bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maurice Blanchot’s troubling geography: Neutralizing key spatial and temporal concepts in the wake of deconstruction
Authors: Carter-White Richard , Doel Marcus A , Shubin Sergei V
Published: June 2024

In dialogue with recent studies that have sought to foreground the negative and the abyssal in human geography and that have struggled in vain to prevent their foreclosure, we introduce the work of the French theorist Maurice Blanchot, whose challenging and thought-provoking writings remain largely unknown within our discipline despite their significance for deconstructing geography’s conceptual architecture. After explicating Blanchot’s neutralization of the problem of negativity and positivity, the paper brings Blanchot’s neutral writings to bear on three areas of contemporary geographical concern: the trouble with subjectivity and identity; the unhinging of space and time; and the disaster of writing.
Hypersensitivity to CGRP as a predictive biomarker of migraine prevention with erenumab
Authors: Al-Khazali Haidar M , Ashina Håkan , Christensen Rune Häckert , Wiggers Astrid , Rose Kathrine , Iljazi Afrim , Amin Faisal Mohammad , Ashina Messoud , Snellman Josefin , Maio-Twofoot Tina , Schytz Henrik W
Published: June 2024

Background

The present study aimed to investigate the predictive value of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-induced migraine attacks for effectiveness to erenumab treatment in people with migraine.

Methods

In total, 139 participants with migraine underwent a single experimental day involving a 20-min infusion with CGRP. Following this, the participants entered a 24-week treatment period with erenumab. The primary endpoints were the predictive value of CGRP-induced migraine attacks on the effectiveness of erenumab, defined as ≥50% reduction in monthly migraine days, or ≥ 50% reduction in either monthly migraine or monthly headache days of moderate to severe intensity.

Results

Among participants with CGRP-induced migraine attacks, 60 of 99 (61%) achieved ≥50% reduction in monthly migraine days during weeks 13–24 with erenumab. Conversely, 13 of 25 (52%) where CGRP infusion did not induce a migraine achieved the same endpoint ( p = 0.498). There were no significant differences between the ≥50% reduction in either monthly migraine or monthly headache days of moderate to severe intensity between CGRP-sensitive and non-sensitive participants ( p = 0.625).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the CGRP-provocation model cannot be used to predict erenumab's effectiveness. It remains uncertain whether this finding extends to other monoclonal antibodies targeting the CGRP ligand or to gepants. Trial Registration: The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04592952).
Plasma metabolomics and lipidomics reveal potential novel biomarkers in early gastric cancer: An explorative study
Authors: Wang Feng , Pang Ruifang , Zhao Xudong , Zhou Bin , Tian Yuan , Ma Yongchen , Rong Long
Published: June 2024

Background

Early identification and therapy can significantly improve the outcome for gastric cancer. However, there is still no perfect biomarker available for the detection of early gastric cancer. This study aimed to investigate the alterations in the plasma metabolites of early gastric cancer using metabolomics and lipidomics based on high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), which detected potential biomarkers that could be used for clinical diagnosis.

Methods

To investigate the changes in metabolomics and lipidomics, a total of 30 plasma samples were collected, consisting of 15 patients with early gastric cancer and 15 healthy controls. Extensive HPLC-MS-based untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic investigations were conducted. Differential metabolites and metabolic pathways were uncovered through the utilization of statistical analysis and bioinformatics analysis. Candidate biomarker screening was performed using support vector machine-based multivariate receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results

A disturbance was observed in a combined total of 19 metabolites and 67 lipids of the early gastric cancer patients. The analysis of KEGG pathways showed that the early gastric cancer patients experienced disruptions in the arginine biosynthesis pathway, the pathway for alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, as well as the pathway for glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. Plasma metabolomics and lipidomics have identified multiple biomarker panels that can effectively differentiate early gastric cancer patients from healthy controls, exhibiting an area under the curve exceeding 0.9.

Conclusion

These metabolites and lipids could potentially serve as biomarkers for the screening of early gastric cancer, thereby optimizing the strategy for the detection of early gastric cancer. The disrupted pathways implicated in early gastric cancer provide new clues for additional understanding of gastric cancer's pathogenesis. Nonetheless, large-scale clinical data are required to prove our findings.
Ultrasonic and micrograph-based quantification of material characteristics for in-situ AFP composite structures
Authors: Schaefer Yannick T , Raps Lukas , Chadwick Ashley R
Published: June 2024

Achieving the maximum potential of parts manufactured with in-situ consolidation thermoplastic Automated Fiber Placement without a final bulk consolidation is a challenging task. This is due partially to the continual development of the technology itself and partially due to material defects which are not fully removed during part manufacturing. In this paper, a methodology is presented for the evaluation of prepreg tape and laminate quality relevant to the manufacturing process. A novel approach is presented to quantify tape quality and the fiber volume content distribution, porosity, all of which are identified as significant influences on laminate quality. A new approach to ultrasonic testing is applied for quantitative porosity analysis promising advantages over conventional methods. Laminate porosity was successfully measured using the proposed pulse-echo ultrasonic attenuation method. The fiber content distribution from the tape used in testing shows characteristics interpreted as unfavorable for high quality in-situ AFP.
Leveraging Open Large Language Models for Multilingual Policy Topic Classification: The Babel Machine Approach
Authors: Sebők Miklós , Máté Ákos , Ring Orsolya , Kovács Viktor , Lehoczki Richárd
Published: June 2024

