bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
pSTAT3 Expression is Increased in Advanced Prostate Cancer in Post‐Initiation of Androgen Deprivation Therapy
Authors: Bialas Piotr , Kobayashi Tamae , Hellsten Rebecka , Krzyzanowska Agnieszka , Persson Margareta , Marginean Felicia , Trudel Dominique , Garraway Isla P. , Trock Bruce J. , Taimen Pekka , Saad Fred , Mirtti Tuomas , Knudsen Beatrice , De Marzo Angelo M. , Bjartell Anders
Published: November 2024

Background

The transcription factor Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a role in carcinogenesis and is involved in processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, drug resistance and immunosuppression. STAT3 can be activated by phosphorylation of tyrosine at position 705 (pSTAT3Tyr705) or serine at 727 (pSTAT3Ser727). High expression levels of pSTAT3 are implicated in advanced stages of prostate cancer (PCa) and are known to interact with the androgen receptor signaling pathway. However, not much is known about how androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in advanced disease affects pSTAT3 expression. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of ADT on pSTAT3 expression in PCa tissue.

Methods

The study cohort came from a PCa tissue microarray resource containing prostate specimens from patients before and post‐initiation of ADT. Tissue samples from 111 patients were immunostained for pSTAT3Tyr705 and pSTAT3Ser727. H‐score was used to evaluate the intensity and the percentage of pSTAT3 expression in malignant epithelial and stromal compartments. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to assess pSTAT3Tyr705 and pSTAT3Ser727 as biomarkers of oncological outcome in patients undergoing ADT.

Results

Post‐ADT PCa samples demonstrated increased nuclear and cytoplasmic levels of pSTAT3Ser727 in the stroma compared to pre‐ADT samples, whereas pSTAT3Tyr705 expression was increased significantly in both stromal and malignant epithelial compartments except for stromal cytoplasm. High cytoplasmic pSTAT3Ser727 in stromal compartments correlated with reduced overall survival, shorter time to castration‐resistant PCa development, and decreased metastasis‐free survival. An increase in nuclear and cytoplasmic pSTAT3Ser727 expression within the stromal compartment of post‐ADT samples corresponded to a shorter time to CRPC development, which was not observed for pSTAT3Tyr705. Multivariable survival analysis using Cox's regression identified that high cytoplasmic pSTAT3Ser727 expression in the stroma of post‐ADT samples and pT3 or pT4‐stage were associated with worse overall survival and 5‐year metastasis‐free survival (MFS).

Conclusions

This study presents novel insights into the impact of ADT on the expression levels of pSTAT3Tyr705 and pSTAT3Ser727 in PCa. Cytoplasmic pSTAT3Ser727 status of cancer‐associated stromal cells in post‐ADT samples may serve as an independent prognostic marker for OS and 5‐year MFS, identifying prostate cancer patients prone to developing resistance to ADT.
Mechanical Dynamics Around Higher‐Order Exceptional Point in Magno‐Optomechanics
Authors: He Wen‐Di , Fan Xiao‐Hong , Liu Ming‐Yue , Zhang Guo‐Qiang , Li Hai‐Chao , Xiong Wei
Published: November 2024

Diverse exceptional points (EPs) are theoretically studied in an experimentally feasible magno‐optomechanics consisting of an optomechanical subsystem coupled to a magnomechanical subsystem via physically direct contact. By adiabatically eliminating both the cavity and the Kittel mode, dissipative and parity‐time symmetric exceptional points can be observed. When only the cavity mode is eliminated, a second (third)‐order pseudo‐Hermitian EP emerges for nondegenerate (degenerate) mechanical modes. The distinct dynamical behavior of two mechanical modes around these EPs are further studied. The proposal provides a promising way to engineer diverse EPs and quantify non‐Hermitian phase transition with exceptional dynamical behavior in magno‐optomechanics.
Enteric Methane Production, Yield, and Intensity in Smallholder Dairy Farming Systems in Peri‐Urban Areas of Coastal West African Countries: Case Study of Benin
Authors: Yassegoungbe Fifame Panine , Vihowanou Gaius Segbegnon , Onanyemi Tawakalitu , Assouma Mohamed Habibou , Schlecht Eva , Dossa Luc Hippolyte
Published: November 2024

