bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tumor derived exosomal ENTPD2 impair CD8+ T cell function in colon cancer through ATP-adenosine metabolism reprogramming
Authors: Shi Mengchen , Ye Linsen , Zhao Lu , He Lingyuan , Chen Junxiong , Zhang Jingdan , Su Yixi , Dong Haiyan , Liu Jiaqi , Liang Liumei , Zheng Wenwen , Xiao Yanhong , Liu Huanliang , Yang Xiangling , Yang Zihuan
Published: May 2024

Background

Extracellular ATP–AMP–adenosine metabolism plays a pivotal role in modulating tumor immune responses. Previous studies have shown that the conversion of ATP to AMP is primarily catalysed by Ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (ENTPD1/CD39), a widely studied ATPase, which is expressed in tumor-associated immune cells. However, the function of ATPases derived from tumor cells themselves remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of colon cancer cell–derived ATPases in the development and progression of colon cancer.

Methods

Bioinformatic and tissue microarray analyses were performed to investigate the expression of ATPase family members in colon cancer. An ATP hydrolysis assay, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and CCK8 and colony formation assays were used to determine the effects of ENTPD2 on the biological functions of colon cancer cells. Flow cytometric and RNA-seq analyses were used to explore the function of CD8+ T cells. Immunoelectron microscopy and western blotting were used to evaluate the expression of ENTPD2 in exosomes. Double-labelling immunofluorescence and western blotting were used to examine the expression of ENTPD2 in serum exosomes and colon cancer tissues.

Results

We found that ENTPD2, rather than the well-known ATPase CD39, is highly expressed in cancer cells and is significantly positively associated with poor patient prognosis in patients with colon cancer. The overexpression of ENTPD2 in cancer cells augmented tumor progression in immunocompetent mice by inhibiting the function of CD8+ T cells. Moreover, ENTPD2 is localized primarily within exosomes. On the one hand, exosomal ENTPD2 reduces extracellular ATP levels, thereby inhibiting P2X7R-mediated NFATc1 nuclear transcription; on the other hand, it facilitates the increased conversion of ATP to adenosine, hence promoting adenosine-A2AR pathway activity. In patients with colon cancer, the serum level of exosomal ENTPD2 is positively associated with advanced TNM stage and high tumor invasion depth. Moreover, the level of ENTPD2 in the serum exosomes of colon cancer patients is positively correlated with the ENTPD2 expression level in paired colon cancer tissues, and the ENTPD2 level in both serum exosomes and tissues is significantly negatively correlated with the ENTPD2 expression level in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that exosomal ENTPD2, originated from colon cancer cells, contributes to the immunosuppressive microenvironment by promoting ATP–adenosine metabolism. These findings highlight the importance of exosome-derived hydrolytic enzymes as independent entities in shaping the tumor immune microenvironment.
Enhancing touch sensibility with sensory electrical stimulation and sensory retraining
Authors: Villar Ortega Eduardo , Buetler Karin A. , Aksöz Efe Anil , Marchal-Crespo Laura
Published: May 2024

A large proportion of stroke survivors suffer from sensory loss, negatively impacting their independence, quality of life, and neurorehabilitation prognosis. Despite the high prevalence of somatosensory impairments, our understanding of somatosensory interventions such as sensory electrical stimulation (SES) in neurorehabilitation is limited. We aimed to study the effectiveness of SES combined with a sensory discrimination task in a well-controlled virtual environment in healthy participants, setting a foundation for its potential application in stroke rehabilitation. We employed electroencephalography (EEG) to gain a better understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms and dynamics associated with sensory training and SES. We conducted a single-session experiment with 26 healthy participants who explored a set of three visually identical virtual textures—haptically rendered by a robotic device and that differed in their spatial period—while physically guided by the robot to identify the odd texture. The experiment consisted of three phases: pre-intervention, intervention, and post-intervention. Half the participants received subthreshold whole-hand SES during the intervention, while the other half received sham stimulation. We evaluated changes in task performance—assessed by the probability of correct responses—before and after intervention and between groups. We also evaluated differences in the exploration behavior, e.g., scanning speed. EEG was employed to examine the effects of the intervention on brain activity, particularly in the alpha frequency band (8–13 Hz) associated with sensory processing. We found that participants in the SES group improved their task performance after intervention and their scanning speed during and after intervention, while the sham group did not improve their task performance. However, the differences in task performance improvements between groups only approached significance. Furthermore, we found that alpha power was sensitive to the effects of SES; participants in the stimulation group exhibited enhanced brain signals associated with improved touch sensitivity likely due to the effects of SES on the central nervous system, while the increase in alpha power for the sham group was less pronounced. Our findings suggest that SES enhances texture discrimination after training and has a positive effect on sensory-related brain areas. Further research involving brain-injured patients is needed to confirm the potential benefit of our solution in neurorehabilitation.
Ethnobotanical insights into the traditional food plants of the Baiku Yao community: a study of cultural significance, utilization, and conservation
Authors: Luo Binsheng , Tong Yuanming , Liu Yujing , Zhang Ying , Qin Yixin , Hu Renchuan
Published: May 2024

