bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic power assessment of clinical parameters to predict neoadjuvant response therapy in HER2‐positive breast cancer patients: A machine learning approach
Authors: Fanizzi Annarita , Latorre Agnese , Bavaro Domenica Antonia , Bove Samantha , Comes Maria Colomba , Di Benedetto Erika Francesca , Fadda Federico , La Forgia Daniele , Giotta Francesco , Palmiotti Gennaro , Petruzzellis Nicole , Rinaldi Lucia , Rizzo Alessandro , Lorusso Vito , Massafra Raffaella
Published: October 2023

Background

About 15%–20% of breast cancer (BC) cases is classified as Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor type 2 (HER2) positive. The Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was initially introduced for locally advanced and inflammatory BC patients to allow a less extensive surgical resection, whereas now it represents the current standard for early‐stage and operable BC. However, only 20%–40% of patients achieve pathologic complete response (pCR). According to the results of practice‐changing clinical trials, the addition of trastuzumab to NAC brings improvements to pCR, and recently, the use of pertuzumab plus trastuzumab has registered further statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in terms of pCR. The goal of our work is to propose a machine learning model to predict the pCR to NAC in HER2‐positive patients based on a subset of clinical features.

Method

First, we evaluated the significant association of clinical features with pCR on the retrospectively collected data referred to 67 patients afferent to Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II.” Then, we performed a feature selection procedure to identify a subset of features to be used for training a machine learning‐based classification algorithm. As a result, pCR to NAC was associated with ER status, Pgr status, and HER2 score.

Results

The machine learning model trained on a subgroup of essential features reached an AUC of 73.27% (72.44%–73.66%) and an accuracy of 71.67% (71.64%–73.13%). According to our results, the clinical features alone are not enough to define a support system useful for clinical pathway.

Conclusion

Our results seem worthy of further investigation in large validation studies and this work could be the basis of future study that will also involve radiomics analysis of biomedical images.
Are they humans or are they robots? The effect of virtual influencer disclosure on brand trust
Authors: Muniz Fernanda , Stewart Kristin , Magalhães Lívia
Published: October 2023

The increased prevalence of social media has led brands to utilize influencers for product endorsements and influence consumer perceptions. Among these influencers, virtual influencers (VIs)—that is, computer‐generated influencers with a social media presence–have gained significant attention due to their substantial online following and greater engagement compared to human influencers. However, a research gap exists in understanding the impact of VIs on consumer response toward brands, particularly when consumers perceive VIs as human. To address this gap, this study draws upon anthropomorphism and expectation disconfirmation theories to investigate the effect of disclosing a VI's nonhuman nature on consumer trust in the brand. Additionally, the influence of culture on consumers' perceptions of VIs is explored. The study employs three within‐subject experimental designs, with two studies conducted in the United States (n = 75 and n = 101) and one in Brazil (n = 83). The findings reveal that the disclosure of a VI's nonhuman nature negatively affects the perceived anthropomorphism of the influencer, subsequently diminishing the credibility of the VI and impacting brand trust. This study contributes significantly to the consumer behavior literature by examining the unintended consequences of disclosing VIs' nonhuman nature on consumer perceptions. Furthermore, it highlights the potential role of culture, as the direct influence of disclosure on anthropomorphism is observed, but the indirect influence on brand trust is not supported among Brazilian consumers. Consequently, brands must reconsider the design of their own VIs or those they collaborate with, striving for a design that mitigates consumer suspicion avoiding the negative effects of disclosure.
Are couple‐based psychological interventions beneficial for the mental health of prostate cancer patients and their spouses? A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Shen Bin , Sun Jianhong , Yu Zhenliang , Xu Gang , Zhou Yaoying
Published: October 2023

As the survival rates for prostate cancer (PCa) have improved, there has been an increasing focus on the mental health of couples affected by this condition. There have been several couple‐based psychological interventions, and yet the impact of this treatment modality on the mental health of PCa patients and their spouses is unclear. Consequently, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, LILACS, and Web of Science up to March 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the impacts of couple‐based psychological interventions on both PCa patients and their spouses. Besides, the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was employed to evaluate the methodological quality and potential bias of the included studies. Moreover, statistical analysis and meta‐analysis were performed utilizing Revman 5.4, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was employed to assess the certainty of evidence. A total of nine RCTs were included, utilizing anxiety, depression, distress, communication, and self‐efficacy as outcome indicators to assess mental health. Results demonstrated that couple‐based psychological interventions increased spouses' self‐efficacy (WMD, 0.21; 95% CI: −0.00 ~ 0.42; P = 0.05) and communication (SMD, 0.34; 95% CI: 0.09 ~ 0.59; P = 0.009), while reducing their distress (SMD, −0.21; 95% CI: −0.40 ~ −0.02; P = 0.03). Nonetheless, there is a need for additional research on the effect of couple‐based psychological interventions on the mental health of PCa‐affected couples given the limited evidence supporting this conclusion.
Two‐ and three‐piece implants to boost data generation in preclinical in vivo research—A short technical report
Authors: Stavropoulos Andreas , Bellon Benjamin , Pipenger Benjamin , Andersen Ole Z.
Published: October 2023