Enteric methane (eCH4) is a major environmental pollutant emitted by ruminants. To target mitigation measures, it is necessary to accurately estimate GHG emissions from livestock farming. Until now, milk‐producing farms in the peri‐urban areas of South Benin are pasture‐based systems, and have been largely neglected by international research. Therefore, this study estimates eCH4 emissions from pasture‐based peri‐urban dairy farms across four different animal categories during dry and wet seasons. Six herds were selected for field measurements; one representative animal was selected per category from each herd and its body weight estimated. Subsequently, the selected animals were closely monitored on pasture for three consecutive days. Direct observation of their behavior and the hand‐plucking method were used to mimic the animals' selective foraging and to sample parts of the different plant species consumed in proportion to their, to determine the quality of their daily diet. The nutrient content and digestibility of the collected feed samples were assessed using near‐infrared spectroscopy. Additionally, 30 herds were monitored bi‐monthly during a 12‐month period to collect all input and output data, including milk yields. Annual enteric methane (eCH4) emissions per animal category were estimated using the IPCC Tier 2 method. Subsequently, the eCH4 intensities of lactating cows were calculated per kg of fat‐protein corrected milk (FPCM). All statistical analyses were performed using R software. Overall, the average annual eCH4 production was 40.6 kg/head/year and the eCH4 yield was 20.3 g/kg of dry matter intake, with significant differences between seasons and no differences between animal categories. Regardless of season, older animals yielded higher eCH4 outputs. The average eCH4 production per kg of live weight was 0.48 g for both seasons. The overall eCH4 intensity (g CH4/kg FPCM) recorded during the wet season (74.3) was higher than that recorded during the dry season (70.5).
Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Antinociceptive, and Anti‐Inflammatory Potential of Chemically Characterized Extract of Limeum Indicum Stocks ex T. Anderson (Aizoaceae). In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Investigations
Authors: Imran Rukhsar , Peerzada Sohaib , Anjum Irfan , Bilal Hafiz Muhammad , Raza Moosa , Siddique Farhan , Bashir Maryam , Jardan Yousef A. Bin , Waqar Maham , Shazly Gamal A. , Bourhia Mohammed
Published: November 2024

Limeum indicum (LI), a plant from the Aizoaceae family, has garnered interest due to its potential health benefits. In this study, we explore the antidiabetic, antioxidant, antinociceptive, and anti‐inflammatory properties of a chemically characterized whole extract from LI. In vitro assays included DPPH and reducing power tests to assess antioxidant activity. For in vivo investigations, adult Wistar rats were used. Alloxan‐induced diabetic rats received oral doses of LI whole extract (ethanol (LI‐EE), DCM (LI‐DE), and n‐Hexane (LI‐HE)) or glimepiride for 21 days. Carrageenan‐induced inflammation and nociceptive effects were also evaluated. Molecular docking studies aided in identifying potential targets for the extract's bioactivity. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, and fixed oils in the extract. Both DPPH and reducing power assays demonstrated substantial total phenolic and flavonoid content, indicative of strong antioxidant activity. The extracts dose‐dependently reduced blood glucose levels in alloxan‐induced diabetic rats and mitigated inflammation and nociception. Furthermore, the significant antidiabetic and anti‐inflammatory activities of n‐hexane extract, suggested to identify the potential components by employing molecular docking studies.
Synthesis of Sodium Carbonate Based Solid Adsorbents and Their CO2 Adsorption Performance
Authors: Liu Kaiqiang , Adili Guliqire , Ding Zijun , Tuergong Nueraminai , Shi Jiahong , Tuersun Aminamu , Aihaiti Hurexida , Nasiman Tuerxun
Published: November 2024

Porous carbon is considered a promising adsorbent for carbon capture and sequestration, and pore structure and surface activity must be optimized in order to achieve high capture capacity and recycling performance. In this study, terephthalic acid and sodium hydroxide were used as raw materials to prepare sodium carbonate based porous carbon and metal oxide composites at TPA:NaOH:X(X = MgO, CaO, MgO/CaO, Mg(NO3)2,C, and Al2O3) = 1:1:2 and 600 °C. The analysis results show that the material MgO/Na2CO3 has the best CO2 adsorption capacity, and the adsorption capacity is 10.56cm3/g at 0 °C and 1 bar. The material Al2O3/Na2CO3 has the best thermal stability, and the MgO/Na2CO3 shows good recycling performance in the five cycle test. The high‐temperature calcination process makes the mesoporous structure of the material form, which makes the carbon composites show good capture performance, and sodium carbonate based solid adsorbents have good development and application prospects as CO2 capture and separation materials.
Metal‐Free Photooxidation of Toluene Derivatives into the Corresponding Carboxylic Acids and Aldehydes by a HBr/NaOCl·5H2O System
Authors: Kirihara Masayuki , Kawai Takuma , Kitajima Atsuhito , Yamahara Sho , Mori Nena , Kimura Yoshikazu
Published: November 2024

Photobromination of toluene derivatives using blue LED (454 nm) or UV LEDs (365, 385, 395 nm) with aqueous HBr and NaOCl·5H2O in trifluoromethyl benzene afforded the corresponding benzoic acids derivatives. The intermediates were (dibromomethyl)benzene derivatives, isolated in a nitrogen atmosphere. The dibromomethyl benzene derivatives afforded the corresponding aldehydes. After the reaction with HBr, the aqueous layer could be recovered and reused.
Recent Advancements in Benzothiazinones (BTZ) Analogs as DprE1 Inhibitor for Potent Antitubercular Therapeutics
Authors: Sonawane Kalyani , Said Rushikesh , Lele Mukta , Chaudhari Hemchandra , Hatvate Navnath
Published: November 2024

