bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating responses by ChatGPT to farmers’ questions on irrigated lowland rice cultivation in Nigeria
Authors: Ibrahim Ali , Senthilkumar Kalimuthu , Saito Kazuki
Published: February 2024

The limited number of agricultural extension agents (EAs) in sub-Saharan Africa limits farmers’ access to extension services. Artificial intelligence (AI) assistants could potentially aid in providing answers to farmers’ questions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of an AI chatbot assistant (ChatGPT) to provide quality responses to farmers’ questions. We compiled a list of 32 questions related to irrigated rice cultivation from farmers in Kano State, Nigeria. Six EAs from the state were randomly selected to answer these questions. Their answers, along with those of ChatGPT, were assessed by four evaluators in terms of quality and local relevancy. Overall, chatbot responses were rated significantly higher quality than EAs’ responses. Chatbot responses received the best score nearly six times as often as the EAs’ (40% vs. 7%). The evaluators preferred chatbot responses to EAs in 78% of cases. The topics for which the chatbot responses received poorer scores than those by EAs included planting time, seed rate, and fertilizer application rate and timing. In conclusion, while the chatbot could offer an alternative source for providing agricultural advisory services to farmers, incorporating site-specific input rate-and-timing agronomic practices into AI assistants is critical for their direct use by farmers.
Synthesis, molecular docking and DFT analysis of novel bis-Schiff base derivatives with thiobarbituric acid for α-glucosidase inhibition assessment
Authors: Gul Saba , Jan Faheem , Alam Aftab , Shakoor Abdul , Khan Ajmal , AlAsmari Abdullah F. , Alasmari Fawaz , Khan Momin , Bo Li
Published: February 2024

A library of novel bis-Schiff base derivatives based on thiobarbituric acid has been effectively synthesized by multi-step reactions as part of our ongoing pursuit of novel anti-diabetic agents. All these derivatives were subjected to in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory potential testing after structural confirmation by modern spectroscopic techniques. Among them, compound 8 (IC50 = 0.10 ± 0.05 µM), and 9 (IC50 = 0.13 ± 0.03 µM) exhibited promising inhibitory activity better than the standard drug acarbose (IC50 = 0.27 ± 0.04 µM). Similarly, derivatives (5, 6, 7, 10 and 4) showed significant to good inhibitory activity in the range of IC50 values from 0.32 ± 0.03 to 0.52 ± 0.02 µM. These derivatives were docked with the target protein to elucidate their binding affinities and key interactions, providing additional insights into their inhibitory mechanisms. The chemical nature of these compounds were reveal by performing the density functional theory (DFT) calculation using hybrid B3LYP functional with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The presence of intramolecular H-bonding was explored by DFT-d3 and reduced density gradient (RGD) analysis. Furthermore, various reactivity parameters were explored by performing TD-DFT at CAM-B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) method.
Pb(ΙΙ), Cd(ΙΙ), and Mn(ΙΙ) adsorption onto pruning-derived biochar: physicochemical characterization, modeling and application in real landfill leachate
Authors: Rabiee Abyaneh Maryam , Nabi Bidhendi Gholamreza , Daryabeigi Zand Ali
Published: February 2024

The aim of this study was to systemically evaluate how different pyrolysis temperatures (400, 550, and 700 °C) and particle sizes (1–2 mm and 63–75 µm) were influenced biochar evolution, made from urban pruning waste, during pyrolysis process and to establish their relationships with biochar potential for removal of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and manganese (Mn) from real municipal solid waste landfill leachate. The effects of pH (2–7), contact time (30–300 min) and adsorbent dosage (0.1–5 g L−1) on heavy metals removal were also examined. The results showed that physicochemical properties of biochar were greatly influenced by pyrolysis temperature. Particle size, however, showed little influence on biochar characteristics (p > 0.05). The yield, volatile matter, hydrogen and oxygen contents, and surface functional groups decreased consistently with increasing pyrolysis temperature. An increase in the pH, electrical conductivity, ash, fixed carbon, and specific surface area values was also found. In biochar samples formed at high temperatures (i.e., 550 and 700 °C), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-FTIR studies confirmed the increase in aromaticity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy-FESEM images showed differences in the microporous structure and lower size pores at higher temperatures. Biochar pyrolyzed at 700 °C with a particle size of 63–75 µm (i.e., Lv700-63) showed the highest removal efficiency performance. Pb and Cd ions were completely removed (100%) by 0.2 g L−1 Lv700-63 at 7.0 pH and contact times of 120 and 90 min, respectively. The maximum percentage removal of Mn was 86.20% at optimum conditions of 0.2 g L−1 Lv700-63 dosage, 7.0 pH, and 180 min contact time. The findings suggests that the surface complexation, π-electron coordination, and cation exchange were the dominant mechanisms for the Pb, Cd, and Mn removal onto Lv700-63.
A comparative study of explainable ensemble learning and logistic regression for predicting in-hospital mortality in the emergency department
Authors: Rahmatinejad Zahra , Dehghani Toktam , Hoseini Benyamin , Rahmatinejad Fatemeh , Lotfata Aynaz , Reihani Hamidreza , Eslami Saeid
Published: February 2024