The purpose of this technical report is to present two novel experimental implant designs to boost data generation in preclinical in vivo research. Specifically, the report describes the rationale and the components of (1) a two‐piece experimental implant suitable for a small animal platform (e.g., the rabbit femur/tibial epiphysis model), consisting of a threaded apical‐ and a coronal cylindrical piece, which is intended for collecting two types of biomechanical data, and (2) a three‐piece experimental implant suitable for a large animal platform (e.g., the mini‐pig mandible model), consisting of an apical “wound chamber”, which allows the collection of histological/histomorphometrical data, and a middle threaded and coronal cylindrical piece, which also allow the collection of two types of biomechanical data. The increased volume of information generated from a single experiment in a small animal platform, using the proposed two‐piece implant design, may assist in a more qualified decision‐making process, on whether it is relevant to proceed to further assessment using a large animal platform. Furthermore, the increased volume of information generated in a single animal experiment either in a small or large animal platform, using the proposed two‐ and three‐piece implants, respectively, likely decreases the number of animals otherwise needed for collecting the same information with standard one‐piece implants and, thus, contributes to the reduction/refinement elements of the 3R principle.
Factors predicting technical failure of endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage for acute cholecystitis
Authors: Hirakawa Noriyuki , Yamamoto Kenjiro , Sofuni Atsushi , Tsuchiya Takayoshi , Ishii Kentaro , Tanaka Reina , Tonozuka Ryosuke , Mukai Shuntaro , Nagai Kazumasa , Matsunami Yukitoshi , Kojima Hiroyuki , Minami Hirohito , Nakatsubo Ryosuke , Asano Kyoko , Itoi Takao
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (ETGBD) is a highly technical procedure, but few studies have evaluated factors that predict its technical success. Therefore, in this study, we sought to identify predictors of technically successful ETGBD.

Methods

One hundred and eighty‐two patients who underwent ETGBD for acute cholecystitis at our hospital were retrospectively investigated. Factors associated with technical failure were identified by focusing on clinical characteristics, anatomical features (direction of the cystic duct branch and course of the cystic duct), and procedural factors (cystic duct and gallbladder with or without contrast and cystic duct injury).

Results

The technical success rate was 84.6% (154/182) and the clinical success rate was 96.1% (148/154). The adverse event rate was 11.0% (20/182; cystic duct injury in 13 patients, pancreatitis in six, and liver abscess in one. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the right cranial direction and spiral‐type course of the cystic duct to be significant anatomical features and cystic duct injury to be a significant procedural feature contributing to the technical failure of ETGBD.

Conclusions

ETGBD is a highly practical procedure for patients with acute cholecystitis. However, difficulty is encountered in some cases because of anatomical and procedural factors. Our results suggest that ETGBD may be difficult and thus should not be performed in cases with the right cranial direction or spiral‐type course of the cystic duct or those with cystic duct injury.
Hair and plasma cortisol throughout the first 3 years of development in infant rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta
Authors: Pritchard Alexander J. , Capitanio John P. , Del Rosso Laura , McCowan Brenda , Vandeleest Jessica J.
Published: October 2023

Cortisol expression has been demonstrated to have variation across development in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). There exists contradictory evidence for the nature of this change, and age at which it occurs, across biological sample types. Consequently, we lack a cohesive understanding for cortisol concentrations across the development of a major human health translational model. We examined hair cortisol concentrations over the first 3 years of life for 49 mother‐reared infant macaques from mixed‐sex outdoor units at the California National Primate Research Center. For 48 of these subjects at infancy, 1 year, and 2 years, we obtained plasma cortisol samples for response to a stressor, adjustment to prolonged stress, and response to dexamethasone injection. Hair cortisol concentrations decreased dramatically between 3 and 10 months, followed by relative stability up to the final sampling event at around 34 months of age. Plasma cortisol showed within‐year consistency, and consistency between infancy and year 1. We document variability in the infant plasma cortisol samples, especially in percent change between samples 1 and 2. Our plasma cortisol results indicate that infants possess the physiological capacity to effectively inhibit the release of cortisol when stimulated, as effectively as later responses in juveniles. Age‐related changes in hair cortisol parallel findings indicating a large decline in the weeks following postparturation.
Monomicelle‐induced assembly route toward low‐dimensional mesoporous nanomaterials for catalysis
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhu Kerun , Yang Chaochao , Ai Yan , Gao Yihan , Li Wei , Zhao Dongyuan
Published: October 2023