Benzothiazinone analogs have emerged as a promising class of compounds having potent antimycobacterial activity, particularly against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen responsible for tuberculosis. This review highlights the development of benzothiazinone analogs as potential antitubercular agents from the beginning to the recent advancement in the past decade. These compounds have shown potent activity, including drug‐resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Structure–activity relationship studies and modifications have improved their efficacy. Benzothiazinone analogs have favorable pharmacokinetic profiles and show promise in preclinical studies. Challenges include addressing resistance mechanisms and ensuring safety. Their unique mode of action and promising properties make them attractive candidates for the battle against drug‐resistant tuberculosis.
Synthesis and Ocular Hypotensive Properties 3(4)‐Alkyl‐[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidin‐7‐amines
Authors: Ushakova Angelina A. , Fedotov Victor V. , Drokin Roman A. , Ulomsky Evgeniy N. , Rusinov Vladimir L. , Spasov Alexander A. , Naumenko Lyudmila V. , Taran Alyona S. , Chebanko Alina M. , Yakovlev Dmitry S. , Pshenichnikova Maria S.
Published: November 2024

Glaucoma is one of the major causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) is a key factor in the onset and progression of this disease. The drugs used to treat glaucoma influence a variety of biological targets. Azolopyrimidine derivatives have attracted significant attention as potential agents for the treatment of glaucoma because they presumed to be analogs of adenosine receptor (AR) agonists and antagonists. In this study, a series of novel 3(4)‐alkyl‐[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidin‐7‐amines were synthesized to develop promising ophthalmic hypotensive drugs. The synthesized compounds demonstrated significant hypotensive activity against IOP, which opens new possibilities for glaucoma therapy.
Magnetically Propelled Microrobots toward Photosynthesis of Green Ammonia from Nitrates
Authors: Mallick Apabrita , Kim Jeonghyo , Pumera Martin
Published: November 2024

Ammonia (NH₃) production is a critical industrial process, as ammonia is a key component in fertilizers, essential for global agriculture and food production. However, the current method of synthesizing ammonia, the Haber‐Bosch process, is highly energy‐intensive, and relies on fossil fuels, contributing substantially to greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, the centralized nature of the Haber‐Bosch process limits its accessibility in remote or resource‐limited areas. Photochemical synthesis of ammonia, provides an alternate lower energy, carbon‐free pathway compared to the prevailing industrial methods. The photoconversion of nitrate anions, often present in wastewater, offers a greener, more sustainable, and energy‐efficient route for both ammonia‐generation and wastewater treatment. Photochemical and chemical synthesis of ammonia requires intensive mass‐transfer processes, which limits the efficiency of the method. To change the game, in this work, a key new technology of ammonia‐generation, a catalytic ammonia generation (AmmoGen) microrobot, which converts nitrate to ammonia using renewable light energy is reported. The magnetic propulsion of the AmmoGen microrobots significantly enhances mass‐transfer, and expedites the photosynthesis of ammonia. Overall, this “proof‐of‐concept” study demonstrates that microrobots can aid in catalytic small molecule activation and generation of value‐added products; and are envisaged to pave the way toward new sustainable technologies for catalysis.
Understanding the Spin of Metal Complexes from a Single‐Molecule Perspective
Authors: Guo Jie , Gao Qinghua , Gao Fei , Jia Chuancheng , Guo Xuefeng
Published: November 2024

Compared with aggregate spin behavior, single‐molecule spin behavior can be accurately understood, controlled, and applied at the level of basic building blocks. The potential of single‐molecule electronic and nuclear spins for monitoring and control represents a beacon of promise for the advancement of molecular spin devices, which are fabricated by connecting a single molecule between two electrodes. Metal complexes, celebrated for their superior magnetic attributes, are widely used in the devices to explore spin effects. Moreover, single‐molecule electrical techniques with high signal‐to‐noise ratio, temporal resolution, and reliability help to understand the spin characteristics. In this review, the focus is on the devices with metal complexes, especially single‐molecule magnets, and systematically present experimental and theoretical state of the art of this field at the single‐molecule level, including the fundamental concepts of the electronic and nuclear spin and their basic spin effects. Then, several experimental methods developed to regulate the spin characteristics of metal complexes at single‐molecule level are introduced, as well as the corresponding intrinsic mechanisms. A brief discussion is provided on the comprehensive applications and the considerable challenges of single‐molecule spin devices in detail, along with a prospect on the potential future directions of this field.
A Versatile Method for Preparation of BrCOFs Aerogels and Efficient Functionalization via Suzuki–Miyaura Reaction
Authors: Wang Qiaomu , Wang Peng , Wang Yandong , Xu Yang , Xu Haocheng , Xi Kai
Published: November 2024

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) aerogels solve the restrictions on processability and application caused by the insolubility and non‐fusibility of powders while avoiding the inaccessibility of pore structures by dense stacking. At the current start‐up stage where COFs aerogels are scarce and difficult to synthesize, design of generalized synthetic methods play an indispensable role in guiding and developing COFs aerogels. Moreover, evolving the functionality of COF aerogels is equal vital, which achieves higher performance and broader practical applications. In this work, for the first time, processable BrCOFs aerogels have been synthesized without vacuum by seven kind polar solvents, which realizes general preparation of BrCOFs aerogels. It is extremely friendly to the inapplicability for some scenarios. Furthermore, by Suzuki‐Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction, BrCOFs aerogels are endows with cyano groups (‐CN), trifluoromethyl (‐CF3) and methyl sulfonyl (‐SO2‐CH3) efficiently. As a proof‐of‐concept, BrCOFs‐SO2‐CH3 aerogels served as a quasi‐solid electrolyte for lithium‐metal batteries (LMBs), which effectively enhance the performance of batteries.
NH4Cl‐Assisted Electrosynthesis of P‐Doped Co(OH)2 Nanosheet on Cu2S Hollow Nanotube Arrays for Glycerol Electrooxidation
Authors: Xu Haitao , Zhang Hao , Luo Yan , Zhao Jingzhe , Li Feng
Published: November 2024

The glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) for producing high‐value‐added organic compounds is of great research interest due to its potential in alleviating the energy crisis. Herein, a facile NH4Cl‐assisted electrodeposition strategy is reported to fabricate 3D nano‐forest array‐like hollow nanostructures. The hierarchical heterojunction by combining phosphorus doping Co(OH)2 nanosheets with Cu2S nanotube arrays (P‐Co(OH)2@Cu2S NTs/CF) is developed to realize the optimization on GOR. The optimized P‐Co(OH)2@Cu2S NTs/CF catalyst exhibits an exceptional activity with a formate Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 97.40% at a potential of 1.30 V (vs RHE). The experimental results indicate that this unique hollow nano‐forest structure, grown on a conductive support, can expose more active sites and facilitate electron transfer, thereby demonstrating excellent GOR performance. This work provides new opportunities for the design of electrocatalysts of high‐activity and low‐cost hollow heterostructure electrocatalysts for glycerol electrooxidation.
A Covalent Organic Polymer Containing Dative Nitrogen→Boron Bonds: Preparation, Single‐Crystal Structure, and Photoresponse/Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: He Lizhong , Zhang Lei , Yang Jinglun , Kang Fangyuan , Wang Xiang , Gu Qianfeng , Li Dong‐Sheng , Jiang Lang , Zhang Qichun
Published: November 2024

Design and realization of covalent organic polymers (COPs) with precise structure are challenging yet interesting. Herein, light‐yellow single crystals of a novel 1D COP (named as CityU‐32) containing the dative nitrogen→boron bonds through the assembly between trigonal‐planar boronic esters (derived from catechol and benzene‐1,3,5‐triyltriboronic acid) and 2,6‐di(pyridine‐4‐yl)naphthalene are prepared. The single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis shows that CityU‐32 features a novel chain‐like zigzag structure with a multichain stacking feature, where the adjacent chains are stacked together and interlocked each other with a double hydrogen bonding interaction formed from the boronic ester units. Additionally, CityU‐32 has been demonstrated to show some potential applications in the field of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production.
Automatic Imitation of Hand Movements in Clinical and Neurodiverse Populations
Authors: Poliakoff Ellen , Gowen Emma
Published: November 2024

Automatic imitation is related to both motor and social-cognitive processes and hence is highly relevant to a range of clinical and neurodiverse populations including neurodegenerative, psychiatric or mental health, and neurodevelopmental conditions. In this chapter, we review investigations of automatic imitation of hand and arm movements in these populations. For many of the conditions reviewed, there are relatively small numbers of studies in the literature and/or existing studies only include relatively small participant numbers. There is, however, some evidence for intact automatic imitation in several conditions (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression, autism). If automatic imitation is unimpaired, motor and behavioral interventions have the potential to capitalize on this. There are, however, reports from one or two studies of increased automatic imitation in schizophrenia and mirror-touch synesthesia and reduced automatic imitation in eating disorders, which warrant further investigation. The evidence in developmental coordination disorder and Tourette’s is more mixed. Moreover, altered top-down modulation of automatic imitation has been found in several studies of autism and in one study of schizophrenia. We discuss some of the methodological issues, such as the importance of the stimuli and instructions used in the tasks, as well as considering other factors such as co-morbidities. There are also challenges in accounting for reaction time differences and a range of analysis approaches, which ought to be constrained by pre-registered analysis plans in future research. Future studies ought to investigate top-down modulation in other conditions since this process is key to successful motor and social function.
Mimicry in Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy
Authors: Salazar Kämpf Maike , Exner Cornelia
Published: November 2024

Mimicry plays an important role in social interactions. Problems in social interactions are both diagnostic criteria as well as risk factors of psychological disorders. An interesting hypothesis is that mimicry behavior of people with psychological disorders is different compared to people who are not suffering from a psychological disorder, and that this contributes to their problems in social interactions which in turn may worsen symptomatology and may have consequences for the therapeutic process. In this chapter we summarize existing studies on mimicry and akin phenomena in psychotherapy and related contexts (like counseling). As the evidence is sparse, we present four theoretical approaches to mimicry (the theory on perception-action-coupling, the embodiment theory, the social glue approach, and the social regulator theory), from which we derive ideas on how mimicry might affect different psychological disorders and the therapeutic process. Afterwards, we shortly recapitulate the evidence on mimicry in clinical populations. Most studies investigating clinical populations use video or picture stimuli, which might not be transferable to an interactional setting. Therefore, evidence on social mimicry needs to be broadened systematically in interactional psychotherapeutic settings with different clinical samples, as it could be an important source for clinical diagnosis and intervention in psychotherapy. In sum, mimicry seems to be a promising area for psychotherapy research and practice.
Measuring Movement Imitation
Authors: Khemka Divyush , Catmur Caroline
Published: November 2024

