bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does nitrous oxide addiction exist? An evaluation of the evidence for the presence and prevalence of substance use disorder symptoms in recreational nitrous oxide users
Authors: Back Sammie , Kroon Emese , Colyer‐Patel Karis , Cousijn Janna
Published: October 2023

Background

Prevalence of nitrous oxide (N2O) use appears to be increasing in numerous countries worldwide, and excessive use has been associated with physical and mental problems. Because there currently is no consensus whether N2O has addictive potential, we aimed to evaluate the evidence for the presence and prevalence of DSM‐5 substance use disorder (SUD) symptoms in N2O users.

Analysis

A literature search was conducted to assess the evidence for the presence of any of the 11 DSM‐5 SUD symptoms in N2O users and the prevalence experiencing those symptoms. A substantial part of the studied N2O users use more than intended (i.e. 46% to 98%) and spend a substantial amount of time using N2O. At least some of the studied N2O users experience interpersonal problems (i.e. 13% to 80%) and use N2O in risky situations, such as driving under the influence. Evidence for the other criteria is either insufficient or inconclusive.

Conclusions

The literature base for the presence and prevalence of DSM‐5 substance use disorder (SUD) symptoms in nitrous oxide (N2O) users is limited and largely consists of qualitative studies and case studies, but it provides consistent evidence for the presence of at least four SUD criteria in heavy N2O users. N2O could well be addictive and should be treated as a potentially addictive substance until systematic assessments can provide evidence‐based guidance to users, healthcare professionals and legislators.
Treatment of rectosigmoid endometriosis by laparoscopic reverse submucosal dissection (LRSD): The Sydney partial thickness discoid excision technique
Authors: Robertson Jessica , Abbott Jason , Corbett‐Burns Sophie , Bukhari Mujahid , Perera Shevy , Kalantan Assem , Sarofim Mikhail , Chou Rebecca , Cario Greg , Rosen David , Choi Sarah , Wynn‐Williams Michael , Condous George , Chou Danny
Published: October 2023

Background

Laparoscopic reverse submucosal dissection (LRSD) is a standardised surgical technique for removal of rectosigmoid endometriosis which optimises the anatomical dissection plane for excision of endometriotic nodules.

Aim

This cohort study assesses the outcomes of the first cohort of women treated by LRSD, for deeply infiltrating rectosigmoid endometriosis.

Materials and Methods

Primary outcomes assessed were complication rate as defined by the Clavien–Dindo system, and completion of the planned LRSD. Secondary outcomes include mucosal breach, specimen margin involvement, length of hospital admission, and a comparison of pre‐operative and post‐operative pain, bowel function and quality of life surveys. These included the Endometriosis Health Profile Questionnaire (EHP‐30), the Knowles‐Eccersley‐Scott Symptom Questionnaire (KESS) and the Wexner scale.

Results

Of 19 patients treated, one required a segmental resection. The median length of hospital admission was two days (range 1–5) and no post‐operative complications occurred. Median pain visual analogue scales (scale 0–10) were higher prior to surgery (dysmenorrhoea 9.0, dyspareunia 7.5, dyschezia 9.0, pelvic pain 6.0) compared to post‐surgical median scores (dysmenorrhoea 5.0, dyspareunia 4.0, dyschezia 2.0, pelvic pain 4.0) at a median of six months (range 4–32). Quality of life studies suggested improvement following surgery with pre‐operative median EHP‐30 and KESS scores (EHP‐30: 85 (5–106), KESS score 9 (0–20)) higher than post‐operative scores (EHP‐30: 48.5 (0–80), KESS score: 3 (0–19)).

Conclusion

This series highlights the feasibility of LRSD with low associated morbidity as a progression of partial thickness discoid excision (rectal shaving) for the treatment of rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis.
Conversational artificial intelligence (chatGPT™) in the management of complex colorectal cancer patients: early experience
Authors: Choo Jeong Min , Ryu Hyo Seon , Kim Ji Seon , Cheong Ju Yong , Baek Se‐Jin , Kwak Jung Myun , Kim Jin
Published: October 2023

Introduction

In 2022 chatGPT™ (OpenAI, San Francisco) was introduced to the public. The complex reasoning and the natural language processing (NLP) ability of the AI platform has generated much excitement about the potential applications. This study conducted a preliminary analysis of the chatGPT™'s ability to formulate a management plan in accordance with oncological principles for patients with colorectal cancer.

Methodology

Colorectal cancer cases discussed in the multidisciplinary tumor (MDT) board at a single tertiary institution between September 2022 and January 2023 were prospectively collected. The treatment recommendations made by the chatGPT™ for Stage IV, recurrent, synchronous colorectal cancer were analysed for adherence to oncological principles. The recommendations by chatGPT™ were compared with the decision plans made by the MDT.

Results

In all cases, the chatGPT™ was able to adhere to oncological principles. The recommendations in all 30 cases factored in the patient's overall health and functional status. The oncological management recommendation concordance rate between chatGPT™ and the MDT was 86.7%.