Low‐dimensional mesoporous nanomaterials (LDMNs), which possess complementary properties in the mesoscale and nanoscale, have realized more technological potentials in a wide range of applications, in particular, catalysis. Although still in its infancy, the proposed monomicelles‐induced assembly (MIA) has been proved to be an emerging and powerful toolbox for the direct synthesis of LDMNs with well‐controlled mesostructures and architectures. This review starts from the developmental history of the MIA strategy and then discuss general protocols to fabricate the monomicelles. After that, manipulation of the monomicelles' assembly by well‐designed interfaces and confined spaces for the controllable fabrication of LDMNs are reviewed in detail. Then, catalytic applications, including thermal, photo‐ and electrocatalysis, of LDMNs are discussed critically based on the structure‐performance relationship. This review ends with a brief summary and further directions of the MIA strategy, paving the way for the synthesis of sophisticated mesoporous assemblies to achieve advanced functionalities.
Early changes in renal function during rapid up‐titration of guideline‐directed medical therapy following an admission for acute heart failure
Authors: ter Maaten Jozine M. , Mebazaa Alexandre , Davison Beth , Edwards Christopher , Adamo Marianna , Arrigo Mattia , Barros Marianela , Biegus Jan , Čelutkienė Jelena , Čerlinskaitė‐Bajorė Kamilė , Chioncel Ovidiu , Cohen‐Solal Alain , Damasceno Albertino , Diaz Rafael , Filippatos Gerasimos , Gayat Etienne , Kimmoun Antoine , Lam Carolyn S.P. , Leopold Valentine , Novosadova Maria , Pagnesi Matteo , Pang Peter S. , Ponikowski Piotr , Saidu Hadiza , Sliwa Karen , Takagi Koji , Tomasoni Daniela , Metra Marco , Cotter Gad , Voors Adriaan A.
Published: October 2023

Aim

In this subgroup analysis of STRONG‐HF, we explored the association between changes in renal function and efficacy of rapid up‐titration of guideline‐directed medical therapy (GDMT) according to a high‐intensity care (HIC) strategy.

Methods and results

In patients randomized to the HIC arm (n = 542), renal function was assessed at baseline and during follow‐up visits. We studied the association with clinical characteristics and outcomes of a decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at week 1, defined as ≥15% decrease from baseline. Patients in the usual care group (n = 536) were seen at day 90. The treatment effect of HIC versus usual care was independent of baseline eGFR (p‐interaction = 0.4809). A decrease in eGFR within 1 week occurred in 77 (15.5%) patients and was associated with more rales on examination (p = 0.004), and a higher New York Heart Association class at the corresponding visit. Following the decrease in eGFR at 1 week, lower average optimal doses of GDMT were prescribed during follow‐up (p = 0.0210) and smaller reductions in N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide occurred (geometrical mean 0.81 in no eGFR decrease vs 1.12 in GFR decrease, p = 0.0003). The rate of heart failure (HF) readmission or death at 180 days was 12.3% in no eGFR decrease versus 18.5% in eGFR decrease (p = 0.2274) and HF readmissions were 7.8% versus 16.6% (p = 0.0496).

Conclusions

In the STRONG‐HF study, HIC reduced 180‐day HF readmission or death regardless of baseline eGFR. An early decrease in eGFR during rapid up‐titration of GDMT was associated with more evidence of congestion, yet lower doses of GDMT during follow‐up.
Outlier robust inference in the instrumental variable model with applications to causal effects
Authors: Klooster Jens , Zhelonkin Mikhail
Published: October 2023

The Anderson‐Rubin (AR) test is an important method that allows for reliable inference in the instrumental variable model when the instruments are weak. Yet, the robustness properties of this test have not been formally studied. As it turns out that the AR test is not robust to outliers, we show how to construct an outlier robust alternative—the robust AR test. We investigate the robustness properties of the robust AR test and show that the robust AR statistic asymptotically follows a chi‐square distribution. The theoretical results are illustrated by a simulation study. Finally, we apply the robust AR test to three different case studies that are affected by different types of outliers.
Gründen: Wie kann ich neben dem Beruf gründen?
Authors: Festel Gunter
Published: October 2023

Wie kann ich neben dem Beruf gründen?
Trendbericht Theoretische Chemie 2023 (3/3): Dynamik beobachten – explizite Beschreibung der Pulseigenschaften
Authors: Fasshauer Elke
Published: October 2023

Maschinelles Lernen: Bisher zielten Anwendungen vor allem auf das Lernen von Potenzialenergiehyperflächen, derzeit zeigen sich viele neue Forschungsrichtungen. Molekülschwingungen in der Thermodynamik: Berechnung in Theorie und Simulation. Ultrakurze Laserpulse zum Beobachten molekularer Dynamik: Da die Bewegung von Elektronen genauso schnell ist wie die zeitliche Ausdehnung der Pulse, sind die Pulseigenschaften bei Simulationen explizit zu berücksichtigen.
Trendbericht Theoretische Chemie 2023 (1/3): Maschinelles Lernen jenseits von Potenzialenergiehyperflächen
Authors: Margraf Johannes
Published: October 2023

Maschinelles Lernen: Bisher zielten Anwendungen vor allem auf das Lernen von Potenzialenergiehyperflächen, derzeit zeigen sich viele neue Forschungsrichtungen. Molekülschwingungen in der Thermodynamik: Berechnung in Theorie und Simulation. Ultrakurze Laserpulse zum Beobachten molekularer Dynamik: Da die Bewegung von Elektronen genauso schnell ist wie die zeitliche Ausdehnung der Pulse, sind die Pulseigenschaften bei Simulationen explizit zu berücksichtigen.
Lithiumbatterien mit Kunststoffelektrode
Authors: Rosenberg Dominique
Published: October 2023

Bei Lithiumbatterien könnten Kunststoffe als Anodenmaterialien die Performance verbessern. Die Idee ist dabei, einen leicht zu verarbeitenden thermoplastischen und dabei leitfähigen Kunststoff einzusetzen. In Schulen und Hochschulen lassen sich solche Batterien auf Kunststoffbasis mit einfachen Versuchsaufbauten realisieren.
Gordon Research Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry
Authors: Marten Inka , Rapp Mario , Schmidt Annika
Published: October 2023