Background

The Baiku Yao, primarily residing in Guangxi and Guizhou provinces of China, is a distinctive branch of the Yao ethnic group, known for their profound cultural preservation and unique ethnobotanical knowledge. This study investigates the Baiku Yao community’s utilization of traditional food plants, focusing on the relationship between their dietary practices and the local biodiversity within their mountainous living environment. It aims to illuminate the cultural significance and survival strategies embedded in their ethnobotanical knowledge, highlighting the potential for sustainable living and biodiversity conservation.

Methods

Through ethnobotanical surveys, key informant interviews, and quantitative analysis techniques such as the cultural food significance index (CFSI) and relative frequency of citations (RFC), this research systematically documents the diversity and cultural importance of edible plants in the Baiku Yao community. The study assesses how these plants contribute to the community’s diet, traditional medicine, and overall cultural practices.

Results

A total of 195 traditional edible plants were documented, belonging to 142 genera and 68 families, with a significant concentration in certain families such as Asteraceae, Rosaceae, and Fabaceae. The Baiku Yao diet prominently features herbaceous plants, with wild (103 species) and cultivated (89 species) varieties as diverse food sources. They utilize various plant parts, particularly fruits and leaves, for multiple purposes, including nutrition, medicine, and fodder. Their processing techniques, from raw to fermented, showcase a rich culinary tradition and emphasize a holistic use of plants for enhancing diet and health in a concise overview. The RFC and CFSI analyses reveal a deep cultural reliance on a variety of plant species, with a notable emphasis on vegetables, fruits, spices, and medicinal herbs. Specific plants like Zingiber officinale, Zea mays, and Oryza sativa were highlighted for their high cultural significance. The study also uncovers the multifunctional use of these plants, not only as food but also for medicinal purposes, fodder, and other cultural applications, reflecting the Baiku Yao’s profound ecological wisdom and their harmonious coexistence with nature.

Conclusion

The findings emphasize the rich ethnobotanical knowledge possessed by the Baiku Yao, underscoring the importance of documenting, safeguarding, and transmitting this invaluable traditional knowledge. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation, advocating for concerted efforts to protect such traditional practices against the threats of modernization and cultural erosion.
Effect of exclusive breastfeeding and other infant and young child feeding practices on childhood morbidity outcomes: associations for infants 0–6 months in 5 South Asian countries using Demographic and Health Survey data
Authors: Hossain Saldana , Mihrshahi Seema
Published: May 2024

Background

Despite growing evidence of the impacts of exclusively breastfeeding infants during the first 6 months of life on preventing childhood infections and ensuring optimal health, only a small number of studies have quantified this association in South Asia.

Methods

We analyzed data from the Demographic and Health Surveys in Afghanistan (2015; n = 3462), Bangladesh (2017–2018; n = 1084), India (2019–2021; n = 26,101), Nepal (2022; n = 581), and Pakistan (2017–2018; n = 1,306), including babies aged 0–6 months. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the association between exclusive breastfeeding in the last 24 h and diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, and fever in the two weeks before the survey. We also examined the association between other infant and young feeding indicators and these outcomes.