This study addresses the challenges associated with emergency department (ED) overcrowding and emphasizes the need for efficient risk stratification tools to identify high-risk patients for early intervention. While several scoring systems, often based on logistic regression (LR) models, have been proposed to indicate patient illness severity, this study aims to compare the predictive performance of ensemble learning (EL) models with LR for in-hospital mortality in the ED. A cross-sectional single-center study was conducted at the ED of Imam Reza Hospital in northeast Iran from March 2016 to March 2017. The study included adult patients with one to three levels of emergency severity index. EL models using Bagging, AdaBoost, random forests (RF), Stacking and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) algorithms, along with an LR model, were constructed. The training and validation visits from the ED were randomly divided into 80% and 20%, respectively. After training the proposed models using tenfold cross-validation, their predictive performance was evaluated. Model performance was compared using the Brier score (BS), The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC), The area and precision–recall curve (AUCPR), Hosmer–Lemeshow (H–L) goodness-of-fit test, precision, sensitivity, accuracy, F1-score, and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC). The study included 2025 unique patients admitted to the hospital’s ED, with a total percentage of hospital deaths at approximately 19%. In the training group and the validation group, 274 of 1476 (18.6%) and 152 of 728 (20.8%) patients died during hospitalization, respectively. According to the evaluation of the presented framework, EL models, particularly Bagging, predicted in-hospital mortality with the highest AUROC (0.839, CI (0.802–0.875)) and AUCPR = 0.64 comparable in terms of discrimination power with LR (AUROC (0.826, CI (0.787–0.864)) and AUCPR = 0.61). XGB achieved the highest precision (0.83), sensitivity (0.831), accuracy (0.842), F1-score (0.833), and the highest MCC (0.48). Additionally, the most accurate models in the unbalanced dataset belonged to RF with the lowest BS (0.128). Although all studied models overestimate mortality risk and have insufficient calibration (P > 0.05), stacking demonstrated relatively good agreement between predicted and actual mortality. EL models are not superior to LR in predicting in-hospital mortality in the ED. Both EL and LR models can be considered as screening tools to identify patients at risk of mortality.
Targeting M2-like tumor-associated macrophages is a potential therapeutic approach to overcome antitumor drug resistance
Authors: Wang Shujing , Wang Jingrui , Chen Zhiqiang , Luo Jiamin , Guo Wei , Sun Lingling , Lin Lizhu
Published: February 2024

Tumor drug resistance emerges from the interaction of two critical factors: tumor cellular heterogeneity and the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute essential components of the TME. M2-like TAMs are essential in facilitating tumor metastasis as well as augmenting the drug resistance of tumors. This review encapsulates the mechanisms that M2-like TAMs use to promote tumor drug resistance. We also describe the emerging therapeutic strategies that are currently targeting M2-like TAMs in combination with other antitumor drugs, with some still undergoing clinical trial evaluation. Furthermore, we summarize and analyze various existing approaches for developing novel drugs that target M2-like TAMs to overcome tumor resistance, highlighting how targeting M2-like TAMs can effectively stop tumor growth, metastasis, and overcome tumor drug resistance.
Room temperature nonlocal detection of charge-spin interconversion in a topological insulator
Authors: Hoque Md. Anamul , Sjöström Lars , Khokhriakov Dmitrii , Zhao Bing , Dash Saroj Prasad
Published: February 2024

Topological insulators (TIs) are emerging materials for next-generation low-power nanoelectronic and spintronic device applications. TIs possess non-trivial spin-momentum locking features in the topological surface states in addition to the spin-Hall effect (SHE), and Rashba states due to high spin-orbit coupling (SOC) properties. These phenomena are vital for observing the charge-spin conversion (CSC) processes for spin-based memory, logic and quantum technologies. Although CSC has been observed in TIs by potentiometric measurements, reliable nonlocal detection has so far been limited to cryogenic temperatures up to T = 15 K. Here, we report nonlocal detection of CSC and its inverse effect in the TI compound Bi1.5Sb0.5Te1.7Se1.3 at room temperature using a van der Waals heterostructure with a graphene spin-valve device. The lateral nonlocal device design with graphene allows observation of both spin-switch and Hanle spin precession signals for generation, injection and detection of spin currents by the TI. Detailed bias- and gate-dependent measurements in different geometries prove the robustness of the CSC effects in the TI. These findings demonstrate the possibility of using topological materials to make all-electrical room-temperature spintronic devices.
Thermal simulation, optical and laser performances of a YAP/Tm:YAP/YAP composite crystal operated at 1.94 μm
Authors: Cheng Maojie , Zhang Huili , Luo Jianqiao , Quan Cong , Han Zhiyuan , Sun Dunlu
Published: February 2024

We demonstrate the temperature distribution, optical and laser performances of a YAP/Tm:YAP/YAP composite crystal fabricated by thermal bonding technology.
Radical revelations: the pnictogen effect in linear acetylenes
Authors: Gallegos Miguel , del Amo Vicente , Guevara-Vela José Manuel , Moreno-Alcántar Guillermo , Martín Pendás Ángel
Published: February 2024

Acetylenes are crucial in chemistry. Adding heteroatoms like pnictogens changes their properties. This study explores how these changes affect dipnictogenoacetylenes (DXAs), offering insights into potential new routes for free-radical chemistry.
Framework nucleic acids as promising reactive oxygen species scavengers for anti-inflammatory therapy
Authors: Zhu Yujie , Shi Ruijianghan , Lu Weitong , Shi Sirong , Chen Yang
Published: February 2024

