bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of jamblang leaf in drinking water on physical quality, lactic acid bacteria population and intestinal villi histology of broiler chickens
Authors: Allaily  , Wajizah Sitti , Wahyudi Indra , Ilham  , Hidayat Taufik , Samadi
Published: June 2023

This research was conducted aiming to find alternative antibiotics using local plants that are rich in antioxidants. The antioxidant content in plants is used as a feed additive and as an alternative to antibiotics, so that livestock products are safe from antibiotic residues. Jamblang leaf is one of the potential typical plants in Aceh which is expected to be used as an alternative to antibiotics in broiler cultivation. The study used 4 treatments of jamblang extract given into drinking water. P0 used drinking water without jamblang extract, P1 used 0.25 g/L drinking water, P2 used 0.5 g/L drinking water, P3 used 1 g/L drinking water. The study used a completely randomized design (CRD) with 4 treatments and each treatment was repeated 3 times with a total of 5 chickens per replication. The parameters measured were the physical quality of the intestinal villi (height of the intestinal villi, lumen thickness and number of glands), the population of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the digestive tract, and the histological condition of the intestinal villi of broiler chickens. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. The results showed that the treatment had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the physical quality of the intestinal villi, but the treatment significantly (P<0.05) decreased the LAB population in the P2 treatment. The condition of the intestinal villi due to the treatment still stood upright compared to the control. In conclusion, jamblang extract given into drinking water has not been able to improve the physical appearance of the intestinal villi and tends to reduce the LAB population in the intestinal tract.
Physical quality of vegetable tannery of tilapia leather during storage
Authors: Jhouhanggir D I P , Pertiwingrum A , Pastawan V
Published: June 2023

Tilapia leather will be stored for several months to be used as production stock. This research was carried out by a vegetable tannery of tilapia leather that was stored for various times at room temperature. The vegetable tanning materials used are mimosa and syntan. This research aims to determine the effect of various storage times on the physical quality of vegetable tannery of tilapia leather. Storage variations of 0, 3 and 6 months were used in this research. The parameter of tensile strength, elongation and shrinkage temperature as physical quality was observed in triplicates. Based on the results, tensile strength and leather elongation were significantly affected, while the shrinkage temperature was not significantly affected. In conclusion, the variations of storage time caused the decreasing vegetable tannery of tilapia leather quality that can be used for reference about the length of storage time that can still be tolerated to maintain the quality of vegetable tannery of tilapia leather as the leather product commercial.
Quality and organoleptic test of beef nuggets with tempeh flour substitution
Authors: Abubakar A , Frima C A , Silvia V , Fitri C A , Hanum Z , Mariana E
Published: June 2023

Nugget is one of the processed meat products made from meat, adhesives, spices and ice cubes. Processing meat into nuggets is one way to extend the shelf life of meat, to save the nutritional value and taste of meat because the nutrients in meat are generally easily damaged during storage and distribution. Making nuggets with tempeh flour substitution aims to determine the effect of tempeh flour substitution on water holding capacity, fat content, protein content and organoleptic in beef nuggets and the resulting nuggets are expected to improve the quality and quality of processed beef and tempeh flour products. The study used a completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments, each treatment consisting of four replications so that 20 experimental units were obtained. The treatments were P0 (0% tempeh flour, 100% beef), P1 (10% tempeh flour, 90% beef), P2 (20% tempeh flour, 80% beef), P3 (30% tempeh flour, 70% beef), P4 (40% tempeh flour, 60% beef). Parameters measured include water holding capacity, fat content, protein quality and organoleptic. The results showed that substitution of tempeh flour in beef nuggets had a significant effect (P<0.05) on water holding capacity, while it had a very significant effect (P<0.01) on fat content and protein quality. Furthermore, giving tempeh flour to levels of 30% and 40% can reduce the organoleptic taste, texture, aroma, color and preference of beef nuggets. Therefore, the substitution of tempeh flour meets the Indonesian National Standard (INS). Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that substitution of tempeh flour with different percentages in beef nuggets increased the fat content, protein quality, and water holding capacity of the resulting nuggets.
Study of sewage wells’ contamination with intestinal bacteria in the city of Misurata, Libya
Authors: Drah M M , Lahmer R A , Yunita D
Published: June 2023

Groundwater pollution, and the same pollution with sewage water resulting from improperdisposal by correct scientific methods, is one of the most dangerous environmental disastersthat affect humans in particular and the environment in general, as groundwater is considered one of the most important water resources, especially in the dry and semi-arid surface areas. Study of the contamination of groundwater wells withE. colibacteria in a number of ground wells, 70 wells in one of the regions in the city of Misurata. Samples were collected and measured TDS and grown on a special medium compact dry and incubated for 24 hours at 37 C and another 24 hours at a temperature of 44 C. The results showed that 27 wells (38.5%) out of 70 wells were contaminated withE. colibacteria, andthis is an indication of the risk of spreading contamination with colon bacteria compared tothe sample size. From the foregoing, the study concluded that the high rate of contamination of well water with coliform bacteria is due to the lack of a system to treat black water and dispose of it in a random manner.
Effect of dose of NPK fertilizer on attack intensity of Leptocorisa acuta and lowland rice production
Authors: Pramayudi N , Zurrahmah U , Sapdi
Published: June 2023