Results

Infants who were exclusive breastfed had decreased odds of diarrhoea in Afghanistan (AOR: 0.49, 95% CI 0.35, 0.70), India (AOR: 0.80, 95% CI 0.70, 0.91), and Nepal (AOR: 0.42, 95% CI 0.20, 0.89). Compared with infants who were not exclusive breastfed, infants who were exclusively breastfed were less likely to have fever in Afghanistan (AOR: 0.36, 95% CI 0.26, 0.50) and India (AOR: 0.75, 95% CI 0.67, 0.84). Exclusive breastfeeding was associated with lower odds of acute respiratory infections in Afghanistan (AOR: 0.57, 95% CI 0.39, 0.83). Early initiation of breastfeeding was protective against diarrhoea in India. Bottle feeding was a risk factor for diarrhoea in India and for fever in Afghanistan and India. Bottle feeding was also a risk factor for acute respiratory infection in Afghanistan and India.

Conclusions

Not exclusive breastfeeding is a risk factor for diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, and fever in some South Asian countries. These findings could have substantial implications for global and national efforts to increase exclusive breastfeeding rates. More support, advocacy, and action are required to boost breastfeeding rates as a crucial public health measure.
A novel method for extraction of high purity and high production Phytophthora sojae oospores
Authors: Chu Xiaomeng , Yin Ziyi , Yue Pengjie , Wang Xinyu , Yang Yue , Sun Jiayi , Kong Ziying , Ren Jian , Liu Xiaohan , Lu Chongchong , Zhao Haipeng , Li Yang , Ding Xinhua
Published: May 2024

Background

Phytophthora sojae, a soil-borne oomycete pathogen, has been a yield limiting factor for more than 60 years on soybean. The resurgence of P. sojae (Phytophthora sojae) is primarily ascribed to the durable oospores found in soil and remnants of the disease. P. sojae is capable of infesting at any growth periods of the soybean, and the succeed infestation of P. sojae is predominantly attributed to long-lived oospores present in soil. Comprehending the molecular mechanisms that drive oospores formation and their significance in infestation is the key for effective management of the disease. However, the existing challenges in isolating and extracting significant quantities of oospores pose limitations in investigating the sexual reproductive stages of P. sojae.

Results

The study focused on optimizing and refining the culture conditions and extraction process of P. sojae, resulting in establishment of an efficient and the dependable method for extraction. Novel optimized approach was yielded greater quantities of high-purity P. sojae oospores than traditional methods. The novel approach exceeds the traditional approaches with respect to viability, survival ability, germination rates of new oospores and the pathogenicity of oospores in potting experiments.

Conclusion

The proposed method for extracting P. sojae oospores efficiently yielded a substantial quantity of highly pure, viable, and pathogenic oospores. The enhancements in oospores extraction techniques will promote the research on the sexual reproductive mechanisms of P. sojae and lead to the creation of innovative and effective approaches for managing oomycete diseases.
Perceived school bullying and psychotic-like experiences in sexual minority adolescents: the mediating and moderating roles of resilience
Authors: Wang Dongfang , Chen Xiao-Yan , Scherffius Andrew , Yu Zhijun , Wang Xuan , Sun Meng , Fan Fang
Published: May 2024

Aims

This two-wave, longitudinal study aimed to examine the potential moderating and mediating effects of resilience on the association between perceived school bullying and psychotic-like experiences among Chinese sexual minority adolescents.

Methods

A total of 4192 senior high students were included and 984 (23.5%) of them were identified as a sexual minority (mean age = 16.68 years, SD = 0.71). Participants completed two online surveys during April 21 to May 12, 2021 and December 17 to 26, 2021, respectively, as well as completed self-report measures of sample characteristics, perceived school bullying, resilience, and psychotic-like experiences (including two dimensions: delusional experiences and hallucinatory experiences).

Results

Perceived school bullying and resilience were associated with psychotic-like experiences in sexual minority adolescents. Resilience mediated the relationship between perceived school bullying and subsequent psychotic-like experiences (b = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.01 ~ 0.04)/ delusional experiences (b = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.01 ~ 0.04)/ hallucinatory experiences (b = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01 ~ 0.03). Additionally, resilience only moderated the associations of perceived school bullying with hallucinatory experiences (b = −0.06, 95% CI = −0.12 ~ −0.01).