Conclusions

This study shows a high concordance rate of the chatGPT™'s recommendations with that given by the MDT in the management of complex colorectal patients. This will need to be verified in a larger prospective study.
Prediction of C‐reactive protein dynamics during meropenem treatment in neonates and infants
Authors: Soeorg Hiie , Padari Helgi , Ilmoja Mari‐Liis , Herodes Koit , Kipper Karin , Lutsar Irja , Metsvaht Tuuli ,   Neo Mero Consortium
Published: October 2023

Aims

C‐reactive protein (CRP) is used to determine the effect of antibiotic treatment on sepsis in neonates/infants. We aimed to develop pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PKPD) model of meropenem and CRP in neonates/infants and evaluate its predictive performance of CRP dynamics.

Methods

Data from neonates/infants treated with meropenem in 3 previous studies were analysed. To the previously developed meropenem PK models, the addition of turnover, transit or effect compartment, delay differential equation PD models of CRP as a function of meropenem concentration or its cumulative area under the curve (AUC) were evaluated. The percentage of neonates/infants (P0.1, P0.2) in whom the ratio of the fifth day CRP to its peak value was predicted with an error of <0.1 (<0.2) was calculated.

Results

A total of 60 meropenem treatment episodes (median [range] gestational age 27.6 [22.6–40.9] weeks, postnatal age 13 [2–89] days) with a total of 351 CRP concentrations (maximum value 65.5 [13–358.4] mg/L) were included. Turnover model of CRP as a function of meropenem cumulative AUC provided the best fit and included CRP at the start of treatment, use of prior antibiotics, study and causative agent Staphylococcus aureus or enterococci as covariates. Using meropenem population predictions and data available at 0, 24, 48, 72 h after the start of treatment, P0.1 (P0.2) was 36.4, 36.4, 60.6 and 66.7% (70.0, 66.7, 72.7 and 78.7%), respectively.

Conclusion

The developed PKPD model of meropenem and CRP as a function of meropenem cumulative AUC incorporating several patient characteristics predicts CRP dynamics with an error of <0.2 in most neonates/infants.
Genetic and phenotypic findings in 34 novel Spanish patients with DDX3X neurodevelopmental disorder
Authors: Parra Alejandro , Pascual Patricia , Cazalla Mario , Arias Pedro , Gallego‐Zazo Natalia , San‐Martín Esteban A. , Silván Cristina , Santos‐Simarro Fernando ,   Spanish OverGrowth Registry Initiative (SOGRI), Nevado Julián , Tenorio‐Castano Jair , Lapunzina Pablo
Published: October 2023

DDX3X is a multifunctional ATP‐dependent RNA helicase involved in several processes of RNA metabolism and in other biological pathways such as cell cycle control, innate immunity, apoptosis and tumorigenesis. Variants in DDX3X have been associated with a developmental disorder named intellectual developmental disorder, X‐linked syndromic, Snijders Blok type (MRXSSB, MIM #300958) or DDX3X neurodevelopmental disorder (DDX3X‐NDD). DDX3X‐NDD is mainly characterized by intellectual disability, brain abnormalities, hypotonia and behavioral problems. Other common findings include gastrointestinal abnormalities, abnormal gait, speech delay and microcephaly. DDX3X‐NDD is predominantly found in females who carry de novo variants in DDX3X. However, hemizygous pathogenic DDX3X variants have been also found in males who inherited their variants from unaffected mothers. To date, more than 200 patients have been reported in the literature. Here, we describe 34 new patients with a variant in DDX3X and reviewed 200 additional patients previously reported in the literature. This article describes 34 additional patients to those already reported, contributing with 25 novel variants and a deep phenotypic characterization. A clinical review of our cohort of DDX3X‐NDD patients is performed comparing them to those previously published.
IBL‐NeRF: Image‐Based Lighting Formulation of Neural Radiance Fields
Authors: Choi Changwoon , Kim Juhyeon , Kim Young Min
Published: October 2023

We propose IBL‐NeRF, which decomposes the neural radiance fields (NeRF) of large‐scale indoor scenes into intrinsic components. Recent approaches further decompose the baked radiance of the implicit volume into intrinsic components such that one can partially approximate the rendering equation. However, they are limited to representing isolated objects with a shared environment lighting, and suffer from computational burden to aggregate rays with Monte Carlo integration. In contrast, our prefiltered radiance field extends the original NeRF formulation to capture the spatial variation of lighting within the scene volume, in addition to surface properties. Specifically, the scenes of diverse materials are decomposed into intrinsic components for rendering, namely, albedo, roughness, surface normal, irradiance, and prefiltered radiance. All of the components are inferred as neural images from MLP, which can model large‐scale general scenes. Especially the prefiltered radiance effectively models the volumetric light field, and captures spatial variation beyond a single environment light. The prefiltering aggregates rays in a set of predefined neighborhood sizes such that we can replace the costly Monte Carlo integration of global illumination with a simple query from a neural image. By adopting NeRF, our approach inherits superior visual quality and multi‐view consistency for synthesized images as well as the intrinsic components. We demonstrate the performance on scenes with complex object layouts and light configurations, which could not be processed in any of the previous works.
CP‐NeRF: Conditionally Parameterized Neural Radiance Fields for Cross‐scene Novel View Synthesis
Authors: He Hao , Liang Yixun , Xiao Shishi , Chen Jierun , Chen Yingcong
Published: October 2023