Rice is a strategic commodity for Indonesia. NPK fertilizer is a compound fertilizer with fast absorption, accelerates flowering, fruiting, flowering process and stimulates shoot growth. The pest that often attacks rice is Leptocorisa acuta which sucks the grain in the ripening phase and sucks the grain until it is empty or filling is not full, resulting in a decrease in production. This study used a non-factorial Randomized Block Design with 8 replications and 3 treatments of NPK fertilizer doses which included NPK P1 fertilizer: 100 kg/ha; P2: 200 kg/ha NPK fertilizer and P3: 300 kg/ha NPK fertilizer. The results showed that the application of several doses of NPK fertilizer had no significant effect on the intensity of L. acuta attack due to an increase in population. The highest population of L. acuta was found in the application of 100 kg/ha NPK fertilizer with an average of 17.50 individuals. The increase in new individuals is influenced by the availability of feed and pest control is not carried out. The application of several doses of NPK fertilizer did not significantly affect rice production, due to the high intensity of L. acuta attack which caused a decrease in rice production.
Farmers coping strategies to climate change in sustainable Arabica coffee production
Authors: Karim A , Syakur S , Hifnalisa H
Published: June 2023

Geographical Indications of Gayo Arabica coffee is currently faced with various challenges, including climate change, causing stagnation and, eventually, a decline in productivity. This research aims to determine the strategies adopted by farmers in dealing with climate change, to increase and maintain Gayo coffee productivity. The research was conducted in the Gayo Highlands, particularly in Aceh Tengah, Bener Meriah, and Gayo Lues districts, in three stages, including; (1) a study of the Gayo coffee GI area, (2) climate change study, and (3) a study of farmers’ strategies for dealing with climate change, using field observation surveys and interviews with farmers. The results reveal that the GI of Gayo arabica coffee has been mapped since its designation in 2010. Additionally, both rainfall and temperature have changed since the 1980s, and climate change (particularly temperature) has resulted in habitat shifting for the cultivation of arabica coffee clones, coffee berry borer infestations, and a decrease in coffee productivity. Farmers in the Gayo Arabica coffee GI area address climate change by implementing a strategy to create a microclimate through adaptation and mitigation. These include efforts to adapt coffee clones to their growing habitat, creating a microclimate by planting coffee and denser shade, covering the soil surface to minimize evaporation, and reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide gas and greenhouse gas emissions in the air by using locally sourced organic matter as fertilizer.
Sustainable food garden program in urban farming, Banda Aceh
Authors: Effikayana E , Hakim L
Published: June 2023

Social Impact Assessment aims to help individuals, groups or communities to understand impacts that have occurred and are likely to occur. The purpose of this research to analyze the supporting and inhibiting factors of social impact assessment on the effectiveness of the sustainable food garden program and to analyze the social impact assessment process that can be applied to the effectiveness of the sustainable food garden program in Banda Aceh City. The research method uses a descriptive qualitative approach. The data used in this study comes from previous literature research. The aims and objectives of P2L activities are to increase the availability, accessibility and utilization of household food through diverse, balanced and safe food needs, as well as to increase household income through market-oriented food supply In this case, want to see how far the implementation of the social impact assessment has on the effectiveness of the Sustainable Food Garden Program implemented in Banda Aceh City The results of the study can be seen that the Sustainable Food Garden Program in Banda Aceh City is less effective due to aspects of the urban community who are not farmers, motivation, intensity of counseling and low levels of independence, food adequacy, while in terms of participation in planting the ability to grow crops is already good. From the results of measuring the effectiveness of the sustainable food garden program itself, it can be seen that program sustainability and food self-sufficiency are relatively low while the ability to cultivate crops is relatively good.
Machine learning using magnetic stochastic synapses
Authors: Ellis Matthew O A , Welbourne Alexander , Kyle Stephan J , Fry Paul W , Allwood Dan A , Hayward Thomas J , Vasilaki Eleni
Published: June 2023

The impressive performance of artificial neural networks has come at the cost of high energy usage and CO2 emissions. Unconventional computing architectures, with magnetic systems as a candidate, have potential as alternative energy-efficient hardware, but, still face challenges, such as stochastic behaviour, in implementation. Here, we present a methodology for exploiting the traditionally detrimental stochastic effects in magnetic domain-wall motion in nanowires. We demonstrate functional binary stochastic synapses alongside a gradient learning rule that allows their training with applicability to a range of stochastic systems. The rule, utilising the mean and variance of the neuronal output distribution, finds a trade-off between synaptic stochasticity and energy efficiency depending on the number of measurements of each synapse. For single measurements, the rule results in binary synapses with minimal stochasticity, sacrificing potential performance for robustness. For multiple measurements, synaptic distributions are broad, approximating better-performing continuous synapses. This observation allows us to choose design principles depending on the desired performance and the device’s operational speed and energy cost. We verify performance on physical hardware, showing it is comparable to a standard neural network.
Thoracic Aortic Injuries Following Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Placement: A Retrospective Case Series
Authors: Kiernan Zachary , Wu Kainuo , Chaturvedi Abhishek , Kontos Michael C. , Roberts Charlotte S. , Shah Keyur , Quader Mohammed
Published: June 2023

OBJECTIVES:

Thoracic aortic injuries from intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) are rare, and no publications exist in the context of patients awaiting heart transplantation. We present a single-institution case series involving five patients out of 107 who sustained thoracic aortic injuries following IABP placement awaiting heart transplantation. The goal of this study is to describe the characteristics of patients, presenting symptoms, treatment and the impact of these injuries on their suitability for transplantation.