Conclusions

These findings indicated that resilience plays a crucial role in mediating or moderating the relationship between perceived school bullying and psychotic-like experiences. Assessing and reducing school bullying, as well as promoting resilience, may have important clinical implications for reducing the risk of psychotic-like experiences in sexual minority adolescents.
Human lung cancer-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote tumor growth and immunosuppression
Authors: Gao Xiaoyan , Ren He , Zhang Zhengrong , Cao Shuai , Zhang Bo , Sun Qiang , Melino Gerry , Huang Hongyan
Published: May 2024

Background

The presence of mesenchymal stem cells has been confirmed in some solid tumors where they serve as important components of the tumor microenvironment; however, their role in cancer has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the functions of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from tumor tissues of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Results

Human lung cancer-derived mesenchymal stem cells displayed the typical morphology and immunophenotype of mesenchymal stem cells; they were nontumorigenic and capable of undergoing multipotent differentiation. These isolated cells remarkably enhanced tumor growth when incorporated into systems alongside tumor cells in vivo. Importantly, in the presence of mesenchymal stem cells, the ability of peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived natural killer and activated T cells to mediate tumor cell destruction was significantly compromised.

Conclusion

Collectively, these data support the notion that human lung cancer-derived mesenchymal stem cells protect tumor cells from immune-mediated destruction by inhibiting the antitumor activities of natural killer and T cells.
Integrating qualitative research within a clinical trials unit: developing strategies and understanding their implementation in contexts
Authors: Segrott Jeremy , Channon Sue , Lloyd Amy , Glarou Eleni , Henley Josie , Hughes Jacqueline , Jacob Nina , Milosevic Sarah , Moriarty Yvonne , Pell Bethan , Robling Mike , Strange Heather , Townson Julia ,   Qualitative Research Group, Drew C. , Gillespie D. , Hale R. , Latchem-Hastings J. , Milton R. , Pell B. , Prout H. , Shepherd V. , Smallman K. , Stanton H. , Brookes-Howell Lucy
Published: May 2024

Background/aims

The value of using qualitative methods within clinical trials is widely recognised. How qualitative research is integrated within trials units to achieve this is less clear. This paper describes the process through which qualitative research has been integrated within Cardiff University’s Centre for Trials Research (CTR) in Wales, UK. We highlight facilitators of, and challenges to, integration.

Methods

We held group discussions on the work of the Qualitative Research Group (QRG) within CTR. The content of these discussions, materials for a presentation in CTR, and documents relating to the development of the QRG were interpreted at a workshop attended by group members. Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) was used to structure analysis. A writing group prepared a document for input from members of CTR, forming the basis of this paper.

Results

Actions to integrate qualitative research comprised: its inclusion in Centre strategies; formation of a QRG with dedicated funding/roles; embedding of qualitative research within operating systems; capacity building/training; monitoring opportunities to include qualitative methods in studies; maximising the quality of qualitative research and developing methodological innovation. Facilitators of these actions included: the influence of the broader methodological landscape within trial/study design and its promotion of the value of qualitative research; and close physical proximity of CTR qualitative staff/students allowing sharing of methodological approaches. Introduction of innovative qualitative methods generated interest among other staff groups. Challenges included: pressure to under-resource qualitative components of research, preference for a statistical stance historically in some research areas and funding structures, and difficulties faced by qualitative researchers carving out individual academic profiles when working across trials/studies.

Conclusions

Given that CTUs are pivotal to the design and conduct of RCTs and related study types across multiple disciplines, integrating qualitative research into trials units is crucial if its contribution is to be fully realised. We have made explicit one trials unit’s experience of embedding qualitative research and present this to open dialogue on ways to operationalise and optimise qualitative research in trials. NPT provides a valuable framework with which to theorise these processes, including the importance of sense-making and legitimisation when introducing new practices within organisations.
Comparison of apixaban versus aspirin for the prevention of latent bioprosthetic aortic valve thrombosis: study protocol for a prospective randomized trial
Authors: Kopjar Tomislav , Gasparovic Hrvoje , Paar Maja Hrabak , Lovric Daniel , Cerina Petra , Tokic Tomislav , Milicic Davor
Published: May 2024

Background

The optimal antithrombotic strategy early after aortic valve replacement surgery with a biological valve remains controversial due to lack of high-quality evidence. Either oral anticoagulants or acetylsalicylic acid should be considered for the first 3 months. Hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening on cardiac computed tomography has been associated with latent bioprosthetic valve thrombosis and may be prevented with anticoagulation. We hypothesize that anticoagulation with apixaban is superior to single antiplatelet therapy with acetylsalicylic acid in reducing hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening of bioprosthetic aortic valve prostheses.