Neural radiance fields (NeRF) have demonstrated a promising research direction for novel view synthesis. However, the existing approaches either require per‐scene optimization that takes significant computation time or condition on local features which overlook the global context of images. To tackle this shortcoming, we propose the Conditionally Parameterized Neural Radiance Fields (CP‐NeRF), a plug‐in module that enables NeRF to leverage contextual information from different scales. Instead of optimizing the model parameters of NeRFs directly, we train a Feature Pyramid hyperNetwork (FPN) that extracts view‐dependent global and local information from images within or across scenes to produce the model parameters. Our model can be trained end‐to‐end with standard photometric loss from NeRF. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method can significantly boost the performance of NeRF, achieving state‐of‐the‐art results in various benchmark datasets.
GA‐Sketching: Shape Modeling from Multi‐View Sketching with Geometry‐Aligned Deep Implicit Functions
Authors: Zhou Jie , Luo Zhongjin , Yu Qian , Han Xiaoguang , Fu Hongbo
Published: October 2023

Sketch‐based shape modeling aims to bridge the gap between 2D drawing and 3D modeling by providing an intuitive and accessible approach to create 3D shapes from 2D sketches. However, existing methods still suffer from limitations in reconstruction quality and multi‐view interaction friendliness, hindering their practical application. This paper proposes a faithful and user‐friendly iterative solution to tackle these limitations by learning geometry‐aligned deep implicit functions from one or multiple sketches. Our method lifts 2D sketches to volume‐based feature tensors, which align strongly with the output 3D shape, enabling accurate reconstruction and faithful editing. Such a geometry‐aligned feature encoding technique is well‐suited to iterative modeling since features from different viewpoints can be easily memorized or aggregated. Based on these advantages, we design a unified interactive system for sketch‐based shape modeling. It enables users to generate the desired geometry iteratively by drawing sketches from any number of viewpoints. In addition, it allows users to edit the generated surface by making a few local modifications. We demonstrate the effectiveness and practicality of our method with extensive experiments and user studies, where we found that our method outperformed existing methods in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and user satisfaction. The source code of this project is available athttps://github.com/LordLiang/GA‐Sketching.
Palette‐Based and Harmony‐Guided Colorization for Vector Icons
Authors: Lin Miao , Shen I‐Chao , Chin Hsiao‐Yuan , Chen Ruo‐Xi , Chen Bing‐Yu
Published: October 2023

Colorizing icon is a challenging task, even for skillful artists, as it involves balancing aesthetics and practical considerations. Prior works have primarily focused on colorizing pixel‐based icons, which do not seamlessly integrate into the current vector‐based icon design workflow. In this paper, we propose a palette‐based colorization algorithm for vector icons without the need for rasterization. Our algorithm takes a vector icon and a five‐color palette as input and generates various colorized results for designers to choose from. Inspired by the common icon design workflow, we developed our algorithm to consist of two steps: generating a colorization template and performing the palette‐based color transfer. To generate the colorization templates, we introduce a novel vector icon colorization model that employs an MRF‐based loss and a color harmony loss. The color harmony loss encourages the alignment of the resulting color template with widely used harmony templates. We then map the predicted colorization template to chroma‐like palette colors to obtain diverse colorization results. We compare our results with those generated by previous pixel‐based icon colorization methods and validate the effectiveness of our algorithm by evaluations in both qualitative and quantitative measurements. Our method enables icon designers to explore diverse colorization results for a single icon using different color palettes while also efficiently evaluating the suitability of a color palette for a set of icons.
An Efficient Self‐supporting Infill Structure for Computational Fabrication
Authors: Wang Shengfa , Liu Zheng , Hu Jiangbei , Lei Na , Luo Zhongxuan
Published: October 2023

Efficiently optimizing the internal structure of 3D printing models is a critical focus in the field of industrial manufacturing, particularly when designing self‐supporting structures that offer high stiffness and lightweight characteristics. To tackle this challenge, this research introduces a novel approach featuring a self‐supporting polyhedral structure and an efficient optimization algorithm. Specifically, the internal space of the model is filled with a combination of self‐supporting octahedrons and tetrahedrons, strategically arranged to maximize structural integrity. Our algorithm optimizes the wall thickness of the polyhedron elements to satisfy specific stiffness requirements, while ensuring efficient alignment of the filled structures in finite element calculations. Our approach results in a considerable decrease in optimization time. The optimization process is stable, converges rapidly, and consistently delivers effective results. Through a series of experiments, we have demonstrated the effectiveness and efficiency of our method in achieving the desired design objectives.
Robust Distribution‐Aware Color Correction for Single‐Shot Images
Authors: Dhillon Daljit Singh J. , Joshi Parisha , Baron Jessica , Patterson Eric K.
Published: October 2023