DESIGN:

Retrospective, single-institution study through chart review of five patients with known thoracic aortic injuries following IABP placement awaiting heart transplant.

SETTING:

Tertiary care academic teaching hospital with all patients requiring cardiac ICU admission.

PATIENTS:

All five patients were diagnosed with advanced heart failure awaiting heart transplantation.

INTERVENTIONS:

Each patient had an IABP placed while awaiting transplant.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

Five patients (4.6%) out of a total of 107 supported with IABP awaiting heart transplantation were identified with thoracic aortic injury. Three underwent transplantation and subsequently received thoracic endovascular aortic repair, and they are doing well with a mean follow-up of 6 months. One patient died acutely and the other did not require intervention.

CONCLUSIONS:

IABP-related aortic injuries may be more common in patients awaiting transplantation and that endovascular therapy is a suitable treatment modality with no immediate impact on transplantation outcomes. Pooled data from multiple centers may help identify patients risk profile to potentially design an algorithm that can more quickly identify these injuries.
Does use of long-term aspirin impact outcomes in patients with acute pancreatitis?
Authors: Chaudhry Hunza , Sohal Aalam , Dukovic Dino , Kohli Isha , Sharma Raghav , Singla Piyush , Prajapati Devang , Yang Juliana
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Although the effect of rectal indomethacin in post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis is well established, the effect of aspirin on acute pancreatitis (AP) is not well studied. We investigate the effect of aspirin on AP.

Methods

We collected data from the National Inpatient Sample database from 2016 to 2020, to identify adult patients with acute pancreatitis. Patients were stratified into 2 groups, based on the presence of aspirin use. The primary outcome was mortality, while other outcomes were sepsis, shock, acute kidney injury (AKI), ICU admission, deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), portal vein thrombosis (PVT), pseudocyst and ileus.

Results

A total of 2.09 million patients met the inclusion criteria, of which 197 170 (9.41%) had long-term aspirin use. The majority of the patients with aspirin use were aged >65 years, male, White and had Medicare insurance. There was a higher incidence of biliary pancreatitis while rates of alcohol-induced pancreatitis were lower in patients with aspirin use. There was a lower incidence of mortality, sepsis, shock, PE, DVT, PVT and pseudocyst in patients with aspirin use. There was no difference in the incidence of ileus, while the incidence of AKI was higher. After adjusting for confounding factors, patients with aspirin use had a 23.6% lower risk of mortality.

Discussion

Our results reveal a significant finding of aspirin’s protective effect on AP in the US population. Our study is the largest study revealing an association between aspirin and AP. Further studies assessing the role of aspirin use in AP are warranted.
Gynecological Cancer Survivors’ Experiences and Desire for Follow-up After Recent Treatment
Authors: Breistig Sigrund , Thorkildsen Kari Marie , Tveit Sekse Ragnhild Johanne
Published: June 2023

Background

Gynecological cancer survivors experience a variety of challenges after discharge from hospital treatment. Cancer support and rehabilitation are recognized as significant facilitators for quality of life in survivorship but are reported to be insufficient by gynecological cancer survivors.

Objective

To describe the lived experiences of gynecological cancer survivors and how their needs for follow-up should be met following recently completed treatment.

Method

This study used a phenomenological hermeneutic design with individual in-depth interviews with 20 women after recently completed cancer treatment. Transcribed interviews were analyzed with the Lindseth and Norberg phenomenological hermeneutic method.

Results

Four themes were identified: “a brutal transition to life after cancer,” “fear of recurrence overshadowing the existence,” “a need for professional support,” and “information is not given unless asked for.”

Conclusion

After completing gynecological cancer treatment, the fear of cancer recurrence is dominating, regardless of prognosis and diagnosis. At the same time, information and support from healthcare professionals are described as lacking. Participants expressed a need to be contacted directly as a formal routine by healthcare professionals after cancer treatment with cancer-specific information as this may alleviate the existential suffering that the cancer experience brings.

Implications for clinical practice

A person-centered, systematic follow-up rehabilitation is needed as a continuation of the care provided during cancer treatment. Future research is needed to explore the impact on women’s quality of life when gynecologic-specific information is given in advance of hospital discharge after completing treatment.
Application of Artificial Intelligence in Oncology Nursing
Authors: Zhou Tianji , Luo Yuanhui , Li Juan , Zhang Hanyi , Meng Zhenyu , Xiong Wenjin , Zhang Jingping
Published: June 2023

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly used in healthcare during the last decade, and recent applications in oncology nursing have shown great potential in improving care for patients with cancer. It is timely to comprehensively synthesize knowledge about the progress of AI technologies in oncology nursing.