Ende Juni fand die Gordon Research Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry nach einer vierjährigen pandemiebedingten Pause nun erneut in der Holderness School in New Hampshire in den USA statt. Organisiert wurde die fünftägige Tagung von Burkhard König (Universität Regensburg) und Cornelia Bohne (University of Victoria); etwa 160 Teilnehmer aus aller Welt trafen sich und tauschten sich aus. Die GDCh unterstützte mit einem Reisestipendium drei Promovierende, die hier über die Konferenz berichten.
Das Wildschwein‐Paradoxon
Authors: Steinhauser Georg , Feng Bin
Published: October 2023

Wildschweine im Alpenraum sind häufig mit überdurchschnittlich viel radioaktivem Cäsium‐137 belastet. Durch neue Analytik verstehen wir, warum: Eine vielfach vergessene Quelle für radioaktives Cäsium in der Umwelt rückt wieder in den Fokus.
Erenumab as treatment for recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy
Authors: Mahovic Darija , Bracic Matea
Published: October 2023

Recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy (RPON), formerly known as ophthalmoplegic migraine, is a rare condition characterised by recurrent attacks of unilateral headache with ipsilateral ophthalmoplegia. Although classified as a cranial neuralgia, the exact pathophysiology behind RPON is unclear and the clinical presentation often resembles migraine headaches. Here, the authors present the case of a patient with RPON who, after numerous therapeutic failures, received erenumab and experienced significant improvement. This case supports the argument that RPON should be reclassified as a migraine variant, which would enable the use of specific prophylactic medication in patients suffering from this disorder.
Impact of ACP referrals forum on elderly mental health bed pressures
Authors: Badrakalimuthu Vellingiri Raja , Bashford Oliver , Munowenyu Lovemore
Published: October 2023

There is significant pressure on the availability of mental health beds for the elderly within the NHS. In concerted efforts to manage this demand, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust established an acute care pathway referrals forum (ACP). Here, the authors discuss their initiative, which provided a solution to waiting times where having a daily meeting of senior clinicians and operational managers focused on arriving at a comprehensive management plan, reduced waiting times, freed up beds and facilitated collective learning across various professions, services and agencies.
Weak disturbance decoupling of high‐order fully actuated nonlinear systems
Authors: Wang Na , Liu Xiaoping , Liu Cungen , Wang Huanqing
Published: October 2023

It is well known that all practical control systems are subject to external disturbances. Therefore, a feedback controller should be designed so that the closed‐loop system has some desired properties such as stability, good tracking performance, at the same time, the impact of external disturbances on the performance of the closed‐loop system is attenuated to some degree. On the other hand, almost all models for real fully actuated systems, which are derived based on the physical laws, are described by a set of high order differential equations. The traditional method for controlling these fully actuated systems is to convert the high order differential equations to first order differential equations, which are called the state equations, and then to design feedback controllers by using the state‐space design methods. Such conversion causes some inconveniences. To overcome such inconveniences, a high‐order fully actuated (HOFA) design method has been proposed to control HOFA systems. The main goal of this paper is to design a weak disturbance decoupling controller for HOFA nonlinear systems to guarantee the stability and desired output tracking performance of the closed‐loop system and to attenuate the impact of disturbances.
IRIS: A novel integrated instrument for co‐registered MA‐XRF mapping and VNIR‐SWIR hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Occhipinti Michele , Alberti Roberto , Parsani Tommaso , Dicorato Claudio , Tirelli Paolo , Gironda Michele , Tocchio Alessandro , Frizzi Tommaso
Published: October 2023

The combination of complementary techniques for materials analysis can play a key role in both art conservation and academic research. Nowadays, the correlation of x‐ray fluorescence (XRF) with hyperspectral reflectance imaging in the visible and infrared region has become a valuable tool for palette identification, painting techniques studies and for the diagnostic support dedicated to restoration and conservation. Moreover, both techniques enable researchers to reveal fascinating underpaintings, “pentimenti”, or even preparatory drawings offering new details on the creative process of the artist. This background has been a strong motivation for the development of a new multimodal tool for art and conservation: IRIS. IRIS is a mobile and reconfigurable scanner designed to address a wide range of demanding application, exploiting the opportunities given by simultaneous MA‐XRF and hyperspectral reflectance scanning in the visible‐near‐infrared (VNIR) and short‐wave‐infrared (SWIR) range from 400 to 2500 nm. The system has been designed for in‐situ, fast and non‐invasive scanning of the sample without compromising spectral resolution and high throughput performance. The scanner acquires co‐registered XRF/VNIR‐SWIR data, thus allowing the user to obtain the maximum profit from their possible correlated information: the two techniques can provide enhanced or complementary information on the same spot of analysis with minimum effort in terms of data processing and no need for spatial alignment. In the present work, the qualitative and quantitative performance of IRIS are explored, together with the presentation of in‐lab analysis on reference samples and a brief insight on a real case‐study.
Biochar from Digestate Pyrolysis as a Filler for Biopolymer Blends: Effect of Blend Composition
Authors: Infurna Giulia , Botta Luigi , Ingargiola Irene , Maniscalco Marco , Caputo Giuseppe , Dintcheva Nadka Tz.
Published: October 2023

