bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Center of Fuzzy Strong Chordal Graphs
Authors: Shajitha A. , Sameena K.
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we established the concept of chordless path in a fuzzy graph, fuzzy strong chordal graph and studied some of its properties. Also we proved that the center of a connected fuzzy strong chordal graph is connected and it is again a fuzzy strong chordal graph.
Development of an initial normal-loading direct shear tester of discontinuities, with subsequent passive changes in local normal load/stiffness allowable, and an investigation of the shear behaviours of discontinuities
Authors: Hu Shengming , Gao Jianglin , Huang Lei , Zhang Zhichao , Huang Cheng , Zhang Sheng , Chen Fang , Yuan Zhihui , Su Yu
Published: May 2024

A widespread case of discontinuity shearing is found among local shallow rock blocks sliding along non-planer, rough, non-anchored discontinuities, which is characterized by an initial normal load in addition to free subsequent changes in local normal load/stiffness, provoked by shear dilatancy (INL). The existing direct shear apparatuses of rock discontinuities fitted for those cases are rare, and there is a lack of understanding of the shear behaviours of discontinuities under such INL boundary conditions. Here, we develop an INL direct shear tester of discontinuities for shear strength. This tester takes advantage of the direct shear test apparatus modified after the YZ-5 model without a servo-controlled system to permit the accomplishment of those boundary conditions. Shear behaviours of unfilled and infilled discontinuities under INL boundary conditions are investigated. Moreover, the possible influence of clay content on those shear behaviours of infilled discontinuities is clarified. The developed tester made it possible to test the shear performance of the local shallow rock blocks sliding along non-planer, rough, non-anchored discontinuities. This work contributes to a limited body of research on the shear behaviours of discontinuities under those INL boundary conditions. Limitations of this work are also revealed.
Self-Supervised Monocular Depth Estimation via Binocular Geometric Correlation Learning
Authors: Peng Bo , Sun Lin , Lei Jianjun , Liu Bingzheng , Shen Haifeng , Li Wanqing , Huang Qingming
Published: May 2024

Monocular depth estimation aims to infer a depth map from a single image. Although supervised learning-based methods have achieved remarkable performance, they generally rely on a large amount of labor-intensively annotated data. Self-supervised methods, on the other hand, do not require any annotation of ground-truth depth and have recently attracted increasing attention. In this work, we propose a self-supervised monocular depth estimation network via binocular geometric correlation learning. Specifically, considering the inter-view geometric correlation, a binocular cue prediction module is presented to generate the auxiliary vision cue for the self-supervised learning of monocular depth estimation. Then, to deal with the occlusion in depth estimation, an occlusion interference attenuated constraint is developed to guide the supervision of the network by inferring the occlusion region and producing paired occlusion masks. Experimental results on two popular benchmark datasets have demonstrated that the proposed network obtains competitive results compared to state-of-the-art self-supervised methods and achieves comparable results to some popular supervised methods.
A Novel Approach to Optimizing Convolutional Neural Networks for Improved Digital Image Segmentation
Authors: Xing Kongduo , Ku Junhua , Zhao Jie
Published: May 2024

To divide a digital image into individual parts that share similar characteristics is known as digital image segmentation, and it is a vital research subject in the field of computer vision. Object recognition, medical imaging, surveillance, and video processing are just a few of the many real-world contexts where this study could prove useful. While digital image segmentation research has come a long way, there are still certain obstacles to overcome. Segmentation algorithms frequently encounter challenges in achieving both accuracy and efficiency when confronted with intricate settings, noisy pictures, or fluctuating lighting conditions. The absence of established evaluation standards adds complexity to the process of performing equitable comparisons among different segmentation methodologies. Due to the subjective nature of photo segmentation, attaining consistent results among specialists can be challenging. The integration of machine learning and deep neural networks into segmentation algorithms has introduced new challenges, including the need for large amounts of annotated data and the interpretability of the outcomes. Given these challenges, the objective of this study is to enhance the segmentation model. To this end, this research suggests a model of convolutional neural networks that is optimal for digital picture segmentation. The model is based on a dense convolution neural network, and it incorporates a transfer learning technique to significantly boost the model’s robustness and the quality of picture segmentation. The model’s adaptability to new datasets is improved by the incorporation of a transfer learning method. As demonstrated by experimental results on two publicly available datasets, the suggested methodology considerably enhances the resilience of digital picture segmentation.
Single-Cell Analyses Reveal the Metabolic Heterogeneity and Plasticity of the Tumor Microenvironment during Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Progression
Authors: Meng Xiaoyan , Zheng Yang , Zhang Lingfang , Liu Peipei , Liu Zhonglong , He Yue
Published: May 2024

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer. In addition to metabolic alterations in the tumor cells, multiple other metabolically active cell types in the tumor microenvironment (TME) contribute to the emergence of a tumor-specific metabolic milieu. Here, we defined the metabolic landscape of the TME during the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by performing single-cell RNA sequencing on 26 human patient specimens, including normal tissue, precancerous lesions, early stage cancer, advanced-stage cancer, lymph node metastases, and recurrent tumors. The analysis revealed substantial heterogeneity at the transcriptional, developmental, metabolic, and functional levels in different cell types. SPP1+ macrophages were identified as a protumor and prometastatic macrophage subtype with high fructose and mannose metabolism, which was further substantiated by integrative analysis and validation experiments. An inhibitor of fructose metabolism reduced the proportion of SPP1+ macrophages, reshaped the immunosuppressive TME, and suppressed tumor growth. In conclusion, this work delineated the metabolic landscape of HNSCC at a single-cell resolution and identified fructose metabolism as a key metabolic feature of a protumor macrophage subpopulation.