Framework nucleic acid nanomaterials possess excellent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory therapeutic properties through scavenging reactive oxygen species.
PtCu/Pt core/atomic-layer shell hollow octahedra for oxygen reduction and methanol oxidation electrocatalysis
Authors: Zhou Yi , Yuan Qiang
Published: February 2024

PtCu/Pt core/atomic-layer shell hollow octahedra were fabricated as efficient and stable electrocatalysts for acidic oxygen reduction and methanol oxidation reactions.
A TEMPO promoted tandem reaction of 2-aminobenzophenones and benzylamines under electrochemical conditions
Authors: Wang Yu , Huang Yekai , Li Yanan , Li Kuiliang , Luo Zaigang
Published: February 2024

This study describes the efficient synthesis of quinazolines promoted by TEMPO via electro-catalysis with 2-aminobenzophenones and benzylamines.
Optimal design and operation of a wind farm/battery energy storage considering demand side management
Authors: Tao Siyu , Zhang Chaohai , Feijóo‐Lorenzo Andrés E. , Kim Victor
Published: February 2024

Balancing electricity demand and sustainable energy generation like wind energy presents challenges for the smart grid. To address this problem, the optimization of a wind farm (WF) along with the battery energy storage (BES) on the supply side, along with the demand side management (DSM) on the consumer side, should be considered during its planning and operation stages. An optimization framework with two levels to simultaneously decide the layout and operation of the WF/BES is put forward in this paper. The first‐level model consists of determining the WF/BES capacities, the WF configuration, and the connection buses. It is tackled by the mixed‐discrete particle swarm optimization algorithm. The multi‐objective optimization problem (MOOP) model in the second level determines the operation schedule of the WF/BES and other generators taking the DSM into consideration. The MOOP model in the second level is transformed to a single‐objective optimization problem via the maximum fuzzy satisfaction method, and is then solved by the genetic algorithm. The proposed model and the strategy are verified by the Barrow offshore WF test case, which is integrated into the IEEE‐118 system. Simulation results indicate that the wind and load patterns, the DSM and the BES price are the three key factors influencing the WF/BES design optimization.
An efficient, fast, and robust algorithm for single diode model parameters estimation of photovoltaic solar cells
Authors: Ismail Husain A. , Diab Ahmed A. Zaki
Published: February 2024

Parameter estimation of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and module models pays attention to researchers owing to their importance in practical considerations. The single diode model (SDM) circuit with five unknown parameters is widely used to model PV solar cells and modules. In this paper, a novel approach called alternate optimization (AO) algorithm based on a discrete search is proposed to estimate the SDM parameters. The proposed algorithm provides efficient and robust performance, considering a limited set of discrete values and increasing the convergence speed. Two practical case studies with actual measurements are considered to assess the proposed AO algorithm: the RTC France solar cell and monocrystalline PV modules with different irradiations and temperatures. The numerical findings underscore the superior performance of the proposed AO algorithm across various metrics. Notably, it achieves an exceptional Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 7.7426 × 10−04 for the RTC France PV cell and approximately 1 × 10−03 RMSE for monocrystalline PV modules. Additionally, the algorithm exhibits unparalleled speed, showcasing the fastest convergence with an elapsed time of 1.66 × 10−05—markedly 4.45 times quicker than the fastest method documented in the literature for SDM parameter estimation. Furthermore, the proposed AO algorithm stands out for its efficiency, requiring a maximum of five iterations for parameter estimation, a substantial improvement compared to the more than 10 iterations typically needed by algorithms in the existing literature. Its robustness is also commendable, as evidenced by the stability of final RMSE values across a variety of experiments, distinguishing it from less robust algorithms found in the literature.
Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Surgery in Pediatrics: Does Preoperative Skin Antisepsis with Chlorhexidine/Alcohol Reduce Postoperative Shunt Infection Rate?
Authors: Ammar Ahmed Shawky , Elnoamany Hossam , Elkholy Hany
Published: February 2024

Background In pediatrics, shunt infection is considered the most common complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion and the main cause of shunt failure. Careful surgical technique and hygienic skin preparations are highly important for prevention of shunt infections. Our objective was to assess the significance of using preoperative chlorhexidine/alcohol as a skin antiseptic in reducing the infection rate in pediatric VP shunts surgery.

Methods We conducted a retrospective, case control study of 80 pediatric patients with active hydrocephalus. The control group (a single step of preoperative skin antisepsis using povidone-iodine and isopropyl alcohol) comprised 40 patients who underwent a shunt surgery between January 2019 and June 2020 and the study group (two steps of preoperative skin antisepsis using 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% isopropyl alcohol as a first step followed by povidone-iodine as a second step) comprised 40 patients who underwent a shunt surgery between July 2020 and January 2022.

Results Shunt infection was encountered in 11 (13.7%) patients. It was significantly higher in preterm babies (p = 0.010), patients with a previous shunt revision (p < 0.001), and those with a previous shunt infection (p < 0.001). The incidence of infection was 22.5% in the control group and 5% in study group, with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.023).