Color correction for photographed images is an ill‐posed problem. It is also a crucial initial step towards material acquisition for inverse rendering methods or pipelines. Several state‐of‐the‐art methods rely on reducing color differences for imaged reference color chart blocks of known color values to devise or optimize their solution. In this paper, we first establish through simulations the limitation of this minimality criteria which in principle results in overfitting. Next, we study and propose a few spatial distribution measures to augment the evaluation criteria. Thereafter, we propose a novel patch‐based, white‐point centric approach that processes luminance and chrominance information separately to improve on the color matching task. We compare our method qualitatively with several state‐of‐the art methods using our augmented evaluation criteria along with quantitative examinations. Finally, we perform rigorous experiments and demonstrate results to clearly establish the benefits of our proposed method.
Deep Shape and SVBRDF Estimation using Smartphone Multi‐lens Imaging
Authors: Fan C. , Lin Y. , Ghosh A.
Published: October 2023

We present a deep neural network‐based method that acquires high‐quality shape and spatially varying reflectance of 3D objects using smartphone multi‐lens imaging. Our method acquires two images simultaneously using a zoom lens and a wide angle lens of a smartphone under either natural illumination or phone flash conditions, effectively functioning like a single‐shot method. Unlike traditional multi‐view stereo methods which require sufficient differences in viewpoint and only estimate depth at a certain coarse scale, our method estimates fine‐scale depth by utilising an optical‐flow field extracted from subtle baseline and perspective due to different optics in the two images captured simultaneously. We further guide the SVBRDF estimation using the estimated depth, resulting in superior results compared to existing single‐shot methods.
Generating Parametric BRDFs from Natural Language Descriptions
Authors: Memery Sean , Cedron Osmar , Subr Kartic
Published: October 2023

Artistic authoring of 3D environments is a laborious enterprise that also requires skilled content creators. There have been impressive improvements in using machine learning to address different aspects of generating 3D content, such as generating meshes, arranging geometry, synthesizing textures, etc. In this paper we develop a model to generate Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Functions (BRDFs) from descriptive textual prompts. BRDFs are four dimensional probability distributions that characterize the interaction of light with surface materials. They are either represented parametrically, or by tabulating the probability density associated with every pair of incident and outgoing angles. The former lends itself to artistic editing while the latter is used when measuring the appearance of real materials. Numerous works have focused on hypothesizing BRDF models from images of materials. We learn a mapping from textual descriptions of materials to parametric BRDFs. Our model is first trained using a semi‐supervised approach before being tuned via an unsupervised scheme. Although our model is general, in this paper we specifically generate parameters for MDL materials, conditioned on natural language descriptions, within NVIDIA's Omniverse platform. This enables use cases such as real‐time text prompts to change materials of objects in 3D environments such as “dull plastic” or “shiny iron”. Since the output of our model is a parametric BRDF, rather than an image of the material, it may be used to render materials using any shape under arbitrarily specified viewing and lighting conditions.
A random walk for agricultural total factor productivity
Authors: Vercammen James
Published: October 2023

Growth in agricultural total factor productivity (TFP), which explains most of the long‐term growth in U.S. agricultural output, may be slowing. The Economic Research Service (ERS) of the USDA is confident that current levels of below‐average growth will eventually regain the long‐term trend line. Others disagree, arguing instead that due to declining public expenditures on agricultural research, TFP growth experienced a downward and seemingly permanent structural shift about 30 years ago. In this paper, I argue that neither perspective is accurate since agricultural TFP is best modeled as a random walk with drift and thus not governed by a deterministic trend line. When I use a first difference model to accommodate the unit root, I do not find a structural break in the rate of drift. However, I acknowledge that this finding may not be general because I show that my test for a structural break has low power. To add theoretical relevance, I develop a simple model of stochastic innovation and farm technology adoption, and then use simulation results from my model to explain why a random walk for agricultural TFP is a theoretically sound proposition.
Dopaminergic versus anticholinergic treatment effects on physiologic complexity of hand tremor in Parkinson's disease: A randomized crossover study
Authors: Cui Yusha , Su Dongning , Zhang Junjiao , Lam Joyce S. T. , Cao Shuangshuang , Yang Yaqin , Piao Yingshan , Wang Zhan , Zhou Junhong , Pan Hua , Feng Tao
Published: October 2023

Aims

Parkinsonian tremor (PT) is regulated by numerous neurophysiological components across multiple temporospatial scales. The dynamics of tremor fluctuation are thus highly complex. This study aimed to explore the effects of different medications on tremor complexity, and how the underlying factors contribute to such tremor complexity.

Methods

In this study, 66 participants received a 2‐mg dose of benzhexol or a pre‐determined dose of levodopa at two study visits in a randomized order. Before and after taking the medications, tremor fluctuation was recorded using surface electromyography electrodes and accelerometers in resting, posture, and weighting conditions with and without a concurrent cognitive task. Tremor complexity was quantified using multiscale entropy.

Results

Tremor complexity in resting (p = 0.002) and postural condition (p < 0.0001) was lower when participants were performing a cognitive task compared to a task‐free condition. After taking levodopa and benzhexol, participants had increased (p = 0.02–0.03) and decreased (p = 0.03) tremor complexity compared to pre‐medication state, respectively. Tremor complexity and its changes as induced by medications were significantly correlated with clinical ratings and their changes (β = −0.23 to −0.39; p = 0.002–0.04), respectively.