This study investigates the effect of biochar (BC) as a filler for biopolymer blends, with a focus on the effect of the biopolymer weight ratio on the final BC-added blends. The blends studied in this work were obtained by varying the weight ratio of poly-butylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) and polylactic acid (PLA) due to their great importance in packaging and agricultural fields. BC has been produced in our laboratories by the slow pyrolysis of the digestate obtained from the anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). After pyrolysis, digestate-derived biochar has been milled and sieved to produce a powdery form with diameter of less than 45 μm. In order to better investigate the filler/polymer interactions, biochar particles were dimensionally, morphologically and chemically characterised. The inhomogeneity of the feedstock is responsible for content and high diversity of inorganics in biochar surface. The effect of BC on PBAT and PLA biopolymer matrices is different, and for the blend compositions the relative weight ratio between PBAT and PLA plays an important role. Furthermore, the biocomposite blend has been fully characterised: rheological, morphological, mechanical and dynamic-mechanical characterisations have been carried out, highlighting how the properties results strongly influenced by the presence of BC in the blend. In addition, a study of the viscous molar mass of the two polymer matrices when processed in the presence or absence of BC particless highlighting that a strong chemical interaction occurs between PLA and BC particles, unlike PBAT and BC.

Graphical Abstract
Mapping the 12-item World Health Organization disability assessment schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) onto the assessment of quality of life (AQoL)-4D utilities
Authors: Ma Bernice Hua , Chen Gang , Badji Samia , Petrie Dennis
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) is a widely used disability-specific outcome measure. This study develops mapping algorithms to estimate Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-4D utilities based on the WHODAS 2.0 responses to facilitate economic evaluation.

Methods

The study sample comprises people with disability or long-term conditions (n = 3376) from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Traditional regression techniques (i.e., Ordinary Least Square regression, Robust MM regression, Generalised Linear Model and Betamix Regression) and machine learning techniques (i.e., Lasso regression, Boosted regression, Supported vector regression) were used. Five-fold internal cross-validation was performed. Model performance was assessed using a series of goodness-of-fit measures.

Results

The robust MM estimator produced the preferred mapping algorithm for the overall sample with the smallest mean absolute error in cross-validation (MAE = 0.1325). Different methods performed differently for different disability subgroups, with the subgroup with profound or severe restrictions having the highest MAE across all methods and models.

Conclusion

The developed mapping algorithm enables cost-utility analyses of interventions for people with disability where the WHODAS 2.0 has been collected. Mapping algorithms developed from different methods should be considered in sensitivity analyses in economic evaluations.
The Frequency of Intermediate Alleles in Patients with Cerebellar Phenotypes
Authors: Capacci Elena , Bagnoli Silvia , Giacomucci Giulia , Rapillo Costanza Maria , Govoni Alessandra , Bessi Valentina , Polito Cristina , Giotti Irene , Brogi Alice , Pelo Elisabetta , Sorbi Sandro , Nacmias Benedetta , Ferrari Camilla
Published: October 2023

Cerebellar syndromes are clinically and etiologically heterogeneous and can be classified as hereditary, neurodegenerative non-hereditary, or acquired. Few data are available on the frequency of each form in the clinical setting. Growing interest is emerging regarding the genetic forms caused by triplet repeat expansions. Alleles with repeat expansion lower than the pathological threshold, termed intermediate alleles (IAs), have been found to be associated with disease manifestation. In order to assess the relevance of IAs as a cause of cerebellar syndromes, we enrolled 66 unrelated Italian ataxic patients and described the distribution of the different etiology of their syndromes and the frequency of IAs. Each patient underwent complete clinical, hematological, and neurophysiological assessments, neuroimaging evaluations, and genetic tests for autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (SCA) and fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). We identified the following diagnostic categories: 28% sporadic adult-onset ataxia, 18% cerebellar variant of multiple system atrophy, 9% acquired forms, 9% genetic forms with full-range expansion, and 12% cases with intermediate-range expansion. The IAs were six in the FMR1 gene, two in the gene responsible for SCA8, and one in the ATXN2 gene. The clinical phenotype of patients carrying the IAs resembles, in most of the cases, the one associated with full-range expansion. Our study provides an exhaustive description of the causes of cerebellar ataxia, estimating for the first time the frequency of IAs in SCAs- and FXTAS-associated genes. The high percentage of cases with IAs supports further screening among patients with cerebellar syndromes.
Supersonic gas jet stabilization in laser–plasma acceleration
Authors: Lei Zhen-Zhe , Gu Yan-Jun , Jin Zhan , Sato Shingo , Zhidkov Alexei , Rondepierre Alexandre , Huang Kai , Nakanii Nobuhiko , Daito Izuru , Kando Masakai , Hosokai Tomonao
Published: October 2023