Conclusions Two steps of preoperative skin antisepsis, first using chlorhexidine/alcohol and then povidone-iodine scrub solution, may significantly reduce the infection rate in pediatric VP shunt surgeries.
What Is the Correlation between Coronal Plane Alignment Measured on Pre- and Postoperative Weight-bearing Radiographs and Intraoperative Navigation When Stress Is Applied to the Knee?
Authors: O'Neill Anthony , McAuliffe Michael , Pillay Tristan , Garg Gautam , Whitehouse Sarah , Crawford Ross
Published: February 2024

This study examines the correlation between the weight-bearing (WB) long leg radiograph (LLR)-derived hip–knee–ankle angle (HKAA) and intraoperative supine computer-assisted surgery (CAS)-derived HKAA measurements at the beginning and end of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The primary aim of the study was to determine if WB alignment could be mimicked or inferred based on intraoperative alignment findings. We conducted a prospective analysis from a cohort of 129 TKAs undergoing a CAS TKA at a single center by a single surgeon. The HKAA was recorded using the CAS navigation system immediately postregistration of navigation data and after implantation of the prosthesis. The intraoperative HKAA was recorded in both the supine “resting” position of the knee and also while the knee was manipulated in an effort to replicate the patient's WB alignment. These measurements were compared with the HKAA recorded on pre- and postoperative WB LLRs. There was a strong correlation between the preoperative WB LLR HKAA and the intraoperative preimplant CAS-derived stressed HKAA (R = 0.946). However, there was no correlation between the postoperative WB LLR HKAA and the postimplant insertion HKAA as measured intraoperatively via CAS for either a “resting” or “stressed” position of the operated knee (R = 0.165 and R = 0.041, respectively). Thus, the interpretation of intraoperative alignment data is potentially problematic. Despite technological advances in the development and utilization of computer navigation and robotics in arthroplasty to help obtain the optimal alignment, it would seem apparent from our study that this alignment does not correlate to upright stance postoperatively. Surgeons should apply caution to the strength of assumptions they place on intraoperative coronal plane alignment findings.
Are Femoral Stems in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty Cost Effective in High Fracture Risk Patients? A Risk Model and Cost Analysis
Authors: Rackard Forrest , Gilreath Noah , Pasqualini Ignacio , Molloy Robert , Krebs Viktor , Piuzzi Nicolas S. , Deren Matthew E.
Published: February 2024

Femoral stemmed total knee arthroplasty (FS TKA) may be used in patients deemed higher risk for periprosthetic fracture (PPF) to reduce PPF risk. However, the cost effectiveness of FS TKA has not been defined. Using a risk modeling analysis, we investigate the cost effectiveness of FS in primary TKA compared with the implant cost of revision to distal femoral replacement (DFR) following PPF. A model of risk categories was created representing patients at increasing fracture risk, ranging from 2.5 to 30%. The number needed to treat (NNT) was calculated for each risk category, which was multiplied by the increased cost of FS TKA and compared with the cost of DFR. The 50th percentile implant pricing data for primary TKA, FS TKA, and DFR were identified and used for the analysis. FS TKA resulted in an increased cost of $2,717.83, compared with the increased implant cost of DFR of $27,222.29. At 50% relative risk reduction with FS TKA, the NNT for risk categories of 2.5, 10, 20, and 30% were 80, 20, 10, and 6.67, respectively. At 20% risk, FS TKA times NNT equaled $27,178.30. A 10% absolute risk reduction in fracture risk obtained with FS TKA is needed to achieve cost neutrality with DFR. FS TKA is not cost effective for low fracture risk patients but may be cost effective for patients with fracture risk more than 20%. Further study is needed to better define the quantifiable risk reduction achieved in using FS TKA and identify high-risk PPF patients.
Paraneoplastic Syndrome: A Missed Diagnosis
Authors: Kalaichelvam Archana , Narayanasamy Karunya , B. Thinakarmani
Published: February 2024

Paraneoplastic syndrome can involve a single organ or diverse organ systems. It is one of the rare manifestations of occult malignancy. A 47-year-old female patient with history of recent suspected herpes infection presented with features of extensive skin darkening and thickening, associated with poor swallowing and cough reflex. Patient was not able to lift both arms nor able to sit or stand which was suggestive of proximal muscle weakness involving the shoulders and hip. Patient's initial workup for autoimmune disorders including dermatomyositis was negative. With paraneoplastic syndrome as differential diagnosis contrast-enhanced computed tomography chest and abdomen and tumor markers CA125 and CA19.9 done showed no evidence of occult malignancy. Patient was started on empirical steroids for polyradiculoneuropathy. After starting steroids patients was able to sit and walk with support. Patient was able to swallow liquids without aspiration. On regular follow-up over a period of 3 months, patient developed abdomen pain and abdominal distention which on evaluation showed ascites and multiple new cystic ovarian lesions suggestive of ovarian malignancy. Patient's CA125 was repeated and was markedly elevated. Patient was referred to an oncologist and was started on chemotherapy along with immunosuppressants. This case report emphasizes the need for regular follow-up of patients suspected of paraneoplastic syndrome. Although the initial workup for malignancy did not give a clue, on periodic review we were able to make the primary diagnosis and start appropriate treatment and achieve a better patient survival.
Localized Rectal Cancer: Indian Consensus and Guidelines
Authors: Lavingia Viraj , Sardana Shefali , Khanderia Mansi , Bisht Niharika , Patel Amol , Koyyala Venkata Pradeep Babu , Sheth Harsh , Ramaswamy Anant , Singh Ashish , deSouza Ashwin , Jain Sneha Bothra , Mahajan Mukta , Gohel Shruti , Parikh Aparna , Brown Gina , Sirohi Bhawna
Published: February 2024