Methods

In this prospective, open-label, randomized trial, patients undergoing isolated aortic valve replacement surgery with rapid deployment bioprosthetic valves will be randomized. The treatment group will receive 5 mg of apixaban twice a day for the first 3 months and 100 mg of acetylsalicylic acid thereafter. The control group will be administered 100 mg of acetylsalicylic acid once a day, indefinitely. After the 3-month treatment period, a contrast-enhanced electrocardiogram-gated cardiac computed tomography will be performed to identify hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening of the bioprosthetic valve. The primary objective of the study is to assess the impact of apixaban on the prevention of hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening at 3 months. The secondary and exploratory endpoints will be clinical outcomes and safety profiles of the two strategies.

Discussion

Antithrombotic therapy after aortic valve replacement is used to prevent valve thrombosis and systemic thromboembolism. Latent bioprosthetic valve thrombosis is a precursor of clinically significant prosthetic valve dysfunction or thromboembolic events. The hallmark feature of latent bioprosthetic valve thrombosis is hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening on cardiac computed tomography. Subclinical leaflet thrombosis occurs frequently in bioprosthetic aortic valves, more commonly in transcatheter than in surgical valves. There is no evidence on the effect of direct oral anticoagulants on the incidence of hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening after surgical aortic valve replacement with rapid deployment bioprostheses.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06184113. Registered on December 28, 2023
Enabling resilient UAV swarms through multi-hop wireless communications
Authors: Clerigues David , Wubben Jamie , Calafate Carlos T. , Cano Juan-Carlos , Manzoni Pietro
Published: May 2024

In the last decade, the popularity of UAVs, colloquially known as drones, has increased tremendously. Nowadays, drones are used in a wide range of use-cases, such as precision agriculture, surveillance, and photography. Many of these use-cases can be made more efficient if multiple UAVs are used cooperatively (i.e., in a swarm). To achieve this, communication between the UAVs is paramount. To ensure communication, many works rely on the existing infrastructure (e.g., 4G). However, in many rural areas, this infrastructure does not exist. In those cases, an ad hoc (Wi-Fi) network is the most adequate alternative. Yet, due to the limited communication range of Wi-Fi, it is not possible to let UAVs in a swarm to communicate over a long distance. To solve this issue a relay approach is necessary. Despite general solutions to relay messages between (mobile) nodes already exist, many UAV swarms rely on master–slave communication. Thus, a specific solution for this type of communication might be more efficient. Hence, in this work, we propose a strategy to efficiently relay messages for UAV swarms adopting the master–slave communication paradigm. Our approach seeks to introduce a very small message overhead to avoid congestion of the network, and to provide more bandwidth for the actual applications of the UAV swarm. We tested our approach using a realistic UAV simulator called ArduSim. Our results show that our approach is capable of detecting all the nodes in the network within a few seconds. Furthermore, we applied our message relay approach on an existing swarm application (where a swarm of UAVs had to follow a mission), and our results show that, now, the communication range of the UAVs can be much larger, without impacting other aspects of the mission (such as flight time).
Procrastination, depression and anxiety symptoms in university students: a three-wave longitudinal study on the mediating role of perceived stress
Authors: Jochmann Anna , Gusy Burkhard , Lesener Tino , Wolter Christine
Published: May 2024

Background

It is generally assumed that procrastination leads to negative consequences. However, evidence for negative consequences of procrastination is still limited and it is also unclear by which mechanisms they are mediated. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine the harmful consequences of procrastination on students’ stress and mental health. We selected the procrastination-health model as our theoretical foundation and tried to evaluate the model’s assumption that trait procrastination leads to (chronic) disease via (chronic) stress in a temporal perspective. We chose depression and anxiety symptoms as indicators for (chronic) disease and hypothesized that procrastination leads to perceived stress over time, that perceived stress leads to depression and anxiety symptoms over time, and that procrastination leads to depression and anxiety symptoms over time, mediated by perceived stress.