The article presents an open-source and freely available natural language processing system for comparative policy studies. The CAP Babel Machine allows for the automated classification of input files based on the 21 major policy topics of the codebook of the Comparative Agendas Project (CAP). By using multilingual XLM-RoBERTa large language models, the pipeline can produce state-of-the-art level outputs for selected pairs of languages and domains (such as media or parliamentary speech). For 24 cases out of 41, the weighted macro F1 of our language-domain models surpassed 0.75 (and, for 6 language-domain pairs, 0.90). Besides macro F1, for most major topic categories, the distribution of micro F1 scores is also centered around 0.75. These results show that the CAP Babel machine is a viable alternative for human coding in terms of validity at less cost and higher reliability. The proposed research design also has significant possibilities for scaling in terms of leveraging new models, covering new languages, and adding new datasets for fine-tuning. Based on our tests on manifesto data, a different policy classification scheme, we argue that model-pipeline frameworks such as the Babel Machine can, over time, potentially replace double-blind human coding for a multitude of comparative classification problems.
Belimumab-induced periungual pyogenic granulomas: A case report
Authors: Chighizola Cecilia Beatrice , Suardi Ilaria , Marino Achille , Gattinara Maurizio , Costi Stefania , Cattaneo Angelo , Gerosa Maria , Caporali Roberto
Published: June 2024

Pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a benign vascular neoformation, presenting as a painful red nodule on the skin, mucosa or nail apparatus. It is usually related to local complications such as bleedings and superinfections. The etiology of PG remains still unclear, and several triggers can lead to its formation. In case of multiple lesions, systemic conditions and drugs remain the main causes. Antineoplastic treatments, retinoids, antiretrovirals, hormones and anticonvulsants are frequently implicated in PG formation. In literature, PG has been rarely described in the course of biological treatment due to rheumatological disease. The present case report describes the development of polydactolous PGs in a 21-year-old woman with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE) during treatment with belimumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against BlyS. The clinical presentation, in particular the timing and the multiplicity of the lesions, and the improvement after belimumab discontinuation allowed us to consider PG as drug-induced. This case highlights the importance of considering PG as a potential complication of rheumatologic treatments.
Fraud detection in the fishing sector using hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Esplandiú Paula Luri , Marín-Méndez Juan-Jesús , Alonso-Santamaría Miriam , Remírez-Moreno Berta , Sáiz-Abajo María-José
Published: June 2024

Currently, more and more consumers are interested in the quality, safety, and authenticity of food products. The fishing sector is the second food category with the highest risk of fraud and the greatest presence of authentication problems. There are non-destructive, fast and accurate techniques for real-time authentication, with hyperspectral imaging (HSI) standing out among these. In this context, the main aim of this study is to explore the viability of HSI in the visible and near infrared (VIS-NIR) and near infrared (NIR) ranges for the detection of fraud by origin and by non-declaration of the previous freezing process, in anchovies. The spectral pretreatment methods used were standard normal variate method, Savitzky-Golay first derivative and the Savitzky-Golay second derivate, always followed by mean centering. In addition, the impact of using a previous step of smoothing prior to pretreatment was also evaluated. Two classification algorithms: soft independent modeling of class analogy, and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to build the classification model. After analysis, it was found that the modelling results using the VIS-NIR region were always better than those using the NIR region alone, and the best performing model was PLS-DA with a recall of 0.97 for fresh and 0.98 for frozen-thawed anchovies and 0.98 for Cantabrian anchovies and 0.96 for Mediterranean anchovies. One advantage of the model obtained is the ability to classify the anchovies measuring on the skin side of fish without the need for sample preparation. Overall, the results showed that HSI combined with PLS-DA is a favorable solution for rapid, and non-destructive recognition of adulteration regarding freshness and origin in anchovies.
The Interplay of Cultural Value Dimensions and Preferred Leadership Behaviors: Intersecting Pathways in the Case of Croatia
Authors: Bulog Ivana , Malbašić Ivan , Čalopa Marina Klačmer
Published: June 2024

This paper examines Croatian national culture value dimensions, employee leadership behavior preferences, and their relationships. The analysis confirms Croatia’s cultural homogeneity revealing no statistically notable cultural difference between its two main regions (Adriatic and Continental Croatia). The research highlights cultural inclination towards Individualism, indicating a value for personal autonomy, individual aspirations, and a family-centric orientation. Croatia demonstrated a weak tendency to Uncertainty Avoidance, pointing to a cultural openness towards risks, changes, and new challenges. Some significant relationships between cultural value dimensions and preferences for leadership behaviors are found. Through its significant results, this study contributes to the understanding of Croatian societal values and leadership preferences.
Painful Nonunion in Patients With Clinically Plantigrade Diabetes-Associated Charcot Foot Arthropathy
Authors: Pinzur Michael S. , Cho Elizabeth , Schiff Adam P. , Hamid Kamran
Published: June 2024

Background:

It has been assumed that diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy should not have pain associated with Charcot foot arthropathy.