The rising incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in India, particularly the prevalence of rectal cancer over colon cancer (0.7:1), has been a growing concern in recent decades; especially notable is the trend of increasing cases among young CRC patients. Given the diverse treatment approaches for rectal cancer globally and the varying economic capacities of patients in low to middle-income countries (LMICs) like India, it is essential to establish consensus guidelines that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of these patients. To achieve this, a panel comprising 30 eminent rectal cancer experts convened to conduct a comprehensive and impartial evaluation of existing practices and recent advancements in the field. Through meticulous scrutiny of published literature and a consensus-building process that involved voting on pertinent questions, the panel formulated management strategies. These recommendations are the result of a rigorous, evidence-based process and encapsulate the collective wisdom and judgment of leading authorities in the field.
A Cross-Sectional Study about Demographic and Medical Characteristics of Hypertensive Pregnant Women in Two Secondary Healthcare Facilities, in Ilorin, Nigeria
Authors: Aliyu F. O. , Olatunde O. O. , Abdulbaki M. , Bello S. I. , Olajide Qadri
Published: February 2024

Background Hypertension is one of the major causes of related maternal deaths worldwide and it is one of the most common medical disorders encountered during pregnancy.

Aim This study aimed at assessing the demographic and medical characteristics of hypertensive pregnant women in two secondary healthcare facilities, in Ilorin, Nigeria

Method This was a cross-sectional study among 104 pregnant women with hypertension attending the outpatient department of General Hospital and Civil Service Clinic, Ilorin between March and May 2021. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on sociodemographics. Data on the medical characteristics of the respondents and their medications were extracted from the respondent's medical files. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ministry of Health and General Hospital, Ilorin. For statistical analysis for categorical measurements, the frequencies and percentages were computed.

Results Seventy-five percent of the correspondents were below 36 years old, 97% were married, 79% had tertiary education, and 74% were above 24 weeks of gestation. About 68% of the correspondents had blood pressure more than or equal to 140/90 and 10% had blood pressure more than 160 mm Hg systolic or more than 100 mm Hg diastolic. About 78.8% of the correspondents had a family history of hypertension, 13.5% had a family history of diabetes mellitus, and 22.1% had a family history of obesity. About 27.9% had pre-existing hypertension, 61.5% developed hypertension before the end of 20 weeks of gestation, and 10.6% developed hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation. About 24% had their antihypertensive medication changed during pregnancy, 38.5% were treated with methyldopa, 31.7% with nifedipine, and 27% with nifedipine and methyldopa. Majority (83.6%) of the respondents were not adherent to their medications.

Conclusion Two-third of the patients had poor blood pressure control irrespective of the fact that all were under drug therapy. Family history and large body mass index are the main risk factors for the development of hypertension during pregnancy. Noncompliance may play a significant role in no drug response.
Crowing in two voices: The cultural transformation of the Portuguese rooster in postcolonial Macau
Authors: Amaro Vanessa
Published: February 2024

The Barcelos Rooster, an emblem rooted in Portuguese folklore, has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from a local curiosity to an icon of national pride and subsequently into a symbol of Macau’s post-sovereignty transfer to China in 1999. This study examines the rooster’s metamorphosis in Macau. In this former Portuguese territory, the rooster has transcended its original symbolism, aligning with the Chinese cultural values of honesty, bravery, and prosperity and becoming ingrained in the city’s identity. By tracing its journey from Portugal to Macau, the study explores the rooster’s role as a transcultural object within postcolonial tourism and transculturalism frameworks. It investigates how the rooster’s adaptation reflects the complex interplay of power, identity, and culture, contributing to the discourse on cultural symbols and collective identity in postcolonial societies.
The predictive value of anticholinergic drug exposure and the outcome of pneumonia: a Danish database study
Authors: Yoshimatsu Yuki , Kragholm Kristian , Clemmensen Silas Zacharias , Melgaard Dorte , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Smithard David G , Riis Johannes
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Older adults are susceptible to anticholinergic effects. Dysphagia and pneumonia are associated with anticholinergic usage, though a definitive causative relationship has not been established. There is no effective way to predict the prognosis of older adults with pneumonia; therefore, this study investigates the predictive value of anticholinergic burden.

Methods

Patients aged 65 years and above admitted for community-acquired pneumonia from 2011 to 2018 in Denmark were included through Danish registries. We calculated anticholinergic drug exposure using the CRIDECO Anticholinergic Load Scale (CALS). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and other outcomes included intensive care unit admission, ventilator usage, length of stay, 30-day/90-day/1-year mortality, institutionalisation, home care utilisation and readmission.