This chapter presents a range of techniques for measuring imitation of others’ movements. We consider methods that measure imitative activity during passive action observation; kinematic measures of imitation; stimulus-response compatibility measures of automatic imitation and imitation-inhibition; and more naturalistic measures of mimicry and action synchrony. Throughout the chapter, we discuss the strengths and limitations of these approaches and conclude with a summary of considerations to bear in mind when choosing an experimental technique, or reviewing work involving such measures.
The Promise and Pitfalls of Studying the Neurophysiological Correlates of Automatic Imitation
Authors: Darda Kohinoor M. , Ramsey Richard
Published: November 2024

The automatic copying of other people—automatic imitation—is one of the most widely studied topics in psychology. In this chapter, we review current evidence for the neurophysiological correlates of automatic imitation. To do so, we focus on one heavily used and influential paradigm that manipulates stimulus-response compatibility and is conducive to investigation using neuroscientific methods. We distinguish between two distinct mental processes that occur during imitation: action representation and action selection. Observed actions are perceived and represented and a particular action needs to be selected to be executed. Neuroscientific evidence concerning action representation appears relatively robust and engages a widespread and distributed network of visual and motor regions that span the ventral visual stream, as well as frontoparietal cortex. In contrast, the neurophysiological correlates of action selection during imitation are far from clear. The dominant view in the literature is that this particular task indexes processes relating to the control of automatic imitative tendencies, which rely on a self-other distinction mechanism that is uniquely tied to human social interaction and engages the theory-of-mind network. However, our analysis shows that this claim lacks essential evidence for four forms of validity (construct, internal, external, and statistical-conclusion validities). Instead, given current evidence, the best estimate is that this task engages domain-general forms of control that are underpinned by the multiple-demand network. For claims to be supported regarding socially specific forms of control when using this task, there is a burden of proof on researchers to show robust evidence for each of the four validities that we have outlined. Fortunately, with the emergence of the meta-science movement over the past 10 years, there are more resources than ever to help achieve this aim. More generally, even though we focus on one imitation task to provide a thorough test-case example, given the widespread and well-established lack of validity in psychology in general, we fully expect our analysis to be relevant across the full range of imitation tasks covered in this book, including imitation of speech, gestures, and emotions.
Change of Law: Backgrounds and Limits, Expectations and Realizations
Authors: Varga Csaba
Published: November 2024

In this chapter, law as an object of change is seen in regard to the historically generalizable trinity of (1) the establishment and (2) the enforcement of the law by the state, as well as (3) the exercise of whatever is regarded as ‘law’ in society. Then law and its changes are treated in parallel according to the respective legislative and judicial paths. The essence of law serving as a ‘patterned pattern’ is mediation, which, especially in recent times, the judiciary has constantly tried to weaken. This movement now—when the immense overdevelopment and predominance of formal rationality itself has become irrational—involves the rejection of the radicalism with which the formal rationality of regulatory systems was once fought for. The overview of this will show that the process is ultimately able to destroy the very distinctness of law. As finally concluded, legal change is not an end in itself but a means of maintaining an organic functional relationship between law and its social medium. This relationship is not a mechanical one but a series of further socio-legal mediations expressed through complex interactions. All in all, the road from legal change to the prospect of actual change is long, complicated, and not without risk.
Assessing Constitutional Resilience: The Performance of the 2011 Fundamental Law in Fulfilling Constitutional Functions
Authors: Szente Zoltán
Published: November 2024

This chapter examines the resilience of the 2011 Fundamental Law through a functional analysis. For this purpose, it first presents the basic functions of modern constitutions. Among these, it deals with a regulatory function, whereby the constitution contains the main rules for the exercise of public power as well as fundamental rights. However, the paper examines constitutional functions not only in a formal sense, but within the framework of modern European constitutionalism. For this reason, it also defines the requirements for constitutional regulation, such as its stability, coherence, effectiveness, and, above all, the limitation of public power and state intervention. It also identifies the representation of national identity as a further function, i.e. the social integrative function of the constitution. The Fundamental Law is a full-fledged, modern written constitution, but has fallen far short of what was expected of it: it is ‘the most flexible constitution in the world’, which is burdened with many internal contradictions, and many of its provisions have remained only on paper, i.e. have not been put into practice. The authoritarian transition since 2010 and the usurpation of power by the governing parties show that it has been completely unable to limit public power, which is perhaps the most important constitutional requirement of all.
Changes in the Legal Status of ‘Churches’ in Hungary After 2010
Authors: Schweitzer Gábor
Published: November 2024

Between 2010 and 2018, there were significant changes in Hungary in the legislation on churches, religious associations and religious communities, in particular with regard to the provisions on the constitutional status, recognition and registration of religious communities. The main consequence was the deprivation of the previously acquired legal status of more than 300 religious communities. It is therefore reasonable to ask: what were the reasons and circumstances that justified and triggered such a profound and intense transformation? What social challenges did the law have to face that led to such serious consequences? In reviewing the changes in the legislative environment since 2010 in Hungary, the following aspects will be examined in this chapter: (1) the cause(s) of the change in the legislative environment; (2) the purpose(s) of the change in the legislative environment; (3) the result(s) of the change in the legislative environment; (4) the consequence(s) of the change in the legislative environment.
Exploration and Reflection on the Construction of a Green Human Resource Management System in Public Hospitals in the Post-Pandemic Era
Authors: Tian Yike
Published: November 2024