Methods

To examine these relationships properly, we collected longitudinal data from 392 university students at three occasions over a one-year period and analyzed the data using autoregressive time-lagged panel models.

Results

Procrastination did lead to depression and anxiety symptoms over time. However, perceived stress was not a mediator of this effect. Procrastination did not lead to perceived stress over time, nor did perceived stress lead to depression and anxiety symptoms over time.

Conclusions

We could not confirm that trait procrastination leads to (chronic) disease via (chronic) stress, as assumed in the procrastination-health model. Nonetheless, our study demonstrated that procrastination can have a detrimental effect on mental health. Further health outcomes and possible mediators should be explored in future studies.
Dissecting wheat above-ground architecture for enhanced water use efficiency and grain yield in the subtropics
Authors: Hakeem Sadia , Ali Zulfiqar , Saddique Muhammad Abu Bakar , Habib-ur-Rahman Muhammad , Wiehle Martin
Published: May 2024

Background

Growing wheat under climate change scenarios challenges, scientists to develop drought and heat-tolerant genotypes. The adaptive traits should therefore be explored and engineered for this purpose. Thus, this study aimed to dissect surface traits and optimizing the leaf architecture to enhance water use efficiency (WUE) and grain yield. Twenty-six wheat genotypes were assessed for five novel leaf traits (NLTs: leaf prickle hairs, groove type, rolling, angle and wettability) under normal, drought and heat conditions following triplicated factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD). The data for NLTs, physiological traits (stomatal conductance, WUE, transpiration, and photosynthesis), and standard morphological and yield traits were recorded. Leaves were sampled at the stem elongation stage (Zadoks 34) to measure the leaf water content (%), contact angle, and to obtain pictures through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The air moisture harvesting efficiency was evaluated for five selected genotypes. The ideotype concept was applied to evaluate the best-performing genotypes.

Results

The correlation analysis indicated that long leaf prickle hairs (> 100 μm), short stomatal aperture and density (40–60 mm− 2), inward to spiral leaf rolling, medium leaf indentation, low contact angle hysteresis (< 10°), and cuticular wax were positively associated with WUE. This, in turn, was significantly correlated to grain yield. Thus, the genotypes (E-1) with these traits and alternate leaf wettability had maximum grain yield (502 g m− 2) and WUE supported with high photosynthesis rate, and relative water content (94 and 75% under normal and stress conditions, respectively). However, the genotype (1-hooded) with dense leaf hairs on edges but droopy leaves, spiral leaf rolling, and lighter groove, also performed better in terms of grain yield (450 g m− 2) under heat stress conditions by maintaining high photosynthesis and WUE with low stomatal conductance and transpiration rate.

Conclusion

The SEM analysis verified that the density of hairs on the leaf surface and epicuticular wax contributes towards alternate wettability patterns thereby increasing the water-use efficiency and yield of the wheat plant. This study paves a way towards screening and and developing heat and drought-tolerant cultivars that are water-saving and climate-resilient.
The role of collectivist cultural practices in supporting a hybrid payment system among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Khan Burhan , Jaafar Noor Ismawati , Zakaria Shamshul Bahri
Published: May 2024

Despite having to rely on hybrid payment systems that combine manual and electronic methods, less developing countries such as Pakistan still manage to perform business transactions successfully. This success is partly due to the indigenous collectivist cultural practices in Pakistan society. However, an explanation of how indigenous culture supports information systems in general, and in particular payment systems, is scarce. This study adds to the knowledge of culture and information systems by exploring how indigenous culture in Pakistan enables hybrid payment systems to flourish. A case study was conducted in the marble industry of KPK Pakistan where qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the industry’s participants. The findings highlight the role of the indigenous collectivist cultural practice of Pakhtunwali in successfully implementing the hybrid payment system in SMEs in Pakistan. The study makes a theoretical contribution to knowledge about culture and payment systems by examining the role of collectivist cultural practices in supporting the hybrid payment system in Pakistan. The study highlights the role of collectivist cultural practices in overcoming the limitations of the hybrid payment system. The study also informs SME owners/managers about the importance of local cultural practices in Pakistan and how these can be utilized and maintained to improve the transactional practices of businesses.
Metacommunity: the current status of psychiatry and mental healthcare and implications for the future
Authors: Ikkos George , Bouras Nick
Published: May 2024