Results

186,735 patients were included in the in-hospital outcome analyses, 165,181 in the readmission analysis, 150,791 in the institutionalisation analysis, and 95,197 and 73,461 patients in the home care analysis at follow-up. Higher CALS score was associated with higher in-hospital mortality, with a mean risk increasing from 9.9% (CALS 0) to 16.4% (CALS >10), though the risk plateaued above a CALS score of 8. A higher CALS score was also associated with greater mortality after discharge, more home health care, more institutionalizations and higher readmission rates.

Conclusions

High anticholinergic burden levels were associated with poor patient outcomes including short-/long-term mortality, dependence and readmission. It may be useful to calculate the CALS score on admission of older patients with pneumonia to predict their prognosis. This also highlights the importance of avoiding the use of drugs with a high anticholinergic burden in older patients.
SpecieScan: semi-automated taxonomic identification of bone collagen peptides from MALDI-ToF-MS
Authors: Végh Emese I , Douka Katerina
Published: February 2024

Motivation

Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) is a palaeoproteomics method for the taxonomic determination of collagen, which traditionally involves challenging manual spectra analysis with limitations in quantitative results. As the ZooMS reference database expands, a faster and reproducible identification tool is necessary. Here we present SpecieScan, an open-access algorithm for automating taxa identification from raw MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry (MS) data.

Results

SpecieScan was developed using R (pre-processing) and Python (automation). The algorithm’s output includes identified peptide markers, closest matching taxonomic group (taxon, family, order), correlation scores with the reference databases, and contaminant peaks present in the spectra. Testing on original MS data from bones discovered at Palaeothic archaeological sites, including Denisova Cave in Russia, as well as using publicly-available, externally produced data, we achieved >90% accuracy at the genus-level and ∼92% accuracy at the family-level for mammalian bone collagen previously analysed manually.

Availability and implementation

The SpecieScan algorithm, along with the raw data used in testing, results, reference database, and common contaminants lists are freely available on Github (https://github.com/mesve/SpecieScan).
PanEffect: a pan-genome visualization tool for variant effects in maize
Authors: Andorf Carson M , Haley Olivia C , Hayford Rita K , Portwood John L , Harding Stephen , Sen Shatabdi , Cannon Ethalinda K , Gardiner Jack M , Kim Hye-Seon , Woodhouse Margaret R
Published: February 2024

Understanding the effects of genetic variants is crucial for accurately predicting traits and functional outcomes. Recent approaches have utilized artificial intelligence and protein language models to score all possible missense variant effects at the proteome level for a single genome, but a reliable tool is needed to explore these effects at the pan-genome level. To address this gap, we introduce a new tool called PanEffect. We implemented PanEffect at MaizeGDB to enable a comprehensive examination of the potential effects of coding variants across 50 maize genomes. The tool allows users to visualize over 550 million possible amino acid substitutions in the B73 maize reference genome and to observe the effects of the 2.3 million natural variations in the maize pan-genome. Each variant effect score, calculated from the Evolutionary Scale Modeling (ESM) protein language model, shows the log-likelihood ratio difference between B73 and all variants in the pan-genome. These scores are shown using heatmaps spanning benign outcomes to potential functional consequences. In addition, PanEffect displays secondary structures and functional domains along with the variant effects, offering additional functional and structural context. Using PanEffect, researchers now have a platform to explore protein variants and identify genetic targets for crop enhancement.

Availability and implementation

The PanEffect code is freely available on GitHub (https://github.com/Maize-Genetics-and-Genomics-Database/PanEffect). A maize implementation of PanEffect and underlying datasets are available at MaizeGDB (https://www.maizegdb.org/effect/maize/).
Conservation biogeography and diversity of tarantulas in Argentina
Authors: Allegue Maite , Schwerdt Leonela , Ferretti Nelson
Published: February 2024

The loss of biodiversity due to the effects of a number of human activities is a cause for great concern. Protected areas are currently one of the main conservation tools worldwide and their correct selection and design play a key role. Since 2000, there have been protocols for systematic conservation planning, which emphasize the identification of priority conservation areas (PCAs) to ensure the persistence of species habitats and the environmental processes associated with them. Spiders of the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) have biological characteristics that make them vulnerable to fragmentation in time and space and also are underrepresented in current conservation efforts. The geographical distribution of endemic species, such as tarantulas, represents a historical and ecological footprint of all biological entities; therefore, such endemic areas are recognized as priority areas for biodiversity conservation plans. The present work aims to develop an integrative biogeographical approach to conservation through the evaluation of multispecies distribution patterns, and the study of species richness and areas of endemism of tarantulas in Argentina with the ultimate goal of assessing their relationship to existing protected areas and proposing PCAs.
Endovascular intervention to treat spontaneous carotid-cavernous fistula in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome with an access site anatomical variant
Authors: See Austin Jin Xian , Ashok Abhishekh Hulegar , Joshi Yogish , Guilfoyle Mathew , See Teik Choon
Published: February 2024

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (vEDS) is a rare and potentially life-threatening inherited connective tissue disorder. Patients with vEDS can present with spontaneous arterial dissections and ruptured aneurysms. There are previous reports of large artery dissections and vessel rupture following conventional catheter diagnostic angiography. We present the case of a patient with vEDS who had a spontaneous carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) and visceral aneurysms, associated with a normal variant of corona mortis. A CCF was successfully treated with a transvenous approach with detachable coils.
Allopatric speciation and secondary sympatry of Fagus longipetiolata and F. lucida (Fagaceae) in subtropical China
Authors: Li Danqi , Jiang Lu , He Wei , Fan Dengmei , Cheng Shanmei , Yang Yi , Wang Meixia , Tang Shaoqing , Kou Yixuan , Zhang Zhiyong
Published: February 2024