For most domestic public hospitals at this stage, issues such as insufficient humanistic care, inadequate talent support policies, limited promotion paths for personnel, and inadequate assessment mechanisms are common problems that hinder talent development. To maximize the encouragement of talent innovation, it is necessary to establish and improve a training system that meets the needs of the times and the individuals themselves. This paper, from the perspective of green human resource management, delves into the effectiveness of strengthening talent team construction and establishing a green human resource management system in public hospitals in the post-epidemic era. Incorporating the developmental status of a tertiary hospital in Hubei Province, this paper ultimately summarizes the feasibility and significance of such a system.
On semibiproducts of magmas and semigroups
Authors: Martins-Ferreira Nelson
Published: November 2024

A generalization to the categorical notion of biproduct, called semibiproduct, which in the case of groups covers classical semidirect products, has recently been analysed in the category of monoids with surprising results in the classification of weakly Schreier extensions. The purpose of this paper is to extend the study of semibiproducts to the category of semigroups. However, it is observed that a further analysis into the category of magmas is required in attaining a full comprehension on the subject. Indeed, although there is a subclass of magma-actions, that we call representable, which classifies all semibiproducts of magmas whose behaviour is similar to semigroups, it is nevertheless more general than the subclass of associative magma-actions.
Patient centered HCC surveillance - complementary roles of ultrasound and CT/MRI
Authors: Heald Jason , Fetzer David T. , Rodgers Shuchi , Jain Vaibhav , Fung Alice , Liu Xiaoyang , Wilson Stephanie , Kamaya Aya , Marks Robert M.
Published: November 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide and is the fastest growing cause of cancer death in the United States (U.S.) In the U.S., current national clinical practice guidelines from the 2023 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Practice Guidance and the recently updated Liver Imaging Reporting & Data Systems (LI-RADS) Ultrasound (US) Surveillance v2024 core recommend semi-annual serum α-fetoprotein and US screening of patients deemed to be high risk for developing HCC. In this article, we will explore the transition to a patient-centered approach to HCC surveillance, including the role of the new LI-RADS US Surveillance v2024 core and the use of visualization score for determining ultrasound quality, the known risk factors for poor US image quality, and the potential options for alternative surveillance strategies when US may not be a viable option for certain patients, including multiphasic computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and several abbreviated MRI protocols.
Escaping Arrow’s theorem: the Advantage-Standard model
Authors: Holliday Wesley H. , Kelley Mikayla
Published: November 2024

There is an extensive literature in social choice theory studying the consequences of weakening the assumptions of Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem. Much of this literature suggests that there is no escape from Arrow-style impossibility theorems, while remaining in an ordinal preference setting, unless one drastically violates the Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives (IIA). In this paper, we present a more positive outlook. We propose a model of comparing candidates in elections, which we call the Advantage-Standard (AS) model. The requirement that a collective choice rule (CCR) be representable by the AS model captures a key insight of IIA but is weaker than IIA; yet it is stronger than what is known in the literature as weak IIA (two profiles alike on x, y cannot have opposite strict social preferences on x and y). In addition to motivating violations of IIA, the AS model makes intelligible violations of another Arrovian assumption: the negative transitivity of the strict social preference relation P. While previous literature shows that only weakening IIA to weak IIA or only weakening negative transitivity of P to acyclicity still leads to impossibility theorems, we show that jointly weakening IIA to AS representability and weakening negative transitivity of P leads to no such impossibility theorems. Indeed, we show that several appealing CCRs are AS representable, including even transitive CCRs.
PaedVacCOVID - safety of the BNT162b2 vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 in children with and without comorbidities aged 5 to 11 years
Authors: Holzwarth Sarah , Saadat Kimiya , Jorczyk Maximilian , Dreßen Svenja , Kotsias-Konopelska Sarah , Schlegtendal Anne , Maier Christoph , Schmitt Jochen , Paul Kevin , Pagel Julia , Muntau Ania C. , Berner Reinhard , Brinkmann Folke , Toepfner Nicole
Published: November 2024

Background

Little is known about specific safety aspects in children with significant comorbidities receiving the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2, as approval studies did not address this population. This study’s purpose is to evaluate safety and adverse events in these children compared to healthy children.

Methods

In this prospective, multicentre, industry-independent cohort study, caregivers whose children received BNT162b2 were asked to participate in an online questionnaire. Potential side effects were evaluated in ten organ related categories. Frequency of symptoms was compared in both cohorts by bivariate analysis.

Results

From a total of 1,294 responses to the questionnaire, 793 data sets were included into the analysis (179 children with comorbidities and 614 healthy children). Responses were given at a median of 17 days after vaccination. Overall, safety of BNT162b2 was high in both cohorts. Psychological (OR: 3.56, [95% CI: 1.461 to 8.629]), pulmonary (OR: 7.14, [95% CI: 2.039 to 21.48]), gastrointestinal (OR: 2.35, [95% CI: 1.231 to 4.665]), neurological (OR: 1.74, [95% CI: 1.078 to 2.796]) and dermatological (OR: 2.28, [95% CI: 1.220 to 4.172]) side effects were increased in children with comorbidities over healthy controls.