We review the origins and history of community psychiatry and the challenges posed to it by advancing technology and the neoliberal political economy and society that have prevailed since the 1990s. We summarise both achievements and shortcomings and argue that the term ‘community’ fails to acknowledge the gap between its original ambition and the outcomes of its implementation. We argue that, because of the changes that have taken place, the implementation of community psychiatry's objectives as conceived originally is likely to continue to fail. To sharpen current awareness and thinking and optimise future policy discourse and service strategies we revisit the concept of ‘metacommunity’. This is a historical descriptive label that aims to encapsulate the fundamental transformations that have taken place. These in turn demand of psychiatrists and other mental health providers both more socially critical thinking and mental health activism in the public sphere. Ultimately, beyond both community and metacommunity psychiatry, what is required is a democratic psychiatry.
Clinicopathologic Profile and Treatment Outcomes of Colorectal Cancer in Young Adults: A Multicenter Study From India
Authors: Sehrawat Amit , Khanna Mridul , Kayal Smita , Sundriyal Deepak , Tiwari Shraddha , Cyriac Sunu , Ravishankaran Praveen , Raphael Jomon , Mathew Dominic , Panda Soumya Surath , Moharana Laltendu , Mohanty Sumit Subhadarshi , Mohanty Swati Sucharita , Philips Ashwin , Jain Deepak , Jeyaraj Pamela , David Parvez Haque , Patil Jaineet , Saju S.V. , Rathnam Krishnakumar , Sharma Neha , Dheva Kaaviya , Jinkala Sree Rekha , Raja Kalyarasaran , Penumadu Prasanth , Ganesan Prasanth
Published: May 2024

PURPOSE

Colorectal cancer (CRC) in young adults is a rising concern in developing countries such as India. This study investigates clinicopathologic profiles, treatment patterns, and outcomes of CRC in young adults, focusing on adolescent and young adult (AYA) CRC in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC).

METHODS

A retrospective registry study from January 2018 to December 2020 involved 126 young adults (age 40 years and younger) with CRC. Patient demographics, clinical features, tumor characteristics, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes were analyzed after obtaining institutional ethics committees' approval.

RESULTS

Among 126 AYA patients, 62.70% had colon cancer and 37.30% had rectal cancer. Most patients (67%) were age 30-39 years, with no significant gender predisposition. Females had higher metastatic burden. Abdominal pain with obstruction features was common. Adenocarcinoma (65%) with signet ring differentiation (26%) suggested aggressive behavior. Limited access to molecular testing hindered mutation identification. Capecitabine-based chemotherapy was favored because of logistical constraints. Adjuvant therapy showed comparable recurrence-free survival in young adults and older patients. For localized colon cancer, the 2-year median progression-free survival was 74%, and for localized rectal cancer, it was 18 months. Palliative therapy resulted in a median overall survival of 33 months (95% CI, 18 to 47). Limited access to targeted agents affected treatment options, with only 27.5% of patients with metastatic disease receiving them. Chemotherapy was generally well tolerated, with hematologic side effect being most common.

CONCLUSION

This collaborative study in an LMIC offers crucial insights into CRC in AYA patients in India. Differences in disease characteristics, treatment patterns, and limited access to targeted agents highlight the need for further research and resource allocation to improve outcomes in this population.
Metastasis-Free Survival Versus Treatment-Free Survival in Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer: The EMBARK Trial
Authors: Einstein David J. , Regan Meredith M. , Stevens Julia S. , McDermott David F. , Madan Ravi A.
Published: May 2024

What is most important to patients with BCR prostate cancer? Metastasis-free versus treatment-free survival.
Group consensus under asymmetric voting behavior
Authors: Yu Hao , Xu Zhehang , Wen Youjin , Yang Pingle , Zhang Jianlin , Meng Fanyuan
Published: May 2024