Supersonic gas jets generated via a conical nozzle are widely applied in the laser wakefield acceleration of electrons. The stability of the gas jet is critical to the electron injection and the reproducibility of the wakefield acceleration. Here we discussed the role of the stilling chamber in a modified converging–diverging nozzle to dissipate the turbulence and to stabilize the gas jets. By the fluid dynamics simulations and the Mach–Zehnder interferometer measurements, the instability originating from the nonlinear turbulence is studied and the mechanism to suppress the instability is proposed. Both the numerical and experimental results prove that the carefully designed nozzle with a stilling chamber is able to reduce the perturbation by more than 10% compared with a simple-conical nozzle.
Social Media, Social Control, and the Politics of Public Shaming
Authors: FORESTAL JENNIFER
Published: October 2023

While there is disagreement over the value of public shaming, scholars largely agree that social media introduce pathologies. But while scholars rightly identify the effects of online public shaming (OPS), they misidentify the cause. Rather than solely a problem of scale, OPS’s effects are also shaped by the network structure within which they take place. In this article, I argue that the social conditions necessary for productive public shaming are more likely to obtain in a closed social network structure. Using the cases of Twitter, Wikipedia, and Reddit, I show how the design of social media platforms facilitates different network structures among users, with differing results for OPS. In evaluating OPS by way of network structure, I argue, we can not only better understand why OPS works productively in some cases and not in others, but also derive lessons for how to deploy, discuss, and respond to it more effectively.
Perforating colour lines: Japan and the problem of race in the ‘non-West’
Authors: Untalan Carmina Yu
Published: October 2023

Why do racialised states subscribe to the racial international hierarchy? While the critical scholarship in International Relations (IR) has meaningfully unsettled the discipline’s silence on race, it remains bound to the white versus non-white binary, neglecting the transmission and persistence of racism in international politics outside that divide. This article proposes a Lacanian reading of race as constitutive of state subjectivity in the modern world order to address this gap. Focusing on Lacan’s notion of the ‘lack in the Other’, I suggest that non-West/non-white racism is a fantasy that racialised states construct upon encountering the void of ‘Whiteness’ as a master signifier. I argue that racialised states appropriate racism in response to the anxiety induced by the collapse of the Other’s authority. Using the case of Japan’s transition to a modern nation-state, I mobilise the framework to examine Japan’s flirtation with Western racial theories and subsequent attempts to depart from the white racial order by creating its own racial hierarchy.
Who consumes ultra-processed food? A systematic review of sociodemographic determinants of ultra-processed food consumption from nationally representative samples
Authors: Dicken Samuel J. , Qamar Sulmaaz , Batterham Rachel L.
Published: October 2023

Ultra-processed food (UPF) intake is associated with increased non-communicable disease risks. However, systematic reports on sociodemographic predictors of UPF intake are lacking. This review aimed to understand UPF consumption based on sociodemographic factors, using nationally representative cohorts. The systematic review was pre-registered (PROSPERO:CRD42022360199), following PRISMA guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE searches (‘ultra-processed/ultraprocessed’ and ‘ultra-processing/ultraprocessing’) until 7 September 2022 retrieved 1131 results. Inclusion criteria included: observational, nationally representative adult samples, in English, in peer-reviewed journals, assessing the association between sociodemographics and individual-level UPF intake defined by the NOVA classification. Exclusion criteria included: not nationally representative, no assessment of sociodemographics and individual-level UPF intake defined by NOVA. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Fifty-five papers were included, spanning thirty-two countries. All thirteen sociodemographic variables identified were significantly associated with UPF intake in one or more studies. Significant differences in UPF intake were seen across age, race/ethnicity, rural/urbanisation, food insecurity, income and region, with up to 10–20% differences in UPF intake (% total energy). Higher UPF intakes were associated with younger age, urbanisation and being unmarried, single, separated or divorced. Education, income and socioeconomic status showed varying associations, depending on country. Multivariate analyses indicated that associations were independent of other sociodemographics. Household status and gender were generally not associated with UPF intake. NOS averaged 5·7/10. Several characteristics are independently associated with high UPF intake, indicating large sociodemographic variation in non-communicable disease risk. These findings highlight significant public health inequalities associated with UPF intake, and the urgent need for policy action to minimise social injustice-related health inequalities.
SDC1 and ITGA2 as novel prognostic biomarkers for PDAC related to IPMN
Authors: Zhang Chuan-long , Shen Qian , Liu Fu-dong , Yang Fan , Gao Meng-qi , Jiang Xiao-chen , Li Yi , Zhang Xi-yuan , En Ge-er , Pan Xue , Pang Bo
Published: October 2023

The existing biomarkers are insufficient for predicting the prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a precursor to PDAC; therefore, identifying biomarkers from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of PDAC and IPMN is a new and reliable strategy for predicting the prognosis of PDAC. In this study, four datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and standardized using the R package ‘limma.’ A total of 51 IPMN and 81 PDAC samples were analyzed, and 341 DEGs in PDAC and IPMN were identified; DEGs were involved in the extracellular matrix and tumor microenvironment. An acceptable survival prognosis was demonstrated by SDC1 and ITGA2, which were highly expressed during in vitro PDAC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. SDC1high was enriched in interferon alpha (IFN-α) response and ITGA2high was primarily detected in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which was verified using western blotting. We concluded that SDC1 and ITGA2 are potential prognostic biomarkers for PDAC associated with IPMN. Downregulation of SDC1 and ITGA2 expression in PDAC occurs via a mechanism involving possible regulation of IFN-α response, EMT, and immunity, which may act as new targets for PDAC therapy.
Comparative study of encoded and alignment-based methods for virus taxonomy classification
Authors: Shaukat Muhammad Arslan , Nguyen Thanh Thi , Hsu Edbert B. , Yang Samuel , Bhatti Asim
Published: October 2023