Inferring the geographic mode of speciation is essential for explaining the generation and assembly of biodiversity, but has been rarely applied to the temperate flora of China. Fagus longipetiolata and F. lucida are a sister pair of beech species with largely overlapping ranges in subtropical China, however, little is known about the geographic mode of speciation and the formation of their sympatric distributions. In this study, we used IMa2 and fastsimcoal2 to simulate the speciation history of the two sisters. On the basis of 11 nuclear loci screened for 27 populations/species, their divergence time was estimated to 8.37 Mya by IMa2, and weak interspecific gene flow was detected. The simulation by fastsimcoal2 found that F. longipetiolata and F. lucida diverged ~8.53 Mya, then came into contact and hybridized at 0.8 Mya. The extended Bayesian skyline plots indicated that F. lucida began demographic expansion prior to the Pleistocene at 3 Mya, whereas F. longipetiolata increased its effective population size during the Quaternary, between 0.8 and 0.5 Mya. Ecological niche analysis and niche modelling showed that the two beeches had subtle niche differentiation and their projected distributions were largely overlapped across the late Quaternary. These results, coupled with well-studied fossil records in Fagus, demonstrate that these two beech species diverged allopatrically at the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, and came into contact and hybridized with each other after successive migrations into subtropical (i.e. warm temperate) China recently. However, the two beeches may have developed strong intrinsic reproductive barriers due to long-term allopatry, allowing them to coexist in subtropical China. Our results illuminate the assembly history of the temperate woody flora in subtropical China, supporting that many relict temperate lineages in subtropical China may have established their populations recently.
Consensus on the treatment of second-degree burn wounds (2024 edition)
Authors: Ji Shizhao , Xiao Shichu , Xia Zhaofan ,   Chinese Burn Association Tissue Repair of Burns and Trauma Committee, Cross-Straits Medicine Exchange Association of China
Published: February 2024

Second-degree burns are the most common type of burn in clinical practice and hard to manage. Their treatment requires not only a consideration of the different outcomes that may arise from the dressing changes or surgical therapies themselves but also an evaluation of factors such as the burn site, patient age and burn area. Meanwhile, special attention should be given to the fact that there is no unified standard or specification for the diagnosis, classification, surgical procedure, and infection diagnosis and grading of second-degree burn wounds. This not only poses great challenges to the formulation of clinical treatment plans but also significantly affects the consistency of clinical studies. Moreover, currently, there are relatively few guidelines or expert consensus for the management of second-degree burn wounds, and no comprehensive and systematic guidelines or specifications for the treatment of second-degree burns have been formed. Therefore, we developed the Consensus on the Treatment of Second-Degree Burn Wounds (2024 edition), based on evidence-based medicine and expert opinion. This consensus provides specific recommendations on prehospital first aid, nonsurgical treatment, surgical treatment and infection treatment for second-degree burns. The current consensus generated a total of 58 recommendations, aiming to form a standardized clinical treatment plan.
The advantages of the corporate form—an impossibility theorem on persons and things
Authors: Graf Lambsdorff Johann
Published: February 2024

The literature tends to view the firm either as a person or as a thing. Due to this dichotomy, it struggles with the proposition that the corporate form brings about efficiency gains that cannot be accomplished by other types of profit-seeking firms. This study supplies game-theoretic proof for this proposition. It identifies a capital-intensive business that requires external financing and is vulnerable to a holdup by a supplier. It shows that only the corporate form can organise the business while other types of firms fail. This advantage of the corporate form over other types of firms is due to its Janus-faced nature as both person, that is endowed with legal capacity, and thing, such as a transferable bundle of assets. A long-held tradition of strictly separating persons and things fails to account for this advantage.
Geographies of discontent: measuring and understanding the feeling of abandonment in the Chilean region of Valparaiso (2019–2021)
Authors: Fierro Pedro , Aravena-Gonzalez Ignacio , Aroca Patricio , Rowe Francisco
Published: February 2024

Political discontent, frequently mirrored in voting patterns, extends beyond ballot votes. By focusing on Valparaiso, Chile, we introduce a more comprehensive measure, external political efficacy (EPE), capturing a sense of abandonment and gauging public sentiment towards the political system’s responsiveness to their needs. Our analysis addresses individual and area-level factors underpinning individual variations in EPE. The evidence suggests that long-term territorial socio-economic disadvantage, rather than low-paid employment, is significantly related to individual discontent, highlighting lowered beliefs in system responsiveness.
Imlifidase in kidney transplantation
Authors: Kanbay Mehmet , Copur Sidar , Guldan Mustafa , Topcu Ahmet U , Ozbek Lasin , Hasbal Baris , Süsal Caner , Kocak Burak , Callemeyn Jasper , Segelmark Mårten
Published: February 2024