Methods:

During a 19-year period, 14 diabetic patients (15 feet) presented for treatment with pain following resolution of the acute phases of midfoot Charcot foot arthropathy. All were clinically plantigrade with plain radiographic evidence of bony union without deformity. Pain did not resolve with the use of appropriate therapeutic footwear. When used, CT scans uniformly demonstrated nonunion.

Results:

All 14 patients had resolution of their presenting pain following successful arthrodesis. Nonunion was confirmed at surgery in all of the patients. One patient developed a fatal pulmonary embolus following removal of the external fixator. Two required late exostectomy for bony overgrowth at the surgical site of fusion for nonunion.

Conclusion:

This small series of patients would suggest that nonunion of the Charcot neuroarthropathy process was responsible for complaints of pain not able to be managed with therapeutic footwear. Successful arthrodesis resolved the pain. CT imaging may help identify a treatable source of pain in this population.
“Breaking through the Brokenness”: An Arts-Based Qualitative Exploration of Pregnant Women's Experience of Intimate Partner Violence while Receiving Trauma- and Violence-Informed Antenatal Care
Authors: Jackson Kimberley T. , Mantler Tara , O’Keefe-McCarthy Sheila , Davidson Cara A. , Shillington Katie J. , Yates Julia
Published: June 2024

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive, worldwide public health concern. Risk of IPV may elevate during the perinatal period, increasing maternal and fetal health risks. Trauma- and violence-informed care shows promise among interventions addressing associated mental health sequelae. As a secondary analysis, the purpose of this study was to employ a qualitative arts-based exploration to better understand pregnant women's experiences of trauma and violence-informed perinatal care in the context of IPV. Using an arts-based qualitative methodology, different art forms were used to analyze, interpret, and report data, resulting in a layered exploration to represent phenomena. From this, four themes were reflected in four poetic pieces: Black Deep Corners, Triggering my Thoughts, Breaking through the Brokenness, and Now Perfectly Imperfect. Nine pieces of visual art were created reflecting these themes, creating a layered, embodied, artistic way to empathically explore and translate phenomena.
Preoperative Oral Carbohydrates for Children: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Li Yan , Chen Luxi , Su Yang , Zhang Xin
Published: June 2024

Background: Many studies have reported the use of preoperative oral carbohydrates (CHO) in children, but the results are inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the effectiveness and safety of oral CHO administration in children prior to surgery, with the goal of offering a dependable reference for clinical nursing practices and surgical interventions. Methods: Two authors searched PubMed, Clinical trials, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang and Weipu databases for randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the effects of preoperative oral CHO in children up to April 12, 2024. We used RevMan 5.4 software for data analysis. Results: Nine RCTs involving a total of 1279 children were included. The meta-analysis showed that there was statistical difference in the pH of gastric juice (MD = 1.54, 95%CI: 1.40–1.67, p < .001), intraoperative sedation score (MD = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.27–0.97, p < .001), and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (OR = 0.40, 95%CI: 0.20–0.80, p = .009) between the CHO and control groups. There was no statistical difference in the RGV (MD = −0.23, 95%CI: −0.47–0.01, p = .06) and the postoperative blood glucose level (MD = −0.91, 95%CI: −5.03–3.21, p = .67) between the CHO and control groups. Egger regression analysis showed that there were no publication biases amongst the synthesized outcomes (all p > .05). Conclusion: The administration of oral CHO to children before surgery is safe and practicable. There is a need for additional, well-conducted studies with more participants to further elucidate the role of preoperative CHO administration.
Novel Serum Proteomes Expressed from Benzene Exposure Among Gasoline Station Attendants
Authors: Polyong Chan Pattama , Roytrakul Sittiruk , Sirivarasai Jintana , Yingratanasuk Tanongsak , Thetkathuek Anamai
Published: June 2024

Background:

Research on the proteomes impact of benzene exposure in fuel station employees remains sparse, underscoring the need for detailed health impact assessments focusing on biomarker evaluation.

Objectives:

This investigation aimed to analyze the differences in blood parameters and serum proteomes resulting from benzene exposure between gasoline station attendants (B-GSA) and a control group.

Design and methods:

A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 96 participants, comprising 54 in the B-GSA group and 42 in the control group. The methodology employed included an interview questionnaire alongside urine and blood sample collections. The urine samples were analyzed for trans,trans-muconic acid ( t,t-MA) levels, while the blood samples underwent complete blood count analysis and proteome profiling.

Results:

Post-shift analysis indicated that the B-GSA group exhibited significantly higher levels of t,t-MA and monocytes compared to the control group ( P < .05). Proteome quantification identified 1448 proteins differentially expressed between the B-GSA and control groups. Among these, 20 proteins correlated with the levels of t,t-MA in urine. Notably, 4 proteins demonstrated more than a 2-fold down-regulation in the B-GSA group: HBS1-like, non-structural maintenance of chromosomes element 1 homolog, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 4, and zinc finger protein 658. The KEGG pathway analysis revealed associations with apoptosis, cancer pathways, p53 signaling, and the TNF signaling pathway.