Conclusion

Tremor complexity may be a promising marker to capture the pathophysiology underlying the development of PT, aiding the characterization of the effects medications have on PT regulation.
Cisplatin‐induced oxPAPC release enhances MDSCs infiltration into LL2 tumour tissues through MCP‐1/CCL2 and LTB4/LTB4R pathways
Authors: Nie Ji , Ai Jiayuan , Hong Weiqi , Bai Ziyi , Wang Binhan , Yang Jingyun , Zhang Ziqi , Mo Fei , Yang Jing , Sun Qiu , Wei Xiawei
Published: October 2023

Lung cancer is the leading global cause of cancer‐related death, however, resistance to chemotherapy drugs remains a huge barrier to effective treatment. The elevated recruitment of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) to tumour after chemotherapy has been linked to resistance of chemotherapy drugs. Nevertheless, the specific mechanism remains unclear. oxPAPC is a bioactive principal component of minimally modified low‐density lipoproteins and regulates inflammatory response. In this work, we found that cisplatin, oxaliplatin and ADM all increased oxPAPC release in tumour. Treating macrophages with oxPAPC in vitro stimulated the secretion of MCP‐1 and LTB4, which strongly induced monocytes and neutrophils chemotaxis, respectively. Injection of oxPAPC in vivo significantly upregulated the percentage of MDSCs in tumour microenvironment (TME) of wild‐type LL2 tumour‐bearing mice, but not CCL2−/− mice and LTB4R−/− mice. Critically, oxPAPC acted as a pro‐tumor factor in LL2 tumour model. Indeed, cisplatin increased oxPAPC level in tumour tissues of WT mice, CCL2−/− and LTB4R−/− mice, but caused increased infiltration of Ly6Chigh monocytes and neutrophils only in WT LL2‐bearing mice. Collectively, our work demonstrates cisplatin treatment induces an overproduction of oxPAPC and thus recruits MDSCs infiltration to promote the tumour growth through the MCP‐1/CCL2 and LTB4/LTB4R pathways, which may restrict the effect of multiple chemotherapy. This provides evidence for a potential strategy to enhance the efficacy of multiple chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of lung cancer by targeting oxPAPC.
Novel grid‐based population estimates correlate with actual population sizes of the marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), while transect and larvae counts are less reliable
Authors: Norman Hannah , Säwenfalk Demieka Seabrook , Kindvall Oskar , Franzén Markus , Askling John , Johansson Victor
Published: October 2023

Established butterfly survey methods that are useful for monitoring species that are widely distributed and numerous may be less accurate for more rare species. We therefore need new monitoring approaches.

We describe a plot‐based survey method, where butterflies or larvae nests are counted within 1‐ha grid cells. The aim was to compare this grid method with more traditional transect counts and evaluate both methods in relation to high‐quality capture–mark–release (CMR) population estimates (reflecting the ‘true’ population). We do this using data from a large population of the marsh fritillary butterfly in Sweden. Moreover, we followed the overall population trend from 2017 to 2021 for both adult butterflies and larvae.

Results showed a higher detection probability using the grid method compared with transect counts, which for adult butterflies seem to be explained by time effort. Moreover, grid surveys of adult butterflies showed a clear significant relationship with the estimated ‘true’ population size from CMR, while transect counts did not. For larvae, both methods showed significant relationships with the estimated adult population size, but the grid method found 5.7 times more larvae. The overall population fluctuated significantly across years. In years with low densities, the transect method largely failed to detect the species.

The grid method seems more reliable for detecting the marsh fritillary and for estimating its population size, and thus, tracking the population trend. We propose this novel method to be integrated into surveys and monitoring of biodiversity, especially when focusing on rare habitat specialists that are normally underrepresented in monitoring based on volunteer counts.
The Carolingian cocio: on the vocabulary of the early medieval petty merchant
Authors: Bobrycki Shane
Published: October 2023

The word cocio (i.e. petty merchant or broker in classical Latin) was a rare term that after a long absence in written Latin reappeared in several Carolingian texts. Scholars have posited a medieval semantic shift from ‘merchant’ to ‘vagabond’. But this article argues that this consensus is erroneous. The Carolingian cocio continued to refer to petty commercial agents, that is, to small merchants. Furthermore, the term’s appearance in capitularies and its subsequent medieval vernacular afterlife together suggest that the term was borrowed from (unattested) proto‐Romance usage. A corrected history of the early medieval use of cocio illuminates the relationship between spoken and written Latin as well as aspects of social, religious, and economic history in the Carolingian period, and speaks to the promise of language to shed light on economic realities.
Diagnosis and surgical reduction of atlanto‐axial luxation in a 10‐year‐old Irish Draught horse
Authors: Rutigliano Linda , Anderson Jonathan , Loomes Kate , Tyner Gemma , Dixon Jonathon
Published: October 2023

This case report describes the diagnosis and treatment of noncongenital atlanto‐axial luxation in a 10‐year‐old Irish Draught mare. The mare initially presented to our referral hospital for dullness and colic signs. After resolution of the colic signs, the horse displayed increasing levels of dullness. Physical examination revealed that the horse could not flex and extend its neck freely to reach food from the ground. Radiographic and standing computed tomographic investigations revealed atlanto‐axial luxation that was subsequently successfully reduced using a surgical approach under general anaesthesia. To the author's knowledge, this is the first case report describing the successful surgical treatment of presumed traumatic atlanto‐axial luxation in an adult horse.
Troubling organizational violence with Judith Butler: Surviving whistleblower reprisals
Authors: Kenny Kate , Fanchini Mahaut
Published: October 2023