The emergence of viruses and their variants has made virus taxonomy more important than ever before in controlling the spread of diseases. The creation of efficient treatments and cures that target particular virus properties can be aided by understanding virus taxonomy. Alignment-based methods are commonly used for this task, but are computationally expensive and time-consuming, especially when dealing with large datasets or when detecting new virus variants is time sensitive. An alternative approach, the encoded method, has been developed that does not require prior sequence alignment and provides faster results. However, each encoded method has its own claimed accuracy. Therefore, careful evaluation and comparison of the performance of different encoded methods are essential to identify the most accurate and reliable approach for virus taxonomy classification. This study aims to address this issue by providing a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the potential of encoded methods for virus classification and phylogenetics. We compared the vectors generated for each encoded method using distance metrics to determine their similarity to alignment-based methods. The results and their validation show that K-merNV followed by CgrDft encoded methods, perform similarly to state-of-the-art multi-sequence alignment methods. This is the first study to incorporate and compare encoded methods that will facilitate future research in making more informed decisions regarding selection of a suitable method for virus taxonomy.
Parenting and parent–child home practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case in central China
Authors: Lu Jinjin , Zhang Minghan , Yuan Muzi
Published: October 2023

The current study aims to explore parents’ perceptions of parenting and parent–child activities at home with children aged 3–6 during the pandemic in China. A parenting survey was conducted to investigate parental role, age, educational background, work productivity, and different parenting categories during the lockdown period. We also examined the experiences of young children’s participation in extracurricular activities before and after the stay-at-home policy was implemented as well as their activities with parents during the lockdown period. The results showed that parents’ work productivity affected their perceptions of well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children spent less time on extracurricular activities during the lockdown period, but some particular activities increased in frequency, especially academic extracurricular activities.
A new method for examining the co-occurrence network of fossil assemblages
Authors: Guo Shilong , Ma Wang , Tang Yunyu , Chen Liang , Wang Ying , Cui Yingying , Liang Junhui , Li Longfeng , Zhuang Jialiang , Gu Junjie , Li Mengfei , Fang Hui , Lin Xiaodan , Shih Chungkun , Labandeira Conrad C. , Ren Dong
Published: October 2023

Currently, studies of ancient faunal community networks have been based mostly on uniformitarian and functional morphological evidence. As an important source of data, taphonomic evidence offers the opportunity to provide a broader scope for understanding palaeoecology. However, palaeoecological research methods based on taphonomic evidence are relatively rare, especially for body fossils in lacustrine sediments. Such fossil communities are not only affected by complex transportation and selective destruction in the sedimentation process, they also are strongly affected by time averaging. Historically, it has been believed that it is difficult to study lacustrine entombed fauna by a small-scale quadrat survey. Herein, we developed a software, the TaphonomeAnalyst, to study the associational network of lacustrine entombed fauna, or taphocoenosis. TaphonomeAnalyst allows researchers to easily perform exploratory analyses on common abundance profiles from taphocoenosis data. The dataset for these investigations resulted from fieldwork of the latest Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation near Daohugou Village, in Ningcheng County of Inner Mongolia, China, spotlighting the core assemblage of the Yanliao Fauna. Our data included 27,000 fossil specimens of animals from this deposit, the Yanliao Fauna, whose analyses reveal sedimentary environments, taphonomic conditions, and co-occurrence networks of this highly studied assemblage, providing empirically robust and statistically significant evidence for multiple Yanliao habitats.
Mutual generation in neuronal activity across the brain via deep neural approach, and its network interpretation
Authors: Nakajima Ryota , Shirakami Arata , Tsumura Hayato , Matsuda Kouki , Nakamura Eita , Shimono Masanori
Published: October 2023

In the brain, many regions work in a network-like association, yet it is not known how durable these associations are in terms of activity and could survive without structural connections. To assess the association or similarity between brain regions with a generating approach, this study evaluated the similarity of activities of neurons within each region after disconnecting between regions. The “generation” approach here refers to using a multi-layer LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) model to learn the rules of activity generation in one region and then apply that knowledge to generate activity in other regions. Surprisingly, the results revealed that activity generation from one region to disconnected regions was possible with similar accuracy to generation between the same regions in many cases. Notably, firing rates and synchronization of firing between neuron pairs, often used as neuronal representations, could be reproduced with precision. Additionally, accuracies were associated with the relative angle between brain regions and the strength of the structural connections that initially connected them. This outcome enables us to look into trends governing non-uniformity of the cortex based on the potential to generate informative data and reduces the need for animal experiments.
A biosensor for S100B detection based on PSS-MA-GoldMag-LFIA in early clinical diagnosis of brain damage
Authors: Zhang Xiaomei , Zhang Qinlu , Wu Songdi , Hua Kai , Cui Yali
Published: October 2023