Conclusion:

The changes in these 4 significant proteins may elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying benzene toxicity and suggest their potential as biomarkers for benzene poisoning in future assessments.
Beliefs, screening attitudes and breast cancer awareness of young women with neurofibromatosis type 1: A reflexive thematic analysis
Authors: Plunkett Caitríona , Pilkington Melissa
Published: June 2024

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) predisposes individuals to benign and malignant tumours. Young women with NF1 (<50 years) have an up to five-fold increased risk of breast cancer. The UK adopts moderate cancer risk guidelines of NICE, advising women with NF1 to attend breast screening from 40 years. Previous results from a systematic review and meta-analysis found that breast cancer in this cohort predominantly occurs from 34 to 44 years. Without earlier screening, breast awareness is fundamental. Reflexive thematic analysis and semi-structured interview questions based on the health belief model explored whether a tailor-made breast cancer awareness intervention would be beneficial by examining beliefs, screening attitudes and breast cancer awareness of young women with NF1. Findings suggest the establishment of accessible and accurate NF1 and breast awareness information, development and implementation of a breast awareness intervention for young women with NF1, and healthcare professionals.
Localised precarity in social media entertainment: YouTubing in Turkey
Authors: Bidav Tugce
Published: June 2024

This article examines precarious working conditions for YouTube content creation in Turkey. Creator studies have extensively examined creator precarity within the context of platform architectures and the broader social media entertainment industries. Instead of applying this lens to YouTubing in Turkey to highlight shared precarity experiences of Turkish creators with other YouTube production cultures, I focus on localised precarity to examine how creator labour is made less stable by geographical context. Drawing on in-depth interviews with creators, the research findings demonstrate that there are multiple sources of precarity associated with localised YouTube revenues in an unstable national economy, restrictive internet governance at nation-state level, and culturally situated creator–audience relations.
Post-treatment stability, survival time and periodontal health associated with vacuum-formed, bonded and rapid prototype retainers: A prospective clinical study
Authors: Murugaiyan Sureka , Pottipalli Sathyanarayana Haritha , Thakkar Digant , Padmanabhan Sridevi
Published: June 2024

Background:

New technologies have paved the way for newer fabrication techniques, such as rapid prototyping, which has gained popularity in the fabrication of several orthodontic appliances including retainers.

Aim:

To evaluate the stability, survival time and periodontal health associated with vacuum-formed retainers (VFRs), bonded retainers (BRs) and rapid prototype retainers (RPRs) over a period of 12 months in retention.

Study design:

Prospective clinical study.

Methods:

A total of 72 participants completing fixed orthodontic treatment were allocated to the following three groups by the investigators based upon their initial malocclusion, compliant and preferences: VFR; BR; and RPR. The primary outcome was Little’s Irregularity Index (LII). Other stability parameters, including arch length (AL), inter-canine width (ICW) and inter-molar width (IMW), were also assessed immediately after debonding (T0) and 12 months (T2) after debonding. In addition, survival time, and calculus index and gingival index (GI) were assessed.

Results:

LII showed a significant difference ( P = 0.00) between the groups and was increased in the VFR group (0.18 ± 0.22 mm) compared to the BR (0.03 ± 0.05 mm) and RPR (0.01 ± 0.03 mm) groups but was not clinically significant. The mean survival time of maxillary retainers was longest for the RPR group (220.63 days; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 194.1–247.16) but there was no significant difference between the three groups ( P = 0.43). The mean survival time of mandibular retainers was higher and the same for the VFR and RPR groups (240 days; 95% CI = 240–240) and there was no significant difference between the three groups ( P = 0.38). The calculus index score ( P = 0.00) was statistically significant between the groups, with an increased score for the BR group (0.33 ± 0.27) compared to the VFR (0.07 ± 0.16) and RPR (0.13 ± 0.22) groups. Similarly, the GI score ( P = 0.02) was statistically significant between the groups and was increased in the BR group (0.01 ± 0.19) compared to the VFR (−0.15 ± 0.18) and RPR (−0.06 ± 0.15) groups. The increase in calculus index and GI scores for the BR group were not clinically significant.

Conclusion:

There were no clinically significant differences between the three retainer groups in terms of stability, periodontal health and time to failure.
Soccer—The disrupted game: Perturbations as a cause for scoring success
Authors: Dreier Sebastian , Maier Jonas , Brunnschneider Markus , Keiner Michael
Published: June 2024

This study was designed to analyze goal-scoring in elite soccer, drawing on an extensive dataset encompassing 892 goals and 3496 perturbations recorded in the German 2nd Bundesliga. A qualitative approach was used to analyze perturbations, which are technical–tactical situations that disrupt opponent stability and facilitate goal success. The research differentiated between offensive and defensive perturbations, characteristics of initiating disruptive perturbations, their zones of occurrence, directions of play, significant playing positions, and their contributions toward goals, as well as perturbation chains leading to goal success. The analysis determined that an average of 3.9 perturbations is typically required to forge a goal-scoring opportunity against the opposition. It was revealed that 39% of initiating perturbations were defensive, predominantly characterized by misplaced passes. In contrast, 43% were attributed to offensive group tactical perturbations, such as low passes, long-distance kicks, and crosses. Only 18% stemmed from individual perturbations, with runs without the ball and dribbling to bypass the opponent being the primary occurrences. An analysis focusing solely on the immediate actions can lead to misinterpretations regarding the genesis of goals. While only 79 goals resulted from a single perturbation, most commonly a shot on goal, 813 goals emerged from scenarios involving two or more perturbations.
Music as an Evolved Tool for Socio-Affective Fiction
Authors: Trevor Caitlyn , Frühholz Sascha
Published: June 2024