Objective

The aims of this study were to synthesize and evaluate the existing evidence of AI technologies applied in oncology nursing.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted based on the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and later improved by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Six English databases and 3 Chinese databases were searched dating from January 2010 to November 2022.

Results

A total of 28 articles were included in this review—26 in English and 2 in Chinese. Half of the studies used a descriptive design (level VI). The most widely used AI technologies were hybrid AI methods (28.6%) and machine learning (25.0%), which were primarily used for risk identification/prediction (28.6%). Almost half of the studies (46.4%) explored developmental stages of AI technologies. Ethical concerns were rarely addressed.

Conclusions

The applicability and prospect of AI in oncology nursing are promising, although there is a lack of evidence on the efficacy of these technologies in practice. More randomized controlled trials in real-life oncology nursing settings are still needed.

Implications for Practice

This scoping review presents comprehensive findings for consideration of translation into practice and may provide guidance for future AI education, research, and clinical implementation in oncology nursing.
Is Being Overweight a Risk Factor for Torsion of the Appendix Testis in Children?
Authors: Coronas-Soucheiron Maria , Martín-Solé Oriol , Massaguer Clara , Tarrado Xavier
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study aimed to determine whether being overweight during childhood is a risk factor for torsion of the appendix testis (TAT).

Methods

We conducted a paired case-control study with all boys surgically treated for TAT, paired by age and sex with patients who were seen in the emergency department for a reason other than acute scrotum. Age and weight were registered, and weight percentile (WP) by age was calculated and compared between groups. Weight percentile was classified into 4 groups (<25, 25–50, 50–75, >75), and a conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to establish the risk of TAT related to the WP.

Results

A total of 980 patients were diagnosed as having TAT in our institution, of which 118 patients (12%) were surgically treated and randomly paired with 118 controls. Mean age was the same in both groups (11.2 years,P= 0.908). Patients with TAT had a higher median of WP (79; interquartile range, 49–94) than the control group (49; interquartile range, 20–79;P< 0.0001). For each WP point increase, risk of TAT raised by 2.2% (odds ratio [OR], 1.022; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.011–1.032;P< 0.001). Weight percentile >75 increased the risk of TAT: 6-fold compared with WP <25 (OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 2.5–14;P< 0.001), 4-fold compared with WP of 25 to 50 (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.8–10.5;P= 0.001), and 3-fold compared with WP of 50 to 75 (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.5–7.6;P= 0.004).

Conclusions

Overweight increases the risk of being operated on because of TAT. Because obesity is a rising problem, a greater incidence of TAT remains to be proved.
68Ga-Pentixafor PET/MRI for Treatment Response Assessment in Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Mayerhoefer Marius E. , Raderer Markus , Weber Michael , Lamm Wolfgang , Kiesewetter Barbara , Hacker Marcus , Nics Lukas , Schmitl Stefan , Leithner Doris , Wester Hans-Juergen , Haug Alexander
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study was to compare CXCR4 imaging with 68Ga-pentixafor PET to MRI for treatment response assessment in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

Patients and Methods

Twenty-two posttreatment 68Ga-pentixafor PET/MRI scans of 16 patients (7 women and 9 men; mean age, 69.9 ± 7.9) with a total of 67 target lesions on baseline PET/MRI were analyzed. Rates of complete remission per lesion and per scan, according to MRI (based on lesion size) and 68Ga-pentixafor PET (based on SUV decrease to lower than liver and blood pool uptake), were compared using McNemar tests. The t tests and Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were used to compare rates of change in lesion diameter products (DPs) on MRI, and standardized uptake values (SUVmax, SUVmean) on PET, relative to baseline.

Results

At interim PET/MRI, 18/32 (56.3%) target lesions met CR criteria on 68Ga-pentixafor PET, and 16/32 (50.0%) lesions met size-based MRI criteria for CR (P = 0.63). At end-of-treatment PET/MRI, 40/57 (70.2%) target lesions met 68Ga-pentixafor PET criteria for CR, and 27/57 (47.4%) lesions met size-based MRI criteria for CR (P = 0.021). Complete remission after treatment was observed more frequently on 68Ga-pentixafor PET (11/22 scans, 54.5%) than on MRI (6/22 scans, 27.3%) (P = 0.031). Rates of change did not differ significantly between lesion DP (−69.20% ± 34.62%) and SUVmax (−64.59% ± 50.78%, P = 0.22), or DP and SUVmean (−60.15 ± 64.58, P = 0.064). Correlations were strong between DP and SUVmax (r = 0.71, P < 0.001) and DP and SUVmean (r = 0.73, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

In MCL patients, 68Ga-pentixafor PET may be superior for assessment of complete remission status than anatomic MRI using lesion size criteria, especially at the end of treatment.
Simultaneous Lung-abdominal Organ Procurement From Donation After Circulatory Death Donors Reduces Donor Hepatectomy Time
Authors: Blondeel Joris , Blondeel Maarten , Gilbo Nicholas , Vandervelde Christelle M. , Fieuws Steffen , Jochmans Ina , Van Raemdonck Dirk , Pirenne Jacques , Ceulemans Laurens J. , Monbaliu Diethard
Published: June 2023

Introduction.