Significance: Fructose and mannose metabolism is a metabolic feature of a protumor and prometastasis macrophage subtype and can be targeted to reprogram macrophages and the microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
The Circadian Clock Component RORA Increases Immunosurveillance in Melanoma by Inhibiting PD-L1 Expression
Authors: Liu Dandan , Wei Benliang , Liang Long , Sheng Yue , Sun Shengjie , Sun Xing , Li Maohua , Li Haobo , Yang Chaoying , Peng Yuanliang , Xie Yifang , Wen Chengcai , Chen Lu , Liu Xionghao , Chen Xiang , Liu Hong , Liu Jing
Published: May 2024

Circadian clock perturbation frequently occurs in cancer and facilitates tumor progression by regulating malignant growth and shaping the immune microenvironment. Emerging evidence has indicated that clock genes are disrupted in melanoma and linked to immune escape. Herein, we found that the expression of retinoic acid receptor–related orphan receptor-α (RORA) is downregulated in melanoma patients and that patients with higher RORA expression have a better prognosis after immunotherapy. Additionally, RORA was significantly positively correlated with T-cell infiltration and recruitment. Overexpression or activation of RORA stimulated cytotoxic T-cell–mediated antitumor responses. RORA bound to the CD274 promoter and formed an inhibitory complex with HDAC3 to suppress PD-L1 expression. In contrast, the DEAD-box helicase family member DDX3X competed with HDAC3 for binding to RORA, and DDX3X overexpression promoted RORA release from the suppressive complex and thereby increased PD-L1 expression to generate an inhibitory immune environment. The combination of a RORA agonist with an anti-CTLA4 antibody synergistically increased T-cell antitumor immunity in vivo. A score based on the combined expression of HDAC3, DDX3X, and RORA correlated with immunotherapy response in melanoma patients. Together, this study elucidates a mechanism of clock component–regulated antitumor immunity, which will help inform the use of immunotherapy and lead to improved outcomes for melanoma patients receiving combined therapeutic treatments.

Significance: RORA forms a corepressor complex to inhibit PD-L1 expression and activate antitumor T-cell responses, indicating that RORA is a potential target and predictive biomarker to improve immunotherapy response in melanoma patients.
Figure S5 from Synergy of EGFR and AURKA Inhibitors in KRAS-mutated Non–small Cell Lung Cancers
Authors: Bagnyukova Tetyana , Egleston Brian L. , Pavlov Valerii A. , Serebriiskii Ilya G. , Golemis Erica A. , Borghaei Hossein
Published: May 2024

Primary images for Fig.6C
FIGURE 5 from Synergy of EGFR and AURKA Inhibitors in KRAS-mutated Non–small Cell Lung Cancers
Authors: Bagnyukova Tetyana , Egleston Brian L. , Pavlov Valerii A. , Serebriiskii Ilya G. , Golemis Erica A. , Borghaei Hossein
Published: May 2024