The question of why music evolved has been contemplated and debated for centuries across multiple disciplines. While many theories have been posited, they still do not fully answer the question of why humans began making music. Adding to the effort to solve this mystery, we propose the socio-affective fiction (SAF) hypothesis. Humans have a unique biological need for emotion regulation strengthening. Simulated emotional situations, like dreams, can help address that need. Immersion is key for such simulations to successfully exercise people's emotions. Therefore, we propose that music evolved as a signal for SAF to increase the immersive potential of storytelling and thereby better exercise people's emotions. In this review, we outline the SAF hypothesis and present cross-disciplinary evidence.
Axial and radial variation in oil yield and santalol content of Santalum album L. (Indian Sandalwood)
Authors: Kumar Rakesh , Ray Souvik , Varatharaj Vanathi , Ku Leelavathy
Published: June 2024

Sandalwood is an important endemic tree in India. The oil in sandalwood, particularly in the heartwood, is the primary reason for its economic and cultural importance. However, the oil content of heartwood varies greatly between species and even within species. Furthermore, oil concentration varies greatly depending on position where sample is taken. In the present study, we report variations in oil content in a piece of heartwood of a single tree at specified positions both radially and longitudinally from core heartwood to the periphery and from lower side of butt-root to upper side. Further variation in α-santalol and β-santalol content of oil were also estimated. The variation in oil content was found to be in the range of 0.6–5.67% while the total santalol content ranged from 66.7% to 79.5%. This study is aimed towards analysing the variations in santalol content and oil yield across different axes of tree.
Influence of different parental mediation strategies on adolescents’ hedonistic smartphone use: Parent–adolescent reports
Authors: Priya Nandhini , Maheswari P. Uma
Published: June 2024

Hedonistic smartphone usage refers to smartphone activities for instant gratification and pleasure; increased hedonistic use is associated with perceived stress, problematic smartphone usage, and smartphone addiction among adolescents. Parents naturally intervene in adolescents’ screen media use through various mediation strategies, including active mediation of safety, restrictive mediation, monitoring mediation, and technical mediation, to reduce potential negative impacts and online risks. This study aims to identify the relationship between parental mediation strategies and adolescents’ hedonistic smartphone use using the data from 447 adolescents and 432 parents. This study also explores the consideration of a new mediation technique, participatory learning mediation, in the parental mediation model. Multiple regression results revealed positive and negative associations between different parental mediation strategies and adolescents’ hedonistic smartphone use, with restrictive mediation having no effect.
Relationship between the type of media consumption and political trust in the European Union: Evidence from the 94th Eurobarometer 2020/2021 Survey
Authors: Daminov Ildar
Published: June 2024

This article analyzes the relationship between the consumption of different types of media and political trust, while also additionally contributing to discussions in several sub-branches of agenda-setting theories. To test the hypotheses, this article runs several linear regression models at the European Union, regional, and national levels. The European Union–level analysis is based on the 94th Eurobarometer survey data of 2020/2021. It is then further complemented with some country-level comparisons. The regression models account for various socio-economic and socio-political confounding factors. The results of the analysis demonstrate that there is a significant positive relationship between press consumption and political trust. As for social media, their negative effect is visible and consistent only when they are designated as the respondent’s main source of information. Other media types do not demonstrate a visible and statistically significant effect. This article’s findings, also through the country-level comparisons, provide new research avenues not only for quantitative research as well as for comparative case studies of individual European Union Member States.
Beyond Militarisation: Japan’s Path to Civilian Power
Authors: Clasen Annika
Published: June 2024

This article examines Japan’s evolution as a civilian power from 2012 to 2023, highlighting continuities and changes. In a nutshell, a civilian power prioritises cooperative international relations over unilateral action and military force. Using a qualitative content analysis of Japanese Ministry of Defence white papers, we base our analysis on three key categories to examine civilian power attributes: ‘Enforcement of morals’, ‘multilateralism’ and ‘will to promote and initiate’. Over 11 years, Japan has updated its Indo-Pacific partnerships, strengthened multilateral cooperation and pursued a proactive regional role. Contrary to views that Prime Minister Abe’s policies favour remilitarisation, we show continuity in Japan’s civilian power posture. While core values shifted from 2013 to 2020, the overall categories increased, particularly under Suga and Kishida. Our findings do not suggest a broad erosion of civilian power principles and show Japan’s gradual progression towards greater civilian power.
Humeral Head Reconstruction of Reverse Hill-Sachs Lesions With Osteochondral Allograft
Authors: Deivert Kyle T. , van der List Jelle P. , Trasolini Nicholas A. , Waterman Brian R.
Published: June 2024

Background:

True confirmed posterior shoulder dislocations are relatively uncommon injuries, with an estimated incidence of 1.1 per 100,000 individuals and are initially missed in up to 50% to 80% of cases. There are several treatment options for this injury presentation. In this case, we will focus on reconstruction with osteochondral allograft.