Prolonged organ procurement time impairs the outcome of donation after circulatory death (DCD) and liver transplantation (LiT). Our transplant team developed a simultaneous, rather than sequential, lung-abdominal organ explantation strategy for DCD donation to prioritize liver procurement. We evaluated whether this change in strategy effectively reduced donor hepatectomy time (dHT), without affecting donor pneumonectomy time (dPT), and influenced LiT and lung transplantation outcome.

Methods.

All lung-abdominal and abdominal-only transplant procedures between 2010 and 2020 were analyzed in this retrospective cohort study. Relationships were assessed between the year of transplant and dHT and dPT (univariate linear regression), 1-y patient and graft survival, primary graft dysfunction, and nonanastomotic biliary strictures (univariate logistic regression).

Results.

Fifty-two lung-abdominal and 110 abdominal-only DCD procedures were analyzed. A significant decrease in dHT was noted in lung-abdominal (slope −1.14 [−2.14; −0.15], P = 0.026) but not in abdominal-only procedures; dPT did not increase. There were no significant associations between the year of transplant and nonanastomotic biliary strictures frequency, primary graft dysfunction incidence, 1-y patient, and graft survival.

Conclusions.

Simultaneous organ procurement in multiorgan lung-abdominal DCD procedures is feasible, and effectively shortened dHT without affecting lung transplantation outcome. No impact on LiT outcome was observed; however, larger multicenter studies are needed.
Effects of inaudible binaural beats on visuospatial memory
Authors: Kim Ye-Jin , Kim Kyu-Beom , Kim Ji-Su , Kim Hyung-Sik , Choi Mi-Hyun , Yi Jeong-Han , Chung Soon-Cheol
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Binaural beats are auditory beat stimulation that produces sounds and induces a specific state of brain wave based on the difference in the frequency of stimulation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inaudible binaural beats on visuospatial memory at 18 000 Hz reference and 10 Hz difference frequencies.

Methods

Eighteen adult subjects in their twenties were enrolled, including 12 males (mean age: 23.8 ± 1.2) and 6 females (mean age: 22.8 ± 0.8). An auditory stimulator providing 10 Hz binaural beats stimulation via 18 000 Hz to the left and 18 010 Hz to the right ears was used. The experiment consisted of two 5-min phases, including a rest phase and a task phase involving task performance without (Task-only) and with binaural beats stimulation (Task+BB). A 3-back task was used to measure visuospatial memory. Cognitive ability measured by task performance (accuracy and reaction time) with and without binaural beats, as well as variations in alpha power across different brain domains, were compared using paired t-tests.

Results

Compared to the Task-only condition, the Task+BB condition had significantly higher accuracy and significantly shorter reaction time. The electroencephalogram analysis showed that the reduction level in alpha power for the task performance under the Task+BB condition was significantly lower in all brain areas except the frontal, compared to that under the Task-only condition.

Conclusion

The significance of this study lies in having verified the independent effects of binaural beats stimulation without any auditory influence, based on visuospatial memory.
Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation induces nigrostriatal dopaminergic plasticity in a stable rat model of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Helf Charlotte , Kober Maria , Markert Franz , Lanto Jennifer , Overhoff Leonie , Badstübner-Meeske Kathrin , Storch Alexander , Fauser Mareike
Published: June 2023

Objective

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been a highly effective treatment option for middle to late stage Parkinson’s disease for decades. Though, the underlying mechanisms of action, particularly effects on the cellular level, remain in part unclear. In the context of identifying disease-modifying effects of STN-DBS by prompting cellular plasticity in midbrain dopaminergic systems, we analyzed neuronal tyrosine hydroxylase and c-Fos expression in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA).

Methods

We applied 1 week of continuous unilateral STN-DBS in a group of stable 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) hemiparkinsonian rats (STNSTIM) in comparison to a 6-OHDA control group (STNSHAM). Immunohistochemistry identified NeuN+, tyrosine hydroxylase+ and c-Fos+ cells within the SNpc and VTA.

Results

After 1 week, rats in the STNSTIM group had 3.5-fold more tyrosine hydroxylase+ neurons within the SNpc (P = 0.010) but not in the VTA compared to sham controls. There was no difference in basal cell activity as indicated by c-Fos expression in both midbrain dopaminergic systems.