How do workers who encounter violence by deviating from organizational norms make sense of their experiences? Our article engages with Judith Butler's work on vulnerability and troubling to address this. Inspired by these concepts while analyzing empirical data gathered from whistleblowers in financial services, we propose a framing termed “aggression‐troubling”. Aggression‐troubling encompasses an awareness of: the vulnerability and relationality attending scenes of organizational violence; how imposing ideals of what is “normal” come into play as part of that violence; and how these structures might be destabilized and disrupted—or troubled. Our second contribution is analytic: we find that the singular and immediate presence of the individual other‐in‐relation—the “you” responsible for exerting violence—is a critical part of how people make sense of the scene of violence. We adopt a methodological approach focused on how individuals’ retrospective accounts of experiences of violence, and we analyze cases of whistleblowing in financial services to develop our arguments. Aggression‐troubling by no means downplays the injury and pain that normative organizational violence can cause, nor does it suggest that power relations can easily be overturned. This framing does however offer a deeper exploration of experiences of normative violence. It provides insights into how it can be survived and potentially overcome, with contributions for research and practice.
DNA methylation alterations of ADCY5, MICAL2, and PLEKHG2 during the developmental stage of cryptogenic hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Makiuchi Satomi , Tian Ying , Fujimoto Mao , Kuramoto Junko , Tsuda Noboru , Ojima Hidenori , Gotoh Masahiro , Hiraoka Nobuyoshi , Yoshida Teruhiko , Kanai Yae , Arai Eri
Published: October 2023

Aim

The aim of this study was to clarify the significance of DNA methylation alterations of cryptogenic hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).

Methods

Using the Infinium assay, we performed genome‐wide DNA methylation analysis of 250 liver tissue samples, including noncancerous liver tissue (U‐N) and corresponding cancerous tissue (U‐T) from patients with cryptogenic HCC without a history of excessive alcohol use and hepatitis virus infection, and whose U‐N samples showed no remarkable histological features (no microscopic evidence of simple steatosis, any form of hepatitis including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or liver cirrhosis).

Results

We identified 3272 probes that showed significant differences of DNA methylation levels between U‐N and normal liver tissue samples from patients without HCC, indicating that a distinct DNA methylation profile had already been established at the precancerous U‐N stage. U‐Ns have a DNA methylation profile differing from that of noncancerous liver tissue of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis‐related, viral hepatitis‐related, and alcoholic liver disease‐related HCCs. Such DNA methylation alterations in U‐Ns were inherited by U‐Ts. The U‐Ns showed DNA methylation alteration of ADCY5, resulting in alteration of its mRNA expression, whereas noncancerous liver tissue of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis‐, viral hepatitis‐, or alcoholic liver disease‐related HCCs did not. DNA methylation levels of MICAL2 and PLEKHG2 in U‐Ts were correlated with larger tumor diameter and portal vein involvement, respectively.

Conclusions

U‐N‐specific DNA hypermethylation of ADCY5 may have significance, even from the precancerous stage in liver showing no remarkable histological features. DNA hypomethylation of MICAL2 and PLEKHG2 may determine the clinicopathological features of cryptogenic HCC.
Interaction between levels of text representation and working memory during L2 reading comprehension: What about it?
Authors: Molokopeeva Tatiana , Simard Daphnée
Published: October 2023

The relationship between L2 reading comprehension and working memory has been studied for years, and previous studies highlight the existence of a correlation between the two. However, to our knowledge, no previous study used Kintsch's Multilevel Comprehension Model to operationalize reading comprehension in the investigation of its relationship with working memory. More specifically, according to Kintsch's model, comprehension consists of three text representation levels—the surface level (the literal wording of the text), the textbase (which includes inferences made by the reader), and the situation model (the integration of explicit and implicit text information with readers’ background knowledge). Therefore, the study reported in this paper examined the contribution of working memory, the short‐term retention of information and its manipulation, to different text representation levels during L2 reading comprehension. To do so, fifty‐five (N = 55) adult L2 learners of French completed L2 reading comprehension task tapping into three levels of text representation and a numerical complex working memory task. The results showed, on the one hand, a significant contribution of working memory to L2 reading comprehension and, on the other hand, that this relationship was specifically observed with the situation model.
The longitudinal association between neighbourhood quality and cardiovascular risk factors among youth receiving obesity treatment
Authors: Neshteruk Cody D. , Chandrashekaran Shivani , Armstrong Sarah C. , Skinner Asheley C. , Delarosa Jesse , D'Agostino Emily M.
Published: October 2023

Background

Neighbourhood factors are associated with cardiovascular health in adults, but these relationships are under‐explored in youth.

Objectives

To characterize the associations between neighbourhood factors and child and adolescent health among youth with obesity.

Methods

Data were drawn from patient health records at a pediatric weight management clinic (n = 2838) and the Child Opportunity Index (COI). Exposures were area‐level neighbourhood factors (commute duration, walkability, greenspace and industrial pollutants). Outcomes included BMI relative to the 95th percentile (BMIp95) and blood pressure (continuous variables). Longitudinal models examined associations between COI indicators and outcomes.