Conclusion

The higher rate of reported post-vaccination symptoms could either be due to a higher susceptibility for symptomatic effects following immune stimulation, or due to a trained awareness to health-related symptoms. The data emphasizes the importance to evaluate safety of the new mRNA COVID-19 vaccines not only in healthy children but also in children with comorbidities. To perform such evaluation should be made mandatory for pharmaceutical enterprises.
Real-life data of hepatitis C treatment with direct acting antiviral therapy in persons injecting drugs or on opioid substitution therapy
Authors: M. Pfaeffle , S. Duenkelmann , C Boesecke , J.K. Rockstroh , C. Schwarze-Zander
Published: November 2024

Purpose

HCV treatment has been revolutionized by introduction of direct-acting antiviral therapy (DAA). Short treatment duration of eight to twelve weeks combined with significantly improved tolerability opened the opportunity to reach out to difficult-to-treat populations. Here, we retrospectively analyzed real life data on HCV treatment adherence and outcome in people who inject drugs (PWID) or on opioid substitution therapy (OST).

Methods

All PWID or on OST receiving DAA therapy between 3/2021–11/2022 at an infectious disease clinic in Bonn were retrospectively analyzed. Patients received either 8 weeks glecaprevir/pibrentasvir or 12 weeks sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (+ ribavirin in genotype 3 cirrhotic patients). Sustained virological response (SVR) was measured 4 and 12 weeks after HCV therapy.

Results

In our cohort 47 patients (68%) received treatment with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir and 22 patients (32%) sofosbuvir/velpatasvir. All 47 (100%) patients started on glecaprevir/pibrentasvir received prescriptions for the full length of therapy, while patients on sofosbuvir/velpatasvir completed 12 weeks therapy in 86% and 8 weeks in 14% (p = 0.029).

Of 69 patients 74% were found to achieve SVR. In 20% no information is available as they were lost to follow-up. Re-infection was documented in 3 patients and one relapse in a gt3 patient with cirrhosis.

Conclusion

High adherence and response rates to HCV treatment were found following DAA based therapy in PWID supporting the call to include difficult-to-treat populations into HCV treatment efforts on the way to HCV elimination. Treatment of OST and HCV at one institution supporting patients by a multidisciplinary team may further facilitate adherence to follow up visits enabling documentation of treatment outcomes more easily.
Optimizing sustainable bio-fuel supply chain: a multi-objective model utilizing micro-algae resources
Authors: Sharma Narayan , Chauhan Anand , Singh Anubhav Pratap , Arora Ritu
Published: November 2024

As energy demands continue to rise and concerns about the impact on the environment of fossil fuels, renewable energy sources have emerged as viable alternatives. Bio-fuels can replace non-renewable energy sources. Micro and macro-algae, animal fat, leftover cooking oil and vegetable oil can be utilised to make bio-diesel. Micro-algae is readily available and affordable, making it a viable alternative to these sources. A bio-diesel supply chain that supports large-scale production must be developed quickly. A multi-objective framework is used to construct a sustainable micro-algal bio-diesel supply chain. Bio-diesel supply chain economic objective and environmental impact is minimized in the proposed approach. Bio-diesel is advertised as a fossil fuel replacement. Bio-refineries, bio-diesel depositories, multi-harvesting centres and supply sites for micro-algae (Chlorella, chlamydomonas and Scenedesmus) are considered. The suggested multi-objective model is optimized by implementing the $$Genetic-Algorithm$$

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. The framework and solution technique are validated using numerical illustrations. Findings indicate that bio-diesel production facility starting expenses comprise 59% of overall costs, showing high installation costs in the supply chain. Additionally, their environmental impact accounts for 67% of total environmental installation impact. A sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the feasibility of this study. The suggested paradigm could potentially be beneficial for traders and governing bodies with an interest in bio-fuel industry.
Metabolic regulation of 5-oxoproline for enhanced heat tolerance in perennial ryegrass
Authors: Lei Shuhan , Rossi Stephanie , Yang Zhimin , Yu Jingjin , Huang Bingru
Published: November 2024

Pyroglutamic acid [(5-oxoproline (5-oxp)], a non-protein amino acid, can be converted to glutamate to regulate amino acid metabolism in plants. Its roles in plant adaptation to abiotic stresses, including heat stress, are not well understood. The objectives of this study were to determine whether exogenous application of 5-oxp could promote heat tolerance in cool-season perennial grass species and identify the major metabolic pathways that could be activated or responsive to 5-oxp for enhancing heat tolerance. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) plants were foliar-sprayed with 5-oxp or water (untreated control) prior to and during the exposure to heat stress (35/33 ℃, day/night temperature) or ambient temperature (25/22 ℃, day/night temperature, non-stress control) in controlled-environment growth chambers. Application of 5-oxp improved the heat tolerance of perennial ryegrass, as manifested by the chlorophyll content, photochemical efficiency, cell membrane stability, and antioxidant enzyme activities increasing by 31.2%, 25.7%, 37.2%, and 57.1-258.3%, as well as the reduction in hydrogen peroxide production by 36.8%. Metabolic profiling identified metabolites up-regulated by 5-oxp that are involved in the metabolic pathways of carbon assimilation in photosynthesis, glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle of respiration, proteinogenic amino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism for DNA or RNA synthesis and ATP generation. The up-regulation or activation of those metabolic processes could contribute to 5-oxp-mediated enhancement in the heat tolerance of perennial ryegrass.
Machine-learning-aided biochar production from aquatic biomass
Authors: Yuan Zhilong , Wang Ye , Zhu Lingfeng , Zhang Congcong , Sun Yifei
Published: November 2024