Conclusion

Our data support a neurorestorative effect of STN-DBS in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system already after 7 days of continuous STN-DBS in the stable Parkinson’s disease rat model without affecting basal cell activity.
How could we make a social robot? A virtual bargaining approach
Authors: Chater Nick
Published: June 2023

What is required to allow an artificial agent to engage in rich, human-like interactions with people? I argue that this will require capturing the process by which humans continually create and renegotiate ‘bargains’ with each other. These hidden negotiations will concern topics including who should do what in a particular interaction, which actions are allowed and which are forbidden, and the momentary conventions governing communication, including language. Such bargains are far too numerous, and social interactions too rapid, for negotiation to be conducted explicitly. Moreover, the very process of communication presupposes innumerable momentary agreements concerning the meaning of communicative signals, thus raising the threat of circularity. Thus, the improvised ‘social contracts’ that govern our interactions must be implicit. I draw on the recent theory of virtual bargaining, according to which social partners mentally simulate a process of negotiation, to outline how these implicit agreements can be made, and note that this viewpoint raises substantial theoretical and computational challenges. Nonetheless, I suggest that these challenges must be met if we are ever to create AI systems that can work collaboratively alongside people, rather than serving primarily as valuable special-purpose computational tools.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Cognitive artificial intelligence'.
Argument and explanation
Authors: Hahn Ulrike , Tešić Marko
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we bring together two closely related, but distinct, notions: argument and explanation. We clarify their relationship. We then provide an integrative review of relevant research on these notions, drawn both from the cognitive science and the artificial intelligence (AI) literatures. We then use this material to identify key directions for future research, indicating areas where bringing together cognitive science and AI perspectives would be mutually beneficial.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Cognitive artificial intelligence’.
Peano: learning formal mathematical reasoning
Authors: Poesia Gabriel , Goodman Noah D.
Published: June 2023

General mathematical reasoning is computationally undecidable, but humans routinely solve new problems. Moreover, discoveries developed over centuries are taught to subsequent generations quickly. What structure enables this, and how might that inform automated mathematical reasoning? We posit that central to both puzzles is the structure of procedural abstractions underlying mathematics. We explore this idea in a case study on five sections of beginning algebra on the Khan Academy platform. To define a computational foundation, we introduce Peano, a theorem-proving environment where the set of valid actions at any point is finite. We use Peano to formalize introductory algebra problems and axioms, obtaining well-defined search problems. We observe existing reinforcement learning methods for symbolic reasoning to be insufficient to solve harder problems. Adding the ability to induce reusable abstractions (‘tactics’) from its own solutions allows an agent to make steady progress, solving all problems. Furthermore, these abstractions induce an order to the problems, seen at random during training. The recovered order has significant agreement with the expert-designed Khan Academy curriculum, and second-generation agents trained on the recovered curriculum learn significantly faster. These results illustrate the synergistic role of abstractions and curricula in the cultural transmission of mathematics.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Cognitive artificial intelligence’.
Emotion prediction as computation over a generative theory of mind
Authors: Houlihan Sean Dae , Kleiman-Weiner Max , Hewitt Luke B. , Tenenbaum Joshua B. , Saxe Rebecca
Published: June 2023

From sparse descriptions of events, observers can make systematic and nuanced predictions of what emotions the people involved will experience. We propose a formal model of emotion prediction in the context of a public high-stakes social dilemma. This model uses inverse planning to infer a person’s beliefs and preferences, including social preferences for equity and for maintaining a good reputation. The model then combines these inferred mental contents with the event to compute ‘appraisals’: whether the situation conformed to the expectations and fulfilled the preferences. We learn functions mapping computed appraisals to emotion labels, allowing the model to match human observers’ quantitative predictions of 20 emotions, including joy, relief, guilt and envy. Model comparison indicates that inferred monetary preferences are not sufficient to explain observers’ emotion predictions; inferred social preferences are factored into predictions for nearly every emotion. Human observers and the model both use minimal individualizing information to adjust predictions of how different people will respond to the same event. Thus, our framework integrates inverse planning, event appraisals and emotion concepts in a single computational model to reverse-engineer people’s intuitive theory of emotions.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Cognitive artificial intelligence’.
DreamCoder: growing generalizable, interpretable knowledge with wake–sleep Bayesian program learning
Authors: Ellis Kevin , Wong Lionel , Nye Maxwell , Sablé-Meyer Mathias , Cary Luc , Anaya Pozo Lore , Hewitt Luke , Solar-Lezama Armando , Tenenbaum Joshua B.
Published: June 2023

Expert problem-solving is driven by powerful languages for thinking about problems and their solutions. Acquiring expertise means learning these languages—systems of concepts, alongside the skills to use them. We present DreamCoder, a system that learns to solve problems by writing programs. It builds expertise by creating domain-specific programming languages for expressing domain concepts, together with neural networks to guide the search for programs within these languages. A ‘wake–sleep’ learning algorithm alternately extends the language with new symbolic abstractions and trains the neural network on imagined and replayed problems. DreamCoder solves both classic inductive programming tasks and creative tasks such as drawing pictures and building scenes. It rediscovers the basics of modern functional programming, vector algebra and classical physics, including Newton’s and Coulomb’s laws. Concepts are built compositionally from those learned earlier, yielding multilayered symbolic representations that are interpretable and transferrable to new tasks, while still growing scalably and flexibly with experience.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Cognitive artificial intelligence’.
Representational change is integral to reasoning
Authors: Bundy Alan , Li Xue
Published: June 2023