Signaling patterns in KRASmut NSCLC xenografts after extended treatment with erlotinib and alisertib. Quantification of Western blot images for A549 tumors (A), with summary of analytes for which the result with the erlotinib+alisertib combination but not with any single drug differed significantly from the vehicle-treated control (B); data are presented as mean ± SEM, n = 4–8 mice. In A549, phospho-AURKA activity was determined by an MSD kit and normalized to the protein content; total AURKA was assessed by Western blotting. In H358, both AURKA forms were measured by Western blotting. Results as for A and B, but showing quantified data (C) and summary analysis (D) for H358 tumors. Primary Western blot data for both tumor models are shown in Supplementary Figs. S2 and S3. *, Significantly different from corresponding groups with P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; or ***, P < 0.001. Color of asterisks indicates comparison groups as follows: red, to control; orange, combination to erlotinib; green, combination to alisertib, purple, alisertib to erlotinib. C, vehicle; E, erlotinib; A, alisertib; EA, erlotinib + alisertib.
How Much Does Dysphagia Cost? Understanding the Additional Costs of Dysphagia for New Zealand in Patients Hospitalised with Stroke
Authors: Duncan Shnece , Menclova Andrea , Huckabee Maggie-Lee , Cadilhac Dominique A. , Ranta Anna
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Dysphagia (i.e., disordered swallowing) is a consequence of stroke. Existing literature on the marginal cost of dysphagia after stroke is limited and ignores long-term impacts. Our aim was to determine the marginal 12-month cost attributable to dysphagia, including health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impacts, among patients hospitalised with stroke in New Zealand. Methods: Secondary analysis of observational data from the REGIONS Care study, a national study from New Zealand of consecutively hospitalised patients with acute stroke between May 1, 2018, and October 30, 2018, including an outcome survey at 12 months among those who provided consent. Patients were identified as dysphagic if they received a swallow screen in hospital resulting in a speech language therapist review. Patients that required a nasogastric feeding tube in hospital were classified as “severe.” Optimal linear propensity score matching was utilised to provide a group of patients to compare with stroke and dysphagia. All costs were converted to 2021NZD. Results: Overall, of the 2,379 patients in the REGIONS cohort (51% male, median age: 78), 40% (944/2,379) were dysphagic (52% male, median age: 78), and 5% (111/2,379) were classified as severely dysphagic. Within 12 months of hospital discharge, dysphagia reduced HRQoL overall by 0.06 index points (95% CI: 0.028–0.100), and severe dysphagia by 0.12 index points (95% CI: 0.03–0.20). The estimated marginal 12-month cost attributable to stroke-related dysphagia was NZD 24,200 on average per patient. This estimate includes the additional hospitalisation costs (NZD 16,100), community rehabilitation services (NZD 570), hospital level aged residential care (NZD 4,030), and reduced HRQoL (NZD 3,470) over a 12-month period post-hospital discharge. The overall total marginal cost for those with severe dysphagia was NZD 34,000 per patient. Conclusion: We report cost estimates to 12 months from a national perspective on the additional costs and HRQoL outcomes of dysphagia for people hospitalised with stroke in New Zealand. Findings provide a novel contribution internationally since few prior studies have extended beyond the acute hospital phase of care. By quantifying the economic burden, we provide information to decision makers to improve dysphagia management strategies and ultimately enhance the overall HRQoL for people with stroke and dysphagia.
Salud desde las perspectivas indígena y occidental: el caso mapuche en Chile una mirada panorâmica
Authors: Arias Ortega Katerin , Valenzuela Toledo Andrea
Published: May 2024

El estudio expone una revisión del estado del arte sobre la concepción de salud desde las perspectivas indígena y occidental. Los materiales y métodos utilizados se circunscriben a un diseño cualitativo de tipo exploratorio y de carácter descriptivo, en el que, a través de una revisión de 51 artículos científicos, se problematiza acerca del objeto de estudio. Los resultados dan cuenta de la existencia de tensiones epistemológicas sobre la concepción de salud desde las perspectivas indígena y occidental. Concluimos que estas problemáticas han traído consigo un aumento en las desigualdades en la salud respecto al acceso a esta, según ubicación geográfica y territorial de la población indígena. Asimismo, discutimos sobre cómo la atención de salud en territorios indígenas se distingue por ser ofrecida con un carácter monocultural, aumentando la marginalización de la persona indígena. Sostenemos que es imperioso abordar las desigualdades de salud en el contexto indígena, tanto en el acceso a esta como en las formas de atención a los usuarios, desde una perspectiva intercultural.
O escritor e a essência literária
Authors: Fighera Adriana Claudia Martins
Published: May 2024

Criação literária de Adriana Claudia Martins.
O sublime e a fome
Authors: Rodrigues Júnior Edson José
Published: May 2024

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo investigar a manifestação do conceito de sublime – em suas várias facetas – em A fome: cenas da seca no Ceará (1890), romance de estreia do naturalista cearense Rodolfo Teófilo (1853 – 1932). Partindo da hipótese de que várias teorias do sublime se mesclam na prosa de Teófilo, traçamos, primeiramente, uma breve história do sublime enquanto conceito nos campos da estética e da crítica de arte para arcabouçar a análise da obra; para tanto, discutimos as contribuições de Longino (1996), Burke (1993), Kant (1995) e Schiller (2011) para a formação e a consolidação do conceito de sublime. A partir da análise literária, concluímos que o efeito estético arrebatador do sublime é a pedra de toque de A fome. Os sublimes dinâmico e matemático kantiano mesclam-se ao assombro burkeano e ao sublime patético schilleriano, resultando numa amálgama sui generis que reveste de grandeza e tragicidade o tormento dos sertanejos assolados pela seca mais devastadora da história nordestina.
Uma conversa sobre Antonio Candido
Authors: Franchetti Paulo
Published: May 2024

This brief essay addresses a relevant issue: the role of taste in the selection, description and interpretation of relevant literary events of the past. Consideration of the historicist training works signed by Antonio Candido – whether the fundamental work Formação da Literatura Brasileira, or the didactic Presença da Literatura Brasileira, carried out in partnership with José Aderaldo Castello – allows us to discern not only the operative literary taste, but its consequences for the valorization or devaluation of works and authors from the past. Another objective of this article is to provide elements to think about the permanence of this pattern of taste in later historical or critical works on Brazilian literature.
Desalienados no paraíso: um escrito póstumo de Simão Bacamarte
Authors: Brandão Edvaldo Ribeiro
Published: May 2024