Kidney transplantation, the gold-standard therapeutic approach for patients with end-stage kidney disease, offers improvement in patient survival and quality of life. However, broad sensitization against human leukocyte antigens often resulting in a positive crossmatch against the patient's living donor or the majority of potential deceased donors in the allocation system represents a major obstacle due to a high risk for antibody-mediated rejection, delayed graft function and allograft loss. Kidney-paired donation and desensitization protocols have been established to overcome this obstacle, with limited success. Imlifidase, a novel immunoglobulin G (IgG)-degrading enzyme derived from Streptococcus pyogenes and recombinantly produced in Escherichia coli, is a promising agent for recipients with a positive crossmatch against their organ donor with high specificity towards IgG, rapid action and high efficacy in early pre-clinical and clinical studies. However, the rebound of IgG after a few days can lead to antibody-mediated rejection, making the administration of potent immunosuppressive regimens in the early post-transplant phase necessary. There is currently no comparative study evaluating the efficiency of imlifidase therapy compared with conventional desensitization protocols along with the lack of randomized control trials, indicating the clear need for future large-scale clinical studies in this field. Besides providing a practical framework for the clinical use of the agent, our aim in this article is to evaluate the underlying mechanism of action, efficiency and safety of imlifidase therapy in immunologically high-risk kidney transplant recipients.
Effects of temperature acclimation on the upper thermal tolerance of two Arctic fishes
Authors: Waterbury Carolyn R , Sutton Trent M , Kelley Amanda L , López J Andrés
Published: February 2024

The thermally dynamic nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, is experiencing climate change-driven temperature increases. Measuring thermal tolerance of broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus) and saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis), both important species in the Arctic ecosystem, will enhance understanding of species-specific thermal tolerances. The objectives of this study were to determine the extent that acclimating broad whitefish and saffron cod to 5°C and 15°C changed their critical thermal maximum (CTmax) and HSP70 protein and mRNA expression in brain, muscle and liver tissues. After acclimation to 5°C and 15°C, the species were exposed to a thermal ramping rate of 3.4°C · h−1 before quantifying the CTmax and HSP70 protein and transcript concentrations. Broad whitefish and saffron cod acclimated to 15°C had a significantly higher mean CTmax (27.3°C and 25.9°C, respectively) than 5°C-acclimated fish (23.7°C and 23.2°C, respectively), which is consistent with trends in CTmax between higher and lower acclimation temperatures. There were species-specific differences in thermal tolerance with 15°C-acclimated broad whitefish having higher CTmax and HSP70 protein concentrations in liver and muscle tissues than saffron cod at both acclimation temperatures. Tissue-specific differences were quantified, with brain and muscle tissues having the highest and lowest HSP70 protein concentrations, respectively, for both species and acclimation temperatures. The differences in broad whitefish CTmax between the two acclimation temperatures could be explained with brain and liver tissues from 15°C acclimation having higher HSP70a-201 and HSP70b-201 transcript concentrations than control fish that remained in lab-acclimation conditions of 8°C. The shift in CTmax and HSP70 protein and paralogous transcripts demonstrate the physiological plasticity that both species possess in responding to two different acclimation temperatures. This response is imperative to understand as aquatic temperatures continue to elevate.
Effects of incubation temperature on the upper thermal tolerance of the imperiled longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys)
Authors: Yanagitsuru Yuzo R , Mauduit Florian , Lundquist Alexis J , Lewis Levi S , Hobbs James A , Hung Tien-Chieh , Connon Richard E , Fangue Nann A
Published: February 2024

Upper thermal limits in many fish species are limited, in part, by the heart’s ability to meet increased oxygen demand during high temperatures. Cardiac plasticity induced by developmental temperatures can therefore influence thermal tolerance. Here, we determined how incubation temperatures during the embryonic stage influence cardiac performance across temperatures during the sensitive larval stage of the imperiled longfin smelt. We transposed a cardiac assay for larger fish to newly hatched larvae that were incubated at 9°C, 12°C or 15°C. We measured heart rate over increases in temperature to identify the Arrhenius breakpoint temperature (TAB), a proxy for thermal optimum and two upper thermal limit metrics: temperature when heart rate is maximized (Tpeak) and when cardiac arrhythmia occurs (TArr). Higher incubation temperatures increased TAB, Tpeak and TArr, but high individual variation in all three metrics resulted in great overlap of individuals at TAB, Tpeak and TArr across temperatures. We found that the temperatures at which 10% of individuals reached Tpeak or TArr and temperatures at which number of individuals at TAB relative to Tpeak (ΔN(TAB,Tpeak)) was maximal, correlated more closely with upper thermal limits and thermal optima inferred from previous studies, compared to the mean values of the three cardiac metrics of the present study. Higher incubation temperatures increased the 10% Tpeak and TArr thresholds but maximum ΔN(TAB,Tpeak) largely remained the same, suggesting that incubation temperatures modulate upper thermal limits but not Topt for a group of larvae. Overall, by measuring cardiac performance across temperatures, we defined upper thermal limits (10% thresholds; Tpeak, 14.4–17.5°C; TArr, 16.9–20.2°C) and optima (ΔN(TAB,Tpeak), 12.4–14.4°C) that can guide conservation strategies for longfin smelt and demonstrated the potential of this cardiac assay for informing conservation plans for the early life stages of fish.