Reasoning is the derivation of new knowledge from old. The reasoner must represent both the old and new knowledge. This representation will change as reasoning proceeds. This change will not just be the addition of the new knowledge. We claim that therepresentationof the old knowledge will also often change as a side effect of the reasoning process. For instance, the old knowledge may contain errors, be insufficiently detailed or require new concepts to be introduced. Representational change triggered by reasoning is a common feature of human reasoning but it has been neglected both in Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence. We aim to put that right. We exemplify this claim by analysing Imre Lakatos’s rational reconstruction of the evolution of mathematical methodology. We then describe the abduction, belief revision and conceptual change (ABC) theory repair system, which can automate such representational change. We further claim that the ABC system has a diverse range of applications to successfully repair faulty representations.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Cognitive artificial intelligence’.
Genomic analysis of the initial dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae clones in a tertiary hospital
Authors: Garcia-Gonzalez Neris , Fuster Begoña , Tormo Nuria , Salvador Carme , Gimeno Concepcion , Gonzalez-Candelas Fernando
Published: June 2023

Carbapenem-resistant

Klebsiella pneumoniae

is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections and the fastest-growing pathogen in Europe. Carbapenem resistance was detected at the Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia (CHGUV) in early 2015, and there has been a significant increase in carbapenem-resistant isolates since then. In this study, we collected carbapenem-resistant isolates from this hospital during the period of increase (from 2015 to 2019) and studied how

K. pneumoniae

carbapenem-resistant isolates emerged and spread in the hospital. A total of 225 isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing with Illumina NextSeq. We characterized the isolates by identifying lineages and antimicrobial resistance genes and plasmids, especially those related to reduced carbapenem susceptibility. Our findings show that the initial carbapenem resistance emergence and dissemination at the CHGUV occurred during a short period of 1 year. Furthermore, it was complex, involving six different lineages of types ST307, ST11, ST101 and ST437, different resistance-determinant factors, including OXA-48, NDM-1, NDM-23 and DHA-1, and different plasmids.
A study of relationship between Social Determinant of Health and Imaging based Age Estimation using Head CT
Authors: Tariq Amara , Gichoya Judy , Patel Bhavik N. , Banerjee Imon
Published: June 2023

Background

The biological age of a person represents their cellular level health in terms of biomarkers like inflammation, oxidative stress, telomere length, epigenetic modifications, and DNA damage. Biological age may be affected by extrinsic factors like environmental toxins and poor diet indicating socioeconomic disadvantage. While biological age can provide a much more accurate risk estimate for age-related comorbidities and general decline in functioning than chronological age, it requires well-established laboratory tests for estimation.

Methodology

As an alternative to laboratory testing for biological age estimation, Incidental medical imaging data may demonstrate biomarkers related to aging like brian tissue atrophy. In this study, we designed a deep learning based image processing model for estimation of biological age from computed tomography scans of the head. We then analyzed the relation between gap in biological and chronological age and socioeconomic status or social determinants of health estimated by social deprivation index (SDI).

Results

Our CNN based image processing regression model for biological age estimation achieves mean absolute error of approximately 9 years between estimated biological and chronological age with -0.11 correlation coefficient with SDI. With the fusion of imaging and SDI in the process of age estimation, mean absolute error is reduced by 11%.

Conclusion

The results of our experiments clearly establish a correlation between social determinants of health and the gap between biological and chronological ages.
Social inequalities in the misbelief of chloroquine’s protective effect against COVID-19: results from the EPICOVID-19 study in Brazil
Authors: Nunes Bruno P , Crochemore-Silva Inácio , Mielke Grégore I , Vidaletti Luis Paulo , da Silveira Mariangela Freitas , Hallal Pedro C
Published: June 2023

Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess the spread of denialist messages regarding COVID-19 in Brazil, specifically examining how social inequalities contributed to the misconception of chloroquine having a protective effect against the virus.

Study design:Three countrywide population-based studies were conducted in 2020 (May 14-21, June 4-7, and June 21-24), including 133 Brazilian cities (n=88,772).

Methods:Participants were asked whether they believed in chloroquine’s protective effect against infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (no/yes/don’t know). A jeopardy index score to assess cumulative social deprivation was calculated based on gender, racial and socioeconomic variables. Descriptive analysis and inequality measures (Slope Index of Inequality – SII; and Concentration Index – CIX) were used to evaluate the main association under investigation. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate 3-category outcome according to independent variables.

Results:Overall, 47.9% of participants either believed that chloroquine prevented against COVID-19 or said, “I don’t know”. Misbelief and lack of knowledge about chloroquine were greater among the most vulnerable (lowest levels of education and socioeconomic status). Absolute and relative inequalities were observed according to jeopardy index. Lack of knowledge was 2.49 greater among women than among men. Race/ethnicity minorities, those with low education and low socioeconomic status were more likely to erroneously believe that chloroquine prevented against COVID-19. The highest absolute inequality was observed for the category “I don’t know” (SII = -14.3).