Results

Shorter commute duration (β = −4.31, 95% CI: −5.92, −2.71) and greater walkability (β = −4.40, 95% CI: −5.98, −2.82) were negatively associated with BMIp95. Increased greenspace availability was positively associated with BMIp95 (β = 1.93, 95% CI: 0.19, 3.67). None of the COI indicators were associated with cardiovascular outcomes in the full sample. Analyses stratified by sex and race/ethnicity showed similar patterns for BMIp95. For commute duration, there was a negative association with blood pressure for female, non‐Hispanic White and other race/ethnicity youth.

Conclusions

Neighbourhood factors should be considered as contextual factors when treating youth with obesity. Additional research is needed to understand the relationship between neighbourhood factors and cardiovascular outcomes.
Targeting ferroptosis in gastric cancer: Strategies and opportunities
Authors: Le Jiahan , Pan Guangzhao , Zhang Che , Chen Yitao , Tiwari Amit K. , Qin Jiang‐Jiang
Published: October 2023

Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death morphologically, genetically, and biochemically distinct from other cell death pathways and characterized by the accumulation of iron‐dependent lipid peroxides and oxidative damage. It is now understood that ferroptosis plays an essential role in various biological processes, especially in the metabolism of iron, lipids, and amino acids. Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignant tumor worldwide with low early diagnosis rates and high metastasis rates, accounting for its relatively poor prognosis. Although chemotherapy is commonly used to treat GC, drug resistance often leads to poor therapeutic outcomes. In the last several years, extensive research on ferroptosis has highlighted its significant potential in GC therapy, providing a promising strategy to address drug resistance associated with standard cancer therapies. In this review, we offer an extensive summary of the key regulatory factors related to the mechanisms underlying ferroptosis. Various inducers and inhibitors specifically targeting ferroptosis are uncovered. Additionally, we explore the prospective applications and outcomes of these agents in the field of GC therapy, emphasizing their capacity to improve the outcomes of this patient population.
Implementing the Nagoya Protocol on ABS: A Hypothetical Case Study on Enforcing Benefit Sharing in Norway
Authors: Tvedt Morten W. , Fauchald Ole K.
Published: October 2023

In October 2010, the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising From Their Utilization (NP) was adopted at the Conference of the Parties (COP‐10) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The NP establishes rules on measures to be taken by user countries in the context of access and benefit sharing (ABS). The future success of ABS as embedded in CBD and the Nagoya Protocol depends on their implementation at a national level. The binding rules of CBD and NP have in common that they need to be transformed into national legal and political contexts to establish a functional system for ABS. This article addresses measures that are needed in the international regime to secure adoption and implementation of user‐country measures which are compatible with provider‐country legislation. It analyses one current example of user‐country legislation: the recently adopted Norwegian legislation, for the purpose of finding options for and obstacles to implementing obligations in the CBD and the NP in national law and in actual practice. One part of the ABS challenge is that obligations in the CBD and the NP apply to states, whereas the actual users of genetic resources are mostly private or public enterprises: companies, universities or other institutions. Despite showing a promising start, far from all challenges of a functional ABS system are solved.
Dy/Sr‐codoped (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 multifunctional transparent‐ferroelectric ceramics with adjustable white‐light emission
Authors: Huang Haoqing , Zhang Shuo , Yu Fangyuan , Lin Jinfeng , Wu Xiao , Zhao Chunlin , Gao Min , Lin Tengfei , Jin Yanqiao , Lin Cong
Published: October 2023

Traditional solid‐state luminescent materials (e.g., phosphors and microcrystalline glasses) have attracted extensive attention due to their high energy efficiency and long lifespan. However, their application scope is limited by complex compositions and manufacturing processes, as well as single‐function. In this study, solid‐state reaction was utilized to prepare transparent‐ferroelectric (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 (KNN) ceramics by simply codoping with Dy3+ and Sr2+, providing possibilities for large‐scale production. Ceramics exhibit high optical transmittance, high‐quality white‐light emission and relaxor ferroelectric feature. Under irradiation of UV light, photochromic behavior occurring in the ceramics, resulting in modulating the optical performances, especially quality of emitted white light. Multifunctionality can expand latent applications of KNN‐based ceramics from white light‐emitting diodes to modulated optoelectronic devices.
Oridonin attenuates atherosclerosis by inhibiting foam macrophage formation and inflammation through FABP4/PPARγ signalling
Authors: Zhang Ming , Hou Lianjie , Tang Wanying , Lei Weixing , Lin Huiling , Wang Yu , Long Haijiao , Lin Shuyun , Chen Zhi , Wang Guangliang , Zhao Guojun
Published: October 2023