Modeling hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and pyrolysis carbonization (PLC) for the conversion of biomass into high-quality biochar for various applications shows promise. Unlike the extensive modeling studies on lignocellulosic biomass, research on aquatic biomass (AB) had not been reported until now. In this study, we compiled 586 data points from existing literature and trained five tree-based models to predict the yields of hydrochar and pyrochar and their properties, including nitrogen recovery degree, energy density, energy recovery degree, and residual sulfur degree, based on 10 feedstock and process parameters. The random forest regression (RFR) model demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy among these models. It achieved R2 values ranging from 0.89 to 0.98 for hydrochar yield, nitrogen recovery degree of hydrochar, energy recovery degree of hydrochar, and residual sulfur degree of hydrochar. The extreme gradient boosting (XGB) model also showed exemplary performance, with R2 values between 0.84 and 0.94 for energy density of hydrochar, pyrochar yield, and nitrogen recovery degree of pyrochar. Results on feature importance highlighted that, beyond the well-documented impact of process parameters, the properties of biochar were significantly influenced by the elemental compositions, such as nitrogen and sulfur contents of the feedstock. The relationship between these factors was further elucidated using partial dependence plots. Finally, we used RFR model for hydrochar yield and XGB model for pyrochar yield as examples, to test generalization ability of developed models with new data, further explaining their application methods. Overall, this study provided valuable insights into predicting and understanding the HTC and PLC processes of AB to produce high-quality biochar for various applications using low resources and time costs. Besides, we presented an iterative learning application method where the developed models demonstrated exceptionally high performance with new data. This method is highly versatile and can be adopted across various directions in the field of machine learning.

Graphical Abstract
Evaluation of interventions led by pharmacists in antimicrobial stewardship programs in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic literature review
Authors: Marins Tatiana Aporta , de Jesus Graciele Riveres , Holubar Marisa , Salinas Jorge L. , Guglielmi Gabrielli Pare , Lin Vivian , de Almeida Silvana Maria
Published: November 2024

Objective:

We performed a systematic literature review to identify and describe pharmacist-led antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Design:

Systematic literature review.

Methods:

We searched PubMed for studies evaluating pharmacist-led ASP interventions in LMICs from January 1, 2012, to November 4, 2023. We evaluated the article’s country of origin, described ASP interventions, and analyzed their reported outcomes.

Results:

Twenty-four studies were included; ten were conducted in China, two in India, two in Thailand, five in Africa, three in Latin America, and two in the Middle East. The predominant interventions in the studies were education and training followed by audit and feedback. The outcomes reported included reduction in antimicrobial consumption, cost reduction, shortening of the duration of antimicrobial therapy, and de-escalation.

Conclusions:

Our findings reinforce the importance of clinical pharmacists leading interventions related to antimicrobial stewardship in LMCIs and the global importance of investing in Infectious Disease training.
“Do they REALLY trust us”?: Lessons from a volunteer research registry
Authors: Sotto-Santiago Sylk , Wiehe Sarah , Hudson Brenda , Slaven James , Vinaixa Conor , Bruns Rebecca , Claxton Gina , Delp Lynsey , Lynch Dustin , Moe Sharon
Published: November 2024

Background:

All IN for Health is a well-established community-academic partnership dedicated to helping improve the lives of Indiana residents by increasing health research literacy and promoting health resources, as well as opportunities to participate in research. It is sponsored by the Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute (I-CTSI). The study’s purpose was to measure trust in biomedical research and healthcare organizations among research volunteers.

Methods:

The Relationship of Trust and Research Engagement (RTRE) survey was developed utilizing 3 validated scales. The RTRE consisted of 36 items in a 5-point Likert scale with three open-text questions. We conducted 3 focus groups with a total of 24 individuals ahead of the survey’s launch. Recruitment was done through the All IN for Health newsletter. The survey was administered in the summer of 2022.

Results:

Six hundred and sixty-three individuals participated in the survey. Forty-one percent agreed that doctors do medical research for selfish reasons. Moreover, 50% disagree that patients get the same medical treatment regardless of race/ethnicity. Sixty-seven percent think it is safe to participate in medical research, yet 79% had never been asked to participate. Ten percent believe that researchers select minorities for their most dangerous studies and expose minoritized groups to diseases.

Conclusion:

The utilization of tools to measure trust will facilitate participant recruitment and will assist institutions and investigators alike in accountability. It is imperative, we work toward understanding our communities’ trust in medical research, assessing our own trustworthiness, and critically reflect on the authenticity of our efforts.