In this study, we propose a group formation model by assuming voters hold asymmetric irrationality, namely the probability of accepting a candidate with whom they disagree with. Moreover, we utilize a non-Markovian function by introducing a rationality decay rate to represent that agents’ rationality decays as their contributed admissions on the candidate increase. We have systematically explored the impact of non-Markovian asymmetric irrationality, voter selection mechanisms, voter number, and group size on the degree of consensus. Our findings indicate that, with only one voter, as the group size increases, the degree of consensus converges to a value determined by the irrationality ratio. Remarkably, even in scenarios with significant asymmetry in irrationality, a substantial degree of consensus can still be maintained. Furthermore, for multiple voters, the relationship between the degree of group consensus and rationality decay rate exhibits non-monotonic behaviors. In summary, this research offers new theoretical insights into group dynamics and provides implications for enhancing consensus in real-world social groups.
Prostate Risk and Monitoring During Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Authors: Bhasin Shalender , Thompson Ian M
Published: May 2024

Men with hypogonadism have reduced risk of prostate cancer mortality; whether testosterone treatment increases the risk of prostate safety events in men with hypogonadism remains controversial. Several studies including 4 larger randomized trials—the Testosterone Trials, TEstosterone and Atherosclerosis Progression in Aging Men (TEAAM) trial, Testosterone for Diabetes Mellitus trial, and Testosterone Replacement therapy for Assessment of long-term Vascular Events and efficacy ResponSE in hypogonadal men (TRAVERSE) trial—treated men with testosterone or placebo for 1 year or longer and reported prospectively ascertained prostate safety data. The TRAVERSE Trial, because of its large size, longer duration, and adjudication of prostate events, has provided comprehensive data on the risk of adverse prostate events during testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Among men with hypogonadism, carefully screened to exclude those at high risk of prostate cancer, the incidences of high-grade or any prostate cancer, acute urinary retention, surgical procedure for benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate biopsy, or new pharmacologic therapy for lower urinary tract symptoms were low and did not differ between the testosterone and placebo groups. Testosterone did not worsen lower urinary tract symptoms. TRT was associated with a greater increase in prostate-specific antigen than placebo in the first year of treatment.

Conclusion

Testosterone treatment of men with hypogonadism, screened to exclude those at high risk of prostate cancer, is associated with low risk of adverse prostate events. Baseline evaluation of prostate cancer risk and a standardized monitoring plan can minimize the risk of unnecessary prostate biopsy while enabling the detection of high-grade prostate cancers in men receiving TRT.
Smad4 is essential for epiblast scaling and morphogenesis after implantation, but nonessential before implantation
Authors: Kruger Robin E. , Frum Tristan , Brumm A. Sophie , Hickey Stephanie L. , Niakan Kathy K. , Aziz Farina , Shammami Marcelio A. , Roberts Jada G. , Ralston Amy
Published: May 2024

Bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling plays an essential and highly conserved role in embryo axial patterning in animal species. However, in mammalian embryos, which develop inside the mother, early development includes a preimplantation stage, which does not occur in externally developing embryos. During preimplantation, the epiblast is segregated from extra-embryonic lineages that enable implantation and development in utero. Yet, the requirement for BMP signaling is imprecisely defined in mouse early embryos. Here, we show that, in contrast to previous reports, BMP signaling (SMAD1/5/9 phosphorylation) is not detectable until implantation when it is detected in the primitive endoderm – an extra-embryonic lineage. Moreover, preimplantation development appears to be normal following deletion of maternal and zygotic Smad4, an essential effector of canonical BMP signaling. In fact, mice lacking maternal Smad4 are viable. Finally, we uncover a new requirement for zygotic Smad4 in epiblast scaling and cavitation immediately after implantation, via a mechanism involving FGFR/ERK attenuation. Altogether, our results demonstrate no role for BMP4/SMAD4 in the first lineage decisions during mouse development. Rather, multi-pathway signaling among embryonic and extra-embryonic cell types drives epiblast morphogenesis postimplantation.
Eye-specific detection and a multi-eye integration model of biological motion perception
Authors: De Agrò Massimo , Rößler Daniela C. , Shamble Paul S.
Published: May 2024

‘Biological motion’ refers to the distinctive kinematics observed in many living organisms, where visually perceivable points on the animal move at fixed distances from each other. Across the animal kingdom, many species have developed specialized visual circuitry to recognize such biological motion and to discriminate it from other patterns. Recently, this ability has been observed in the distributed visual system of jumping spiders. These eight-eyed animals use six eyes to