Conclusions:Misbelief of chloroquine’s protective effect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus was high in Brazil. People with greater social vulnerability were more likely to wrongly believe chloroquine prevented against COVID-19
Long-Term Remodeling Response in the Lamina Cribrosa Years after IOP Lowering by Suturelysis after Trabeculectomy
Authors: Czerpak Cameron A. , Quigley Harry A. , Nguyen Thao D.
Published: June 2023

Objective

To measure the active remodeling of the lamina cribrosa (LC) years after IOP lowering by suturelysis.

Design

Cohort study.

Participants

Glaucoma patients were imaged 20 minutes after laser suturelysis following trabeculectomy surgery and at their follow-up appointment 1-4 years later (16 image pairs; 15 persons).

Intervention

Non-invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of the eye.

Main Outcomes

Deformation calculated by correlating OCT scans of the LC immediately after IOP lowering by suturelysis and those acquired years later (defined asfollow-upstrain).

Results

Mean LC follow-up strain in the anteroposterior direction (Ezz) was 14.0 ± 21.3% (mean, standard deviation, p=0.03), while the LC anterior border moved 60.9 ± 54.6 μm into the eye (p=0.0006) on long-term, maintained IOP lowering.Ezzat follow-up was 14 times larger than the directEzzresponse to IOP lowering by suturelysis. There was a significant association between larger LC anterior movement and greaterEzz(p=0.004) at follow-up. Thinner retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) at suturelysis was associated with greater follow-upEzz(p=0.04). Worsening visual field indexes during follow-up were associated with greater LC widening (positive remodelingEθθ, p=0.02). Eyes with a greater counterclockwise twist (positiveEθz) at suturelysis had greater reversal clockwise twist at follow-up (negative remodelingEθz, p=0.007).

Conclusion

Follow-up strains and LC border position changes measured years after IOP lowering are far larger than the immediate strain response and LC border movement response to IOP lowering and indicate dramatic remodeling of the LC anatomical structure caused by IOP lowering and glaucoma progression. The remodeling includes a substantial increase in LC thickness and movement into the eye. Eyes with greater direct strain response to IOP-lowering strains, greater glaucoma damage at suturelysis, and greater worsening of visual field at follow-up experienced greater remodeling

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.govIdentifier:NCT03267849
There Goes the Neighborhood? The Public Safety Enhancing Effects of a Mobile Harm Reduction Intervention
Authors: Fixler Alex L. , Jacobs Leah A. , Jones Daniel B. , Arnold Aaron , Underwood Emily E.
Published: June 2023

Aims

To estimate the impact of mobile clinics providing medication for opioid use disorders on neighborhood arrest rates.

Design

A quasi-experimental difference-in-differences estimation.

Setting

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Participants

Census blocks in the 1-mile circumferences surrounding 4 mobile medication clinics.

Intervention and comparators

The intervention is comprised of mobile clinics providing buprenorphine to community members with opioid use disorders. A treatment group of eighty-four census block groups in the immediate areas surrounding clinics during the time period after their establishment were compared to a control group of city census blocks not within 1 mile of a clinic plus treated census block groups in the two years prior to clinic establishment.

Measurements

Outcome variables include drug, non-drug, and total arrests, measured per 100 in population.

Findings

Compared to block groups further than 1 mile from an MMC, we found that total arrests fell by 34.13% (b= -0.358, 95% CI = -0.557, -0.158), drug arrests fell by 33.85% (b= -0.087, 95% CI = -0.151, -0.023), and non-drug related arrests fell by 22.29% (b= -0.179, 95% CI = -0.302, -0.057). Drug arrests declined significantly on days when the MMCs were not present (b = -0.015, 95% CI = -0.025, -0.006), but did not change significantly on the days when the intervention was active and on site (b= -0.002, 95% CI = -0.016, -0.013). Total arrests declined significantly on days when MMCs were and were not present (b= -0.045, 95% CI = - 0.078, -0.012; andb= -0.052, CI = -0.082, -0.023, respectively).

Conclusions

Mobile clinics providing medication for opioid use disorders significantly reduced neighborhood arrest rates. Expansion of mobile services could promote health equity and public safety.
Structure of puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase and polyglutamine binding
Authors: Madabushi Sowmya , Chow K. Martin , Song Eun Suk , Goswami Anwesha , Hersh Louis B. , Rodgers David W.
Published: June 2023

Puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (E.C. 3.4.11.14, UniProt P55786), a zinc metallopeptidase belonging to the M1 family, degrades a number of bioactive peptides as well as peptides released from the proteasome, including polyglutamine. We report the crystal structure of PSA at 2.3 Ǻ. Overall, the enzyme adopts a V-shaped architecture with four domains characteristic of the M1 family aminopeptidases, but it is in a less compact conformation compared to most M1 enzymes of known structure. A microtubule binding sequence is present in a C-terminal HEAT repeat domain of the enzyme in a position where it might serve to mediate interaction with tubulin. In the catalytic metallopeptidase domain, an elongated active site groove lined with aromatic and hydrophobic residues and a large S1 subsite may play a role in broad substrate recognition. The structure with bound polyglutamine shows a possible interacting mode of this peptide, which is supported by mutation.