Indications:

If the cartilage cannot be fixed due to comminution or the cartilage is not viable due to chronicity or impact, osteochondral allograft might be a treatment option. This technique is typically considered for defects involving greater than 35% to 40% of the humeral head.

Technique Description:

The anterior defect on the humeral head was exposed on the cadaver specimen. Circular bone plugs were obtained from a distal femur specimen for grafting. Graft sites were prepared with a 15 reamer with an orthogonal approach to avoid oblique entry for a stacked bone plug configuration. Bone plug grafts were placed in the defect via press-fit fixation. The subscapularis is repaired to the lesser tubercle following the reconstruction.

Results:

Various studies reported improvement in pain, shoulder range of motion, and patient-reported outcome scores. A small percentage of patients developed allograft necrosis. Patients who received autografts had lower rates of osteoarthritis than patients who received allograft. Rehab protocol can last up to 12 months and begins with restricted range of motions and slowly advancing to isometric movements and gradually increasing range of motion and strengthening.

Discussion/Conclusion:

Outcomes described in previous studies are limited due to the low incidence of these injuries and small sample size. Missing the initial posterior dislocation as this is often correlated with inferior outcomes when treated in chronic setting. There is a risk of damage to humeral articular cartilage during osteochondral tissue harvesting so care must be taken during tissue harvest. Older, lower-demand patients have been reported to do well with nonoperative treatment, even in the case of a chronic dislocation, so careful discussion with the patient is needed to not perform surgery in a reasonably functioning non-painful shoulder.

Patient Consent Disclosure Statement:

The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.
Targeting PKCα alleviates iron overload in diabetes and hemochromatosis through the inhibition of ferroportin
Authors: Banerjee Somesh , Lu Shaolei , Jain Anand , Wang Irene , Tao Hui , Srinivasan Shanthi , Nemeth Elizabeta , He Peijian
Published: June 2024

Ferroportin (Fpn) is the only iron exporter, playing a crucial role in systemic iron homeostasis. Fpn is negatively regulated by its ligand hepcidin, but other potential regulators in physiological and disease conditions remain poorly understood. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that develops body iron loading with unknown mechanisms. By using diabetic mouse models and human duodenal specimens, we demonstrated that intestinal Fpn expression was increased in diabetes in a hepcidin-independent manner. Protein kinase C (PKC) is hyperactivated in diabetes. We showed that PKCα was required to sustain baseline Fpn expression and diabetes-induced Fpn upregulation in the enterocytes and macrophages. Knockout of PKCα abolished diabetes-associated iron overload. Mechanistically, activation of PKCα increased the exocytotic trafficking of Fpn and decreased the endocytic trafficking of Fpn in the resting state. Hyperactive PKCα also suppressed hepcidin-induced ubiquitination, internalization, and degradation of Fpn. We further observed that iron loading in the enterocytes and macrophages activated PKCα, acting as a novel mechanism to enhance Fpn-dependent iron efflux. Finally, we demonstrated that the loss-of-function of PKCα and pharmacological inhibition of PKC significantly alleviated hereditary hemochromatosis-associated iron overload. Our study has highlighted, to our knowledge, for the first time, that PKCα is an important positive regulator of Fpn and a new target in the control of iron homeostasis.
Multi-omics analysis uncovered systemic lupus erythematosus and COVID-19 crosstalk
Authors: Nian Zekai , Mao Yicheng , Xu Zexia , Deng Ming , Xu Yixi , Xu Hanlu , Chen Ruoyao , Xu Yiliu , Huang Nan , Mao Feiyang , Xu Chenyu , Wang Yulin , Niu Mengyuan , Chen Aqiong , Xue Xiangyang , Zhang Huidi , Guo Gangqiang
Published: June 2024

Background

Studies have highlighted a possible crosstalk between the pathogeneses of COVID-19 and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, the interactive mechanisms remain unclear. We aimed to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 on SLE using clinical information and the underlying mechanisms of both diseases.

Methods

RNA-seq datasets were used to identify shared hub gene signatures between COVID-19 and SLE, while genome-wide association study datasets were used to delineate the interaction mechanisms of the key signaling pathways. Finally, single-cell RNA-seq datasets were used to determine the primary target cells expressing the shared hub genes and key signaling pathways.

Results

COVID-19 may affect patients with SLE through hematologic involvement and exacerbated inflammatory responses. We identified 14 shared hub genes between COVID-19 and SLE that were significantly associated with interferon (IFN)-I/II. We also screened and obtained four core transcription factors related to these hub genes, confirming the regulatory role of the IFN-I/II-mediated Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway on these hub genes. Further, SLE and COVID-19 can interact via IFN-I/II and IFN-I/II receptors, promoting the levels of monokines, including interleukin (IL)-6/10, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IFN-γ, and elevating the incidence rate and risk of cytokine release syndrome. Therefore, in SLE and COVID-19, both hub genes and core TFs are enriched within monocytes/macrophages.