Both lipid accumulation and inflammatory response in lesion macrophages fuel the progression of atherosclerosis, leading to high mortality of cardiovascular disease. A therapeutic strategy concurrently targeting these two risk factors is promising, but still scarce. Oridonin, the bioactive medicinal compound, is known to protect against inflammatory response and lipid dysfunction. However, its effect on atherosclerosis and the underlying molecular mechanism remain elusive. Here, we showed that oridonin attenuated atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic ApoE knockout mice. Meanwhile, we confirmed the protective effect of oridonin on the oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (oxLDL)‐induced foam macrophage formation, resulting from increased cholesterol efflux, as well as reduced inflammatory response. Mechanistically, the network pharmacology prediction and further experiments revealed that oridonin dramatically facilitated the expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), thereby regulating liver X receptor‐alpha (LXRα)‐induced ATP‐binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) expression and nuclear factor NF‐kappa‐B (NF‐κB) translocation. Antagonist of PPARγ reversed the cholesterol accumulation and inflammatory response mediated by oridonin. Besides, RNA sequencing analysis revealed that fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) was altered responding to lipid modulation effect of oridonin. Overexpression of FABP4 inhibited PPARγ activation and blunted the benefit effect of oridonin on foam macrophages. Taken together, oridonin might have potential to protect against atherosclerosis by modulating the formation and inflammatory response in foam macrophages through FABP4/PPARγ signalling.
Changes in the burden of medications that may impair driving among older adults before and after a motor vehicle crash
Authors: Riester Melissa R. , D'Amico Adam M. , Khan Marzan A. , Joyce Nina R. , Pfeiffer Melissa R. , Margolis Seth A. , Ott Brian R. , Curry Allison E. , Bayer Thomas A. , Zullo Andrew R.
Published: October 2023

Background

Medications are one of the most easily modifiable risk factors for motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) among older adults, yet limited information exists on how the use of potentially driver‐impairing (PDI) medications changes following an MVC. Therefore, we examined the number and types of PDI medication classes dispensed before and after an MVC.

Methods

This observational study included Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries aged ≥67 years who were involved in a police‐reported MVC in New Jersey as a driver between 2008 and 2017. Analyses were conducted at the “person‐crash” level because participants could be involved in more than one MVC. We examined the use of 36 PDI medication classes in the 120 days before and 120 days after MVC. We described the number and prevalence of PDI medication classes in the pre‐MVC and post‐MVC periods as well as the most common PDI medication classes started and stopped following the MVC.

Results

Among 124,954 person‐crashes, the mean (SD) age was 76.0 (6.5) years, 51.3% were female, and 83.9% were non‐Hispanic White. The median (Q1, Q3) number of PDI medication classes was 2 (1, 4) in both the pre‐MVC and post‐MVC periods. Overall, 20.3% had a net increase, 15.9% had a net decrease, and 63.8% had no net change in the number of PDI medication classes after MVC. Opioids, antihistamines, and thiazide diuretics were the top PDI medication classes stopped following MVC, at incidences of 6.2%, 2.1%, and 1.7%, respectively. The top medication classes started were opioids (8.3%), skeletal muscle relaxants (2.2%), and benzodiazepines (2.1%).

Conclusions

A majority of crash‐involved older adults were exposed to multiple PDI medications before and after MVC. A greater proportion of person‐crashes were associated with an increased rather than decreased number of PDI medications. The reasons why clinicians refrain from stopping PDI medications following an MVC remain to be elucidated.
Heat Shock Factor A1s are required for phytochrome‐interacting factor 4‐mediated thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis
Authors: Li Bingjie , Jiang Shimeng , Gao Liang , Wang Wenhui , Luo Haozheng , Dong Yining , Gao Zhihua , Zheng Shuzhi , Liu Xinye , Tang Wenqiang
Published: October 2023

Thermomorphogenesis and the heat shock (HS) response are distinct thermal responses in plants that are regulated by PHYTOCHROME‐INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) and HEAT SHOCK FACTOR A1s (HSFA1s), respectively. Little is known about whether these responses are interconnected and whether they are activated by similar mechanisms. An analysis of transcriptome dynamics in response to warm temperature (28°C) treatment revealed that 30 min of exposure activated the expression of a subset of HSFA1 target genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Meanwhile, a loss‐of‐function HSFA1 quadruple mutant (hsfa1‐cq) was insensitive to warm temperature‐induced hypocotyl growth. In hsfa1‐cq plants grown at 28°C, the protein and transcript levels of PIF4 were greatly reduced, and the circadian rhythm of many thermomorphogenesis‐related genes (including PIF4) was disturbed. Additionally, the nuclear localization of HSFA1s and the binding of HSFA1d to the PIF4 promoter increased following warm temperature exposure, whereas PIF4 overexpression in hsfa1‐cq partially rescued the altered warm temperature‐induced hypocotyl growth of the mutant. Taken together, these results suggest that HSFA1s are required for PIF4 accumulation at a warm temperature, and they establish a central role for HSFA1s in regulating both thermomorphogenesis and HS responses in Arabidopsis.
Ethics after Humanity
Authors: Jenkins Willis
Published: October 2023

Can humanity survive climate change and mass extinction? Concepts of humanity assumed or implicit in the field at the founding of this journal are under critical pressure from multiple directions. Reading across schools of thought confronting relations sometimes called Anthropocene, this essay explains five tasks for religious ethics “after humanity:” (i) incorporate species‐level relations of power and vulnerability; (ii) denaturalize planetary myth‐making; (iii) undo colonial humanisms; (iv) recompose ways of life after the end of the world; and (v) reanimate ethical inquiry in attentiveness to multispecies worldmaking.