S100B is an essential biomarker in the early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of brain injury.
Iodine-promoted transfer of dihydrogen from ketones to alkenes, triphenylmethyl, and diphenylmethyl derivatives
Authors: Duan Yiping , Zhong Wenyi , Zeng Zhaolan , Feng Jiajie , Xu Jinyi , Yang Fulai , Liu Jie
Published: October 2023

The use of ketones as a new class of transfer hydrogenation agents has been established through iodine-promoted metal-free hydrogenation.
Electrolyte-assisted low-voltage decomposition of Li2C2O4 for efficient cathode pre-lithiation in lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Xiao Rang , Kang Cong , Ren Yang , Jian Jiyuan , Cui Binghan , Yin Geping , Ma Yulin , Zuo Pengjian , Han Guokang , Du Chunyu
Published: October 2023

A NaNO2-catalyzed strategy is proposed for cathode pre-lithiation with Li2C2O4.
Helical insertion of polyphenylene chains into confined cylindrical slits composed of two carbon nanotubes
Authors: Yang Xueyin , Sun Xuemei , Xu Shuqiong , Fu Hongjin , Li Yunfang
Published: October 2023

The poly(para-phenylene) chains can insert into the confined cylindrical slit between two carbon nanotubes to form regular helical structure.
New insights into the degradation mechanism of ibuprofen in the UV/H2O2 process: role of natural dissolved matter in hydrogen transfer reactions
Authors: Ding Zhezheng , Zhang Jiahui , Fang Timing , Zhou Guohui , Tang Xiao , Wang Yan , Liu Xiaomin
Published: October 2023

Natural dissolved matter can significantly catalyze the degradation of ibuprofen during the UV/H2O2 process forming more toxic products.
Equilibrium structure of a dense trimesic acid monolayer on a homogeneous solid surface: from atomistic simulation to thermodynamics
Authors: Akimenko Sergey S. , Gorbunov Vitaly A. , Ustinov Eugene A.
Published: October 2023

A general methodology for determining the thermodynamic characteristics of rigid organic crystals on the atomistic level is presented.
Use of bound state methods to calculate partial and total widths of shape resonances
Authors: Falcetta Michael F. , Fair Mark C. , Slimak Stephen R. , Jordan Kenneth D. , Sommerfeld Thomas
Published: October 2023

Bound state methods can accurately predict partial wave decay probabilities of metastable anions.
Enhancing the performance of aqueous zinc ion battery cathodes with a floral spherical V5O12·6H2O/V6O13/CNT nanocomposite
Authors: Kou Lingjiang , Wang Yong , Song Jiajia , Ai Taotao , Wattanapaphawong Panya , Kajiyoshi Koji
Published: October 2023

A VOH/CNT nanocomposite exhibits enhanced conductivity, enhanced ion diffusion and remarkable stability, with the potential for high-performance energy storage applications. The synergistic interplay between CNTs, crystalline water, and the floral structure is unraveled.
Non-target analysis and characterisation of nanoparticles in spirits via single particle ICP-TOF-MS
Authors: Gonzalez de Vega Raquel , Lockwood Thomas E. , Paton Lhiam , Schlatt Lukas , Clases David
Published: October 2023

Non-targert screening and characterisation of nanoparticles in spirits.
Computational approach: 3D-QSAR, molecular docking, ADMET, molecular dynamics simulation investigations, and retrosynthesis of some curcumin analogues as PARP-1 inhibitors targeting colon cancer
Authors: Zrinej Jamal , Elmchichi Larbi , Alaqarbeh Marwa , Lakhlifi Tahar , Bouachrine Mohammed
Published: October 2023

As cancer is the second-leading cause of death globally, this study strives to find efficient medications for colon cancer that cause minimal side effects.
Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents for NH3 absorption and separation: a review
Authors: Li Ke , Zong Kai , Wang Xiuqin , Cui Guokai , Deng Dongshun
Published: October 2023

Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents for NH3 absorption and separation.
Preexisting Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension in Acute Pulmonary Embolism? A Case Report and Discussion
Authors: Lang Irene M. , Delcroix Marion
Published: October 2023

A 61-year-old male presented with New York Heart Association class II breathlessness. Three years earlier, he had presented with a swollen leg, had received a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis on ultrasound and of low-risk acute pulmonary embolism, and had been discharged on a direct oral anticoagulant after 8 hours. The patient also had a history of thyroidectomy and was on levothyroxine substitution. The case illustrates a patient with acute pulmonary embolism who developed chronic thrombotic pulmonary vascular lesions within 3 years after acute pulmonary embolism in the presence of typical risk factors.
Purine-Based AIEgens with Different Morpholine Substitution Sites and Their Application in Lipophagy Imaging
Authors: Li Kun , Shi Lei , Yu Ai-Wen , Meng Wei-Han , Xie Kun-Peng
Published: October 2023

Lysosomes are an important organelle involved in many physiological processes. However, enhancing the accurate localization of lysosomes by chemical modification is still a problem. Herein, the purine-based AIEgens with different morpholine substitution sites were constructed. The effects of modification sites on the absorption, fluorescence, pH, viscosity and bioimaging properties of the probes were systematically studied. The morpholine modification at the phenyl site could effectively enhance the fluorescence behavior and the lysosome specificity. The morpholine-modified AIEgens could achieve the further lysosome imaging during the lipophagy process. This basic study might do favor to design more probes for further lysosome function studies.