Conclusions

The interaction between SLE and COVID-19 promotes the activation of the IFN-I/II-triggered JAK-STAT signaling pathway in monocytes/macrophages. These findings provide a new direction and rationale for diagnosing and treating patients with SLE–COVID-19 comorbidity.
Remarkably high tensile strength and lattice thermal conductivity in wide band gap oxidized holey graphene C2O nanosheet
Authors: Shojaei Fazel , Zhang Qinghua , Zhuang Xiaoying , Mortazavi Bohayra
Published: June 2024

Recently, the synthesis of oxidized holey graphene with the chemical formula C2O has been reported (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 4532). We herein employed a combination of density functional theory (DFT) and machine learning interatomic potential (MLIP) calculations to investigate the electronic, optical, mechanical and thermal properties of the C2O monolayer, and compared our findings with those of its C2N counterpart. Our analysis shows that while the C2N monolayer exhibits delocalized π-conjugation and shows a 2.47 eV direct-gap semiconducting behavior, the C2O counterpart exhibits an indirect gap of 3.47 eV. We found that while the C2N monolayer exhibits strong absorption in the visible spectrum, the initial absorption peaks in the C2O lattice occur at around 5 eV, falling within the UV spectrum. Notably, we found that the C2O nanosheet presents significantly higher tensile strength compared to its C2N counterpart. MLIP-based calculations show that at room temperature, the C2O nanosheet can exhibit remarkably high tensile strength and lattice thermal conductivity of 42 GPa and 129 W/mK, respectively. The combined insights from DFT and MLIP-based results provide a comprehensive understanding of the electronic and optical properties of C2O nanosheets, suggesting them as mechanically robust and highly thermally conductive wide bandgap semiconductors.
Bacterial contamination in contact lens training area in private optical clinics
Authors: Baig Sana Badar , Manokaran Kalaivani , Theruveethi Nagarajan , Muduthan Vivek Raghavan
Published: June 2024

Background

Contamination in the contact lens training area could be due to bacteria, which can lead to the major consequence of ocular infections. We aimed to investigate the contamination caused by bacteria in the contact lens training area in private optical clinics of the Udupi district, India.

Methods

A cross-sectional study evaluated the swabs from the contact lens container, contact lens solution tip, washing area and lens fitting area for bacterial contamination. Twenty swabs collected from different areas of five optical clinics were inoculated in Brain heart infusion broth (BHIB). The broth was streaked in MacConkey and Blood agar and incubated at standard conditions for the growth of bacteria. All isolates were identified using conventional culture methods, and Gram staining was performed.

Results

Twenty samples (contact lens case, n = 5; contact lens solution tip, n = 5; washing area, n = 5; cleaning towel, n = 5) from private optical clinics were recruited for the study. Bacterial growth was indicated in which lactose fermentation was seen at (15%), non-lactose fermentation at (35%), and no bacterial growth at (50%) in MacConkey agar. Partial or alpha-hemolytic (α hemolysis) was seen in (5%), complete or beta-hemolytic (β hemolysis) was seen in (40%), no hemolysis or gamma hemolysis (ϫ haemolysis), was seen in (30%), no growth was seen in (25%) on blood agar. Gram-positive cocci (45%), Gram-negative bacilli (20%), and no increase in (35%) were observed in MacConkey agar and Blood agar. Bacterial species were not identified in this study.

Conclusion

Contamination was found in lenses, solution tips, washing areas, and cleaning towels which might lead to ocular infections. Perception should be given to those responsible for fitting lenses.
Salinity-responsive histone PTMs identified in the gills and gonads of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)
Authors: Mojica Elizabeth A. , Fu Yuhan , Kültz Dietmar
Published: June 2024

Background

Histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) are epigenetic marks that can be induced by environmental stress and elicit heritable patterns of gene expression. To investigate this process in an ecological context, we characterized the influence of salinity stress on histone PTMs within the gills, kidney, and testes of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). A total of 221 histone PTMs were quantified in each tissue sample and compared between freshwater-adapted fish exposed to salinity treatments that varied in intensity and duration.

Results

Four salinity-responsive histone PTMs were identified in this study. When freshwater-adapted fish were exposed to seawater for two hours, the relative abundance of H1K16ub significantly increased in the gills. Long-term salinity stress elicited changes in both the gills and testes. When freshwater-adapted fish were exposed to a pulse of severe salinity stress, where salinity gradually increased from freshwater to a maximum of 82.5 g/kg, the relative abundance of H1S1ac significantly decreased in the gills. Under the same conditions, the relative abundance of both H3K14ac and H3K18ub decreased significantly in the testes of Mozambique tilapia.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that salinity stress can alter histone PTMs in the gills and gonads of Mozambique tilapia, which, respectively, signify a potential for histone PTMs to be involved in salinity acclimation and adaptation in euryhaline fishes. These results thereby add to a growing body of evidence that epigenetic mechanisms may be involved in such processes.
Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on acute leukemia patients: a comparative analysis of hematological and biochemical parameters
Authors: Almuqrin Abdulaziz M. , Alotaibi Badi A. , Aldali Jehad A. , Alshalani Abdulrahman , AlSudais Hamood , Aldali Hamzah J.
Published: June 2024

Background

The impact of COVID-19 infection on the blood system remains to be investigated, especially with those encountering hematological malignancies. It was found that a high proportion of cancer patients are at an elevated risk of encountering COVID-19 infection. Leukemic patients are often suppressed and immunocompromised, which would impact the pathology following COVID-19 infection. Therefore, this research aims to bring valuable insight into the mechanism by which COVID-19 infection influences the hematological and biochemical parameters of patients with acute leukemia.