Criação literária de Edvaldo Ribeiro Brandão.
2024 AHA/ACC/AMSSM/HRS/PACES/SCMR Guideline for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines
Authors: Ommen Steve R. , Ho Carolyn Y. , Asif Irfan M. , Balaji Seshadri , Burke Michael A. , Day Sharlene M. , Dearani Joseph A. , Epps Kelly C. , Evanovich Lauren , Ferrari Victor A. , Joglar José A. , Khan Sadiya S. , Kim Jeffrey J. , Kittleson Michelle M. , Krittanawong Chayakrit , Martinez Matthew W. , Mital Seema , Naidu Srihari S. , Saberi Sara , Semsarian Christopher , Times Sabrina , Waldman Cynthia Burstein
Published: May 2024

AIM:

The “2024 AHA/ACC/AMSSM/HRS/PACES/SCMR Guideline for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy” provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the management of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

METHODS:

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from September 14, 2022, to November 22, 2022, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline. Additional relevant studies, published through May 23, 2023, during the guideline writing process, were also considered by the writing committee and added to the evidence tables, where appropriate.

STRUCTURE:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy remains a common genetic heart disease reported in populations globally. Recommendations from the “2020 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy” have been updated with new evidence to guide clinicians.
Risk Factors for Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Genome-Wide Association Study and Mendelian Randomization Analyses
Authors: Larsson Susanna C. , Chen Jie , Gill Dipender , Burgess Stephen , Yuan Shuai
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND:

The genetic and nongenetic causes of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remain obscure. The present study aimed to uncover the genetic and modifiable risk factors for ICH.

METHODS:

We meta-analyzed genome-wide association study data from 3 European biobanks, involving 7605 ICH cases and 711 818 noncases, to identify the genomic loci linked to ICH. To uncover the potential causal associations of cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors with ICH, we performed Mendelian randomization analyses using genetic instruments identified in previous genome-wide association studies of the exposures and ICH data from the present genome-wide association study meta-analysis. We performed multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses to examine the independent associations of the identified risk factors with ICH and evaluate potential mediating pathways.

RESULTS:

We identified 1 ICH risk locus, located at the
APOE
genomic region. The lead variant in this locus was rs429358 (chr19:45411941), which was associated with an odds ratio of ICH of 1.17 (95% CI, 1.11–1.20;
P
=6.01×10
−11
) per C allele. Genetically predicted higher levels of body mass index, visceral adiposity, diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, and lifetime smoking index, as well as genetic liability to type 2 diabetes, were associated with higher odds of ICH after multiple testing corrections. Additionally, a genetic increase in waist-to-hip ratio and liability to smoking initiation were consistently associated with ICH, albeit at the nominal significance level (
P
<0.05). Multivariable Mendelian randomization analysis showed that the association between body mass index and ICH was attenuated on adjustment for type 2 diabetes and further that type 2 diabetes may be a mediator of the body mass index-ICH relationship.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings indicate that the
APOE
locus contributes to ICH genetic susceptibility in European populations. Excess adiposity, elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and smoking were identified as the chief modifiable cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors for ICH.
Shifting between Pragmatism and Ideology: Communist Czechoslovakia and Haile Selassie's Ethiopia during the Cold War, 1955–1974
Authors: Záhořík Jan
Published: May 2024

Czechoslovakia was one of the most active members of the Soviet bloc in sub-Saharan Africa, with a policy oscillating between euphoric activism and pragmatism. Officials in Prague sought to establish good relations with many African countries, generally on a pragmatic economic basis, as in the case of Ethiopia. The Czechoslovak Communists gave high priority to Ethiopia because of the country's strategic position and its long-standing cooperation with Czechoslovakia. Although ideological factors played some role, economic pragmatism was the dominant feature of Czechoslovak policy in Africa in the 1950s and early 1960s. Not until the mid-1960s did the Soviet Union become the primary architect of the Soviet bloc's “Africa policy.” After the 1974 coup in Ethiopia, which saw the overthrow of the Haile Selassie regime, Czechoslovakia's relations with Ethiopia markedly improved for both ideological and pragmatic reasons.
Breaking the Strategic Glass: The Carter Administration and Oman, 1977–1980
Authors: White John Bernell
Published: May 2024

When Jimmy Carter became the U.S. president in January 1977, the United States and Oman did not have any formal security arrangements, apart from occasional landings of U.S. military aircraft on Oman's Masirah Island. Although Oman's leader, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, hoped to establish closer security ties with the United States, the Carter administration chose to continue President Richard Nixon's policy of relying on the “twin pillars” of Iran and Saudi Arabia to reinforce Western security in the Persian/Arabian Gulf region. Oman remained mostly a strategic afterthought until a series of crises unfolded in the greater Middle East: a Communist coup in Afghanistan in April 1978, the fall of the Shah of Iran in January 1979, and a war between Marxist South Yemen and North Yemen shortly thereafter. In November 1979, Iranian terrorists backed by the Islamic regime stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and seized dozens of hostages. This was followed a month later by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. With the fall of the Shah and the collapse of the “twin pillars” policy, the Carter administration began a sustained effort to create a Rapid Deployment Force for the Middle East and to gain access to Oman's strategic military facilities. After several months of arduous negotiations, Carter and his team were able to conclude a Facilities Access Agreement with Oman in June 1980, a transformative process that gave Washington the ability to insert U.S. military personnel into the Gulf and Indian Ocean on a contingency basis. The Carter administration's effort stands as a significant achievement, converting Oman into the most reliable U.S. ally in the Gulf region in the 1980s.
Urban Green Space Research Progress and Hotspots Evolution Analysis: Visual Analysis based on WOS
Authors: Zhu Zhen , Cho Dong-gil
Published: May 2024

Background and objective: Over the past few decades, urban green space research has emerged as a pivotal field within urban planning, ecology, and environmental science, achieving substantial advancements. This study endeavors to elucidate the trajectory of development and evolving hotspots in urban green space research through a visual analysis of the Web of Science (WOS) database.Methods: This study employs CiteSpace software to visualize the dataset, encompassing the analysis of keywords, abstracts, institutions, authors, references, and more, presenting the knowledge structure graphically. Additionally, it utilizes the LLR tag extraction algorithm to generate a keyword co-occurrence map and conduct clustering and grouping.Results: The findings reveal that the preeminent contributors in urban green space research include Haase, Dagmar, and Nizamani, Mir Muhammad. Furthermore, the collaborative network among researchers underscores the significance of interdisciplinary and cross-border cooperation in advancing urban green space research. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies prevalent themes such as land surface temperature and health, highlighting the current focal points of urban green space research.Conclusion: This study discerns heightened attention to topics encompassing the thermal environment, ecosystem services, biodiversity, green space accessibility, and vegetation. These themes mirror societal concerns regarding the influence of urban green spaces on climate change and spatial planning, thereby delineating avenues for future research.
Factors Affecting the Willingness to Pay for Environmental Improvements during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
Authors: Lee Saem
Published: May 2024

Background and objective: This study aimed to assess satisfaction with environmental factors during the COVID-19 pandemic and key factors affecting the willingness to pay (WTP) for environmental improvements using logistic regression analysis.Methods: Cross-sectional survey data of 504 residents of Taean-gun in Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong Province), taken from July to August 2020, were used.Results: The assessment of their satisfaction with five environmental factors found that their satisfaction with the natural ecology had the highest score, while their satisfaction with the waste factor had the lowest score. With respect to overall environmental satisfaction, it was found that regardless of gender, age, and income, most residents were highly satisfied with the overall environment of Taean-gun (Taean County). In addition, the WTP for environmental improvements was slightly higher among males than among females. Residents in their 60s or older and with a monthly income of 4 - 4.99 million won were most likely to express WTP for environmental improvements. A binominal logit analysis found that increased environmental concerns (EC), satisfaction with environmental health (EHS) and income were crucial factors in determining the WTP for environmental health. The variables of increased EC and income, have a positive (+) relationship with WTP, while the variable of EHS has a significantly a negative (-) relationship with WTP.Conclusion: In other words, the higher the EC, the lower the EHS, and the higher the income, the more likely residents were to express WTP for environmental improvements. This study has significance in that it can provide primary data for sustainable local environmental plans to improve public environmental awareness for sustainability, and environmental strategies to prepare for post-pandemic life.
The Entropics of Discourse: the Nihilistic Teleology of Philipp Mainländer
Authors: Jensen Anthony K.
Published: May 2024

This article examines the teleological historical system of Philipp Mainländer, an under-researched 19th-century German philosopher in the Schopenhauerian tradition. From both theogonical and physical arguments, Mainländer endorses a theory of general entropy, whereby the sum of forces in the universe gradually expends itself to the point of annihilation. Consistent with this, Mainländer presents the course of history as the movement of individuals both politically and spiritually towards a paradoxical “willed will-lessness” in terms of a Socialist state and spiritual heaven.
Taxonomic studies in Wedelia (Asteraceae, Heliantheae) reveal a new species for the Brazilian Cerrado
Authors: DE A. BRINGEL JR. JOÃO BERNARDO , ALVES MARIA , ROQUE NÁDIA
Published: May 2024

Wedelia is the largest genus of Ecliptinae (Heliantheae, Asteraceae), comprising about 110 species. The Brazilian Cerrado is a highly threatened phytogeographic domain, which harbors the richest flora in the world among other savannas. A new subshrubby species of Wedelia was revealed occurring in the central part of Cerrado and is herein described as W. tenuinervia. This new species resembles W. foliacea in vegetative traits but differs mainly by having leaves with brochidodromous venation, pistillate ray flowers, glandular trichomes on the abaxial surface of the leaf blade, corolla lobes and apical anther appendages, phyllaries abaxial surface strigillose and disc cypselae 4–5-angled, keeled at the angles, without basal scars or elaiosomes, and carpopodium inconspicuous (vs. acrodromous venation, neuter ray flower, abaxial surface of the leaf blade, corolla lobes and apical anther appendage lacking glandular trichomes, phyllaries abaxial surface setose or glabrescent, and disc cypselae biconvex, not keeled, with basal scars or elaiosomes, and carpopodium in two plates or one shallowly lobed). Among the species with pistillate ray flowers, W. tenuinervia can be morphologically related to W. oligocephala, differing mainly by the membranaceous leaf blades with flat margins, brochidodromous venation, and solitary capitula (vs. subcoriaceous leaf blades with revolute margins, acrodromous venation and capitula in dichasia). Illustrations, comments, a preliminary conservation status, and the typification of W. foliacea’s synonyms are proposed.
New species and new records of millipedes of the genera Nepalmatoiulus Mauriès, 1983 and Anaulaciulus Pocock, 1895 (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae) from mainland China
Authors: MIKHALJOVA ELENA V.
Published: May 2024

Four new species of the millipede genus Nepalmatoiulus Mauriès, 1983 and one of Anaulaciulus Pocock, 1895 (Julida, Julidae) are described from Yunnan Province in China: N. davidiani sp. nov., N. jianchuanensis sp. nov., N. lancangensis sp. nov., N. shiguensis sp. nov. and A. shibaensis sp. nov. New faunistic records are given for N. deqenensis Mikhaljova, 2020b and N. tuoxiaensis Mikhaljova, 2023a. Taxonomic remarks are provided for nearly all new species. The occurence of Anaulaciulus inaequipes Enghoff, 1986 in China is being questioned.
Another new micro-endemic, limestone-dwelling leaf-toed gecko (Gekkonidae: Dixonius) from Phetchaburi Province, western Thailand
Authors: DONBUNDIT NATTASUDA , SUMONTHA MONTRI , SUTHANTHANGJAI MANEERAT , SUTHANTHANGJAI WINAI , PAUWELS OLIVIER S. G.
Published: May 2024

We describe Dixonius chotjuckdikuli sp. nov. from Khao Ebid (Mount Ibit), Khao Yoi District, Phetchaburi Province, western Thailand. The new, limestone-dwelling species differs from all currently recognized species of Dixonius by the following combination of morphological characters and pattern: maximal known snout-vent length of 45.6 mm, 18 (rarely 16) longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; 31 to 34 paravertebral scales; 18 (rarely 16) longitudinal rows of ventral scales across the abdomen; 20 to 22 interciliary scales; 5 or 6 precloacal pores in males, no pores in females; a marked canthal stripe extending beyond the shoulder; and a blotched dorsal pattern in males, females and juveniles. This description brings the number of Dixonius species to 17, among which seven species are endemic to Thailand.
Two new species of Nematoda: Gairleanema pulchra sp. nov. (Tripyloididae) and Axonolaimus dimorphous sp. nov. (Axonolaimidae) from the Yellow Sea, China
Authors: LIANG HUIXIN , GUO WEN , WANG CHUNMING
Published: May 2024

Two new species of Nematoda, Gairleanema pulchra sp. nov. and Axonolaimus dimorphous sp. nov. are described from Rizhao coast, the Yelllow Sea. Gairleanema pulchra sp. nov. is characterized by six inner labial setae with bulbous swelling, six long outer labial setae and four short cephalic setae in one circle, amphidial fovea oval-shaped, spicules L-shaped with proximal end slightly cephalated, gubernaculum boat shaped with proximal end hooked anteriorly, seven oval-shaped precloacal supplements and tail conico-cylindrical. With the species description here two species are considered valid now in genus Gairleanema. Axonolaimus dimorphous sp. nov. is characterized by four long cephalic setae, amphidial fovea elongated loop in males and loop-shaped in females, spicules arcuated, gubernaculum with dorsal apophysis slightly directed to caudal position and tail conico-cylindrical with caudal setae. With the species description here 34 species are considered valid now in genus Axonolaimus.
The Responsibility to Protect: International Conservationists, Decolonization and Authoritarianism in the DR Congo, 1960–75
Authors: Kniewel Jan-Niklas
Published: May 2024

As colonial rule in the Congo neared its end, western conservationists grew concerned about the potential collapse of the national parks left behind by Belgium. However, despite half a decade of political turmoil following independence, the nature reserves in the central African country survived. The Second Republic under Mobutu then ushered in a new era for the parks. Lobbied by international conservationists, the autocrat authorized harsh repressive measures against ‘intruders’ and established four new national parks. This created or exacerbated conflicts that still breed violence today. Drawing on archival documents from leading conservation organizations, this article examines the evolution of the Congo's nature protection regime during the crucial 15 years following independence. Thus, it contributes to a growing body of studies critically assessing the role of nongovernmental organizations in shaping contemporary Africa. As I will demonstrate in this article, some international experts swiftly recognized decolonization as an opportunity. To promote authoritarian measures in the parks, they exploited nationalist sentiments and the Mobutu regime's quest for international recognition. Consequently, violence became further normalized as a means of conservation in the Congo.
Efficacy of Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Hong Kong University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Pan Jia-Yan , Carlbring Per , Lu Lucy
Published: May 2024

Purpose: This study examined the efficacy of a 10-week internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program “REST Online” for Hong Kong university students with mild to moderate levels of psychological distress. Method: A total of 206 Hong Kong university students were randomized into: (1) web-based and (2) app-based iCBT, and (3) waitlist control (WLC) groups. Results: Compared with the WLC group, the participants in the two iCBT groups showed a significant reduction in psychological distress, depression and anxiety symptoms, and negative thoughts and emotions, and significant increase in positive thoughts and emotions, with medium to large effect sizes. The positive effects were sustained at the 3-month follow-up test. No significant intervention effects were found between the two iCBT groups except for anxiety symptoms. Discussion: The findings were discussed in terms of program design and service delivery, and suggestions for delivering digital mental health service in Hong Kong universities were proposed.
Affecting the future: A multi-method qualitative text and discourse analysis of emotions in Australian news reporting on climate change and climate anxiety
Authors: Olson Rebecca E. , Smith Alexandra , McKenzie Jordan , Patulny Roger , Bellocchi Alberto
Published: May 2024

Eco-anxiety and associated emotions are on the rise. International estimates range from 25–68% prevalence. Australians now regard climate change as their top concern for the future, with some young people reconsidering their intentions to become parents. The emotional sequela from climate change is becoming clearer. How it is conceptualised, responded to, and reinforced within public discourse requires further consideration. This paper presents a multi-method qualitative text and discourse analysis of Australian online news articles published in 2022 reporting on emotions and our ecological future. Drawing on sociological theories of emotions and Foucauldian conceptualisations of discourse, we present insights into the potency of emotions and discourses within online news media. We identify four differing conceptualisations of emotions, interpret what these discourses can do, and conclude with ways in which the public can reclaim agency in resisting discourses that engender passivity in the context of future ecological threats.
Audience evaluations of news videos made with various levels of automation: A population-based survey experiment
Authors: Thurman Neil , Stares Sally , Koliska Michael
Published: May 2024

The use of automation in news content creation is expanding from the written to the audio-visual medium with news organizations including Reuters turning to video automation services provided by companies such as Wibbitz. Although researchers have explored audience perceptions of text-based news automation, to date no published study has examined how news consumers perceive automated news videos. We conducted a between-subjects online survey experiment to compare how a socio-demographically representative sample ( n = 4200) of online news consumers in the UK perceived human-made, partly automated, and highly automated short-form online news videos on 14 different story topics. Our findings show that human-made videos received on average more favourable responses on some evaluation variables, although the differences were not large. We also found some significant differences in the relative evaluation of automated and human-made news videos across different individual stories. For practitioners our results suggest partly automated news videos with post-automation human editing can be well received. For researchers our results show the need to use reasonably large sets of experimental stimuli, and suggest that ensuring socio-demographic variation within samples of respondents is worthwhile.
Need for consensus on primary end points and efficacy definitions in trials for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Wieduwilt Matthew J.
Published: May 2024

The lack of consensus on acceptable primary end points and definitions of response and survival in phase 2/3 efficacy studies for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia has led to widely different clinical trial designs. Inconsistency in primary end point selection and lack of consensus on response, survival end points, and adequate follow-up time lead to difficulty in interpreting completed studies and developing future trials. The lack of consensus also runs the risk of integrating ineffective or unacceptably toxic regimens into clinical practice and future trials. Increasingly, studies integrating highly active, targeted agents into chemotherapy use short-term end points of response, measurable residual disease–negative response, and early event-free survival without confidence that these end points will translate into improved late patient outcomes. This article highlights the current consequences and dilemmas caused by this lack of consensus. The hope is to stimulate discussion and ultimately consensus to improve the interpretation and application of clinical trial results.
Listeria brain abscess: a therapeutically challenging rare presentation of listeriosis
Authors: Bristowe Henrietta , Dissanayake Kishan , Chandra Julie , Arias Mauricio
Published: May 2024

We report a very rare case of Listeria multiple brain abscesses manifested as delirium, which represented diagnostic and therapeutic challenges overcome only by the close cooperation between Infectious Diseases and Neuroradiology, without which a satisfactory outcome would not be achieved.

An elderly man presented with confusion and drowsiness with a background of type-II diabetes mellitus. Although computed tomography of the brain only showed frontal lobe oedema, contrast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed numerous irregular rim-enhancing lesions containing central diffusion restriction, suggesting multiple pyogenic cerebral abscesses of unclear aetiology. Thereafter, Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from blood cultures, suggesting this as the causative organism. Deemed unsuitable for neurosurgical drainage, the patient received medical management with a protracted course of antibiotics. This case was extremely challenging, due to 1) the impossibility of source control, 2) the small number of effective antibiotics available to treat this condition, and 3) the inevitable antibiotic side-effects, derived from long-term exposure. A successful outcome was only possible thanks to strict close multidisciplinary follow up, requiring frequent MR imaging and a judicious antibiotic choice, including monitoring of their side-effects. Due to the rarity of this condition, there is lack of guidance on its management, hence the importance of multidisciplinary involvement with very close imaging and antibiotic monitoring.
Association between NDUFS1 from urinary extracellular vesicles and decreased differential renal function in children with ureteropelvic junction obstruction
Authors: Bu Lingyun , Zhang Lingling , Wang Xiaoqing , Du Guoqiang , Wu Rongde , Liu Wei
Published: May 2024

Background

Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is the most common cause of pediatric congenital hydronephrosis, and continuous kidney function monitoring plays a role in guiding the treatment of UPJO. In this study, we aimed to explore the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the urinary extracellular vesicles(uEVs) of children with UPJO and determine potential biomarkers of uEVs proteins that reflect kidney function changes.

Methods

Preoperative urine samples from 6 unilateral UPJO patients were collected and divided into two groups: differential renal function (DRF) ≥ 40% and DRF < 40%.We subsequently used data-independent acquisition (DIA) to identify and quantify uEVs proteins in urine, screened for DEPs between the two groups, and analyzed biofunctional enrichment information. The proteomic data were evaluated by Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a new UPJO testing cohort.

Results

After one-way ANOVA, a P adj value < 0.05 (P-value corrected by Benjamin–Hochberg) was taken, and the absolute value of the difference multiple was more than 1.5 as the screening basis for obtaining 334 DEPs. After analyzing the enrichment of the DEPs according to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment combined with the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network results, we selected nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit S1 (NDUFS1) for further detection. The expression of NDUFS1 in uEVs was significantly lower in patients with DRF < 40% (1.182 ± 0.437 vs. 1.818 ± 0.489, P < 0.05), and the expression level of NDUFS1 was correlated with the DRF in the affected kidney (r = 0.78, P < 0.05). However, the NDUFS1 concentration in intravesical urine was not necessarily related to the change in DRF (r = 0.28, P = 0.24).

Conclusions

Reduced expression of NDUFS1 in uEVs might indicate the decline of DRF in children with UPJO.
Glycometabolism and lipid metabolism related genes predict the prognosis of endometrial carcinoma and their effects on tumor cells
Authors: Lin Xuefen , Zheng Jianfeng , Cai Xintong , Liu Li , Jiang Shan , Liu Qinying , Sun Yang
Published: May 2024

Background

Glycometabolism and lipid metabolism are critical in cancer metabolic reprogramming. The primary aim of this study was to develop a prognostic model incorporating glycometabolism and lipid metabolism-related genes (GLRGs) for accurate prognosis assessment in patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC).

Methods

Data on gene expression and clinical details were obtained from publicly accessible databases. GLRGs were obtained from the Genecards database. Through nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering, molecular groupings with various GLRG expression patterns were identified. LASSO Cox regression analysis was employed to create a prognostic model. Use rich algorithms such as GSEA, GSVA, xCELL ssGSEA, EPIC,CIBERSORT, MCPcounter, ESTIMATE, TIMER, TIDE, and Oncoppredict to analyze functional pathway characteristics of the forecast signal, immune status, anti-tumor therapy, etc. The expression was assessed using Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR techniques. A total of 113 algorithm combinations were combined to screen out the most significant GLRGs in the signature for in vitro experimental verification, such as colony formation, EdU cell proliferation, wound healing, apoptosis, and Transwell assays.

Results

A total of 714 GLRGs were found, and 227 of them were identified as prognostic-related genes. And ten GLRGs (AUP1, ESR1, ERLIN2, ASS1, OGDH, BCKDHB, SLC16A1, HK2, LPCAT1 and PGR-AS1) were identified to construct the prognostic model of patients with EC. Based on GLRGs, the risk model’s prognosis and independent prognostic value were established. The signature of GLRGs exhibited a robust correlation with the infiltration of immune cells and the sensitivity to drugs. In cytological experiments, we selected HK2 as candidate gene to verify its value in the occurrence and development of EC. Western blot and qRT-PCR revealed that HK2 was substantially expressed in EC cells. According to in vitro experiments, HK2 knockdown can increase EC cell apoptosis while suppressing EC cell migration, invasion, and proliferation.

Conclusion

The GLRGs signature constructed in this study demonstrated significant prognostic value for patients with endometrial carcinoma, thereby providing valuable guidance for treatment decisions.
Functional connectivity is linked to working memory differences in children with reading learning disability
Authors: Flores-Gallegos Rodrigo , Fernández Thalía , Alcauter Sarael , Pasaye Erick , Albarrán-Cárdenas Lucero , Barrera-Díaz Bertha , Rodríguez-Leis Paulina
Published: May 2024

Reading learning disability (RLD) is characterized by a specific difficulty in learning to read that is not better explained by an intellectual disability, lack of instruction, psychosocial adversity, or a neurological disorder. According to the domain-general hypothesis, a working memory deficit is the primary problem. Working memory in this population has recently been linked to altered resting-state functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and frontoparietal network (FPN) compared to that in typically developing individuals. The main purpose of the present study was to compare the within-network functional connectivity of the DMN, SN, FPN, and reading network in two groups of children with RLD: a group with lower-than-average working memory (LWM) and a group with average working memory (AWM). All subjects underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and data were analyzed from a network perspective using the network brain statistics framework. The results showed that the LWM group had significantly weaker connectivity in a network that involved brain regions in the DMN, SN, and FPN than the AWM group. Although there was no significant difference between groups in reading network in the present study, other studies have shown relationship of the connectivity of the angular gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, and inferior parietal lobe with the phonological process of reading. The results suggest that although there are significant differences in functional connectivity in the associated networks between children with LWM and AWM, the distinctive cognitive profile has no specific effect on the reading network.