immune status were noted, and a high RS was associated with impaired immunotherapy responses. Drug sensitivity assays indicated the effectiveness of bortezomib, buparlisib, dinaciclib, staurosporine, rapamycin, and MST-312 in the high-RS group, suggesting their potential for treating patients with high-RS values and poor response to immunotherapy. Ultimately, upon verification via qRT-PCR, we observed a significant upregulation of ACBD6 in NDMM group compared to the control group.Our research enhances the knowledge base regarding the association between lipid metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) and the BMM in MM patients, offering substantive insights into the mechanistic effects of the BMM mediated by LMRGs.

Graphical abstract
Morphological and functional evolution of gametophytes in epilithic Hymenasplenium murakami-hatanakae (Aspleniaceae): The fifth family capable of producing the independent gametophytes
Authors: Yoneoka Katsuhiro , Fujiwara Tao , Kataoka Toshifumi , Hori Kiyotaka , Ebihara Atsushi , Murakami Noriaki
Published: June 2024

The fern independent gametophytes that can maintain populations by vegetative reproduction without conspecific sporophytes have been considered an unusual phenomenon found in some epiphytic or epilithic species of Hymenophyllaceae, Pteridaceae, Lomariopsidaceae, and Polypodiaceae. By chance, the discovery of mysterious strap-like gametophytes on Izu-Oshima Island, Japan, has led to the hypothesis that Hymenasplenium murakami-hatanakae, a fern species belonging to Aspleniaceae, can also form independent gametophytes. Our investigation revealed gametophyte populations of H. murakami-hatanakae on three islands in the Izu Islands. Based on chloroplast DNA analysis of the gametophyte and sporophyte populations, the gametophytes were found to be maintained by vegetative reproduction without a new supply of spores from sporophytes. A comparison of the surrounding vegetation at the collection sites showed that environmental factors such as light and humidity may influence the maintenance of gametophyte populations. These results clearly show that H. murakami-hatanakae is one of the ferns capable of forming independent gametophytes. This is the first report of independent gametophytes from the suborder Aspleniineae (eupolypod II). The discovery of the independent gametophyte within a phylogenetic lineage previously thought not to form independent gametophytes will provide important insights into the morphological and functional evolution of gametophytes in ferns.
Improving the stochastic model for code pseudorange observations from Android smartphones
Authors: Bahadur Berkay , Schön Steffen
Published: June 2024

In recent years, there has been increasing attention to positioning, navigation, and timing applications with smartphones. Because of frequently disrupted carrier phase observations, code observations remain critical for smartphone-based positioning. Considering a realistic stochastic model is mandatory to obtain the utmost positioning performance, this study proposes a sound stochastic approach for code observations from Android smartphones. The proposed approach includes a modified version of the SIGMA-ɛ variance model with different coefficients for each GNSS constellation and a robust Kalman filter method. First the noise characteristics of observations from the Xiaomi Mi 8 smartphone are analyzed utilizing code-minus-phase combinations to estimate the coefficients for each GNSS constellation. This includes the determination of a variance model as well as a check of the probability distribution. Finally, the proposed approach is validated in the positioning domain using single-frequency code observation-based real-time standalone positioning. The results show that more than 95% of observations follow the normal distribution when the proposed approach is applied. Compared with the conventional stochastic approach, including a C/N0-dependent model and standard Kalman filter, it improves the positioning accuracy by 45.8% in a static experiment, while its improvement is equal to 26.6% in a kinematic experiment. For the static and kinematic experiments, in 50% of the epochs, the 3D positioning errors are smaller than 3.0 m and 3.4 m for the proposed stochastic approach. The results exhibit that the stochastic properties of code observations from smartphones can be successfully represented by the proposed approach.
Psychotherapeutische Interventionen im Rahmen der stationären Behandlung in Epilepsiezentren
Authors: Gleich Tobias , Hohmann Louisa , Füratsch Nora , Braun Katharina , Michaelis Rosa
Published: June 2024

Hintergrund

Epilepsie geht häufig mit hohen psychosozialen Belastungen einher; die Prävalenz komorbider psychischer Störungen ist entsprechend deutlich erhöht. Dissoziative Anfälle stellen zudem die wichtigste psychiatrische Differenzialdiagnose der Epilepsie dar. Die aktualisierte Epilepsieleitlinie empfiehlt die systematische diagnostische Einschätzung und Mitbehandlung von psychischen Beschwerden bei Menschen mit Anfällen.

Zielsetzung

In diesem Beitrag werden psychotherapeutische Interventionen im stationären epileptologischen Setting dargestellt.

Material und Methode

Wir beschreiben neben der praktischen Umsetzung die Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten psychotherapeutischer Interventionen beispielhaft anhand der Abläufe und Inhalte im Epilepsie-Zentrum Berlin-Brandenburg, Berlin und der Ruhr-Epileptologie Bochum.

Ergebnisse

Die Betroffenen erhalten ein auf ihre individuellen Bedürfnisse abgestimmtes, konzeptuell schulenübergreifendes Psychotherapieangebot. Abhängig von Erkrankungsphase und -dynamik sind unterschiedliche Themen, z. B. Krankheitsakzeptanz, psychosomatische Zusammenhänge, Ressourcenaktivierung o. Ä., bedeutsam. An der Schnittstelle zur poststationären Weiterbehandlung sind Motivationsförderung, Abbau von Vorbehalten bei Weiterbehandelnden und Vernetzung mit etwaigen weiterbehandelnden Einrichtungen wichtig.

Diskussion

Die Integration psychotherapeutischer Interventionen gewährleistet eine leitliniengemäße epileptologische Behandlung. Diese beinhaltet explizit auch die Versorgung von Menschen mit dissoziativen Anfällen. Das psychotherapeutische Angebot kann je nach Ressourcen der Kliniken unterschiedlich gestaltet werden. Die Organisation geht mit Chancen und Herausforderungen einher; ein intra- und interprofessioneller Austausch und Begleitevaluationen dienen der Optimierung und Qualitätssicherung.