Methods

This retrospective investigation uses repeated measures to examine changes in hematological and biochemical parameters among patients with acute leukemia before and after COVID-19 infection at a major Saudi tertiary center. The investigation was conducted at the Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 24 acute leukemia patients with COVID-19 between April 2020 and July 2023. The impact of COVID-19 on clinical parameters, comorbidities, and laboratory values was evaluated using data obtained from the electronic health records at four designated time intervals. The relative importance of comorbidities, testing preferences, and significant predictors of survival was ascertained.

Results

The majority of leukemic COVID-19-infected patients, primarily detected through PCR tests, were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (70.8%). The hematological and biochemical parameters exhibited stability, except for a brief increase in ALT and a sustained rise in AST. These changes were not statistically significant, and parameters remained normal at all time points. Additionally, an increase in monocyte count was shown at time point-3, as well as platelet counts at time point 2.

Conclusion

While this study did not detect statistically significant effects of COVID-19 on biochemical and hematological parameters in acute leukemia patients, further investigation is needed to fully understand the potential adverse reactions and modifications following COVID-19 infection.
Association between chinese visceral adiposity index and risk of kidney stones in a health screening population: an ultrasonography based cross-sectional study
Authors: Cai XiXuan , Xu MingYing , Chen Liangli , Huang YiLin , Shen KeQing , Chen JieRu , Li LuSha , Pan Jianjiang , Chen Tao , Chen Liying
Published: June 2024

Background

Obesity is an important risk factor for kidney stones(KS). Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index (CVAI), as a specific indicator for visceral obesity in the Chinese population, can more accurately assess the visceral fat content in Chinese individuals compared to Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI). However, the association between CVAI and risk for KS has not been studied.

Methods

A total of 97,645 participants from a health screening cohort underwent ultrasound examinations for the diagnosis of kidney stones, along with measurements of their CVAI. Logistic regressions were utilized to determine the relationship between different quartiles of CVAI and the incidence of kidney stones. Simultaneously, subgroup analysis and the computation of dose-response curves were employed to pinpoint susceptible populations.

Results

Among the participants, 2,888 individuals (3.0%) were diagnosed with kidney stones. The mean CVAI values ± standard deviation for the four groups were: Q1 (18.42 ± 19.64), Q2 (65.24 ± 10.39), Q3 (98.20 ± 9.11), and Q4 (140.40 ± 21.73). In the fully adjusted multivariable model, CVAI was positively correlated with urolithiasis (OR = 1.001; 95% CI = 1.000, 1.002). Compared with the first quartile of CVAI, the population in the fourth quartile of CVAI had a higher prevalence of kidney stones (OR = 1.231; 95% CI = 1.066, 1.415). Through subgroup analysis, a positive correlation between CVAI and the risk of kidney stones was found in non-smokers (OR = 1.001, 95%CI:1.000, 1.002), non-drinkers (OR = 1.001, 95%CI:1.000, 1.002), non-hypertensive subgroups (OR = 1.003, 95%CI:1.002, 1.003), and non-diabetes subgroups (OR = 1.001, 95%CI:1.000, 1.002).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that CVAI could be a reliable and effective biomarker for assessing the potential risk of kidney stone prevalence, with significant implications for the primary prevention of kidney stones and public health.
Peripapillary hyperreflective ovoid mass-like structures with cystoid macular edema: a case report
Authors: Liu Wei , Yan Jianjun , Huang Hao
Published: June 2024

Background

Peripapillary hyperreflective ovoid mass-like structures (PHOMS) are newly characterized lesions wedged around the optic discs, which used to be misdiagnosed. Better understanding and identifying PHOMS are important for monitoring the condition of optic nerve.

Case presentation

A young female presented to the ophthalmic clinic with blurred vision of both eyes. Protrusions resembling “C-shaped donut” were found circling the optic discs bilaterally. These lesions were homogenous hyperreflective on OCT, while they were also hypoautofluorescent and hypoechogenic. Meanwhile, cystoid macular edema (CME) was also identified in both eyes. The patient was then diagnosed as PHOMS with CME. A short-term glucocorticoids therapy was prescribed systemically. The logMAR best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of both eyes reached 0.0 in 4 months with recovery of CME, while the PHOMS remained.

Conclusions

There is currently no report on PHOMS with CME. More attentions should be paid to PHOMS, for they are potential biomarkers for axoplasmic stasis involved in different diseases of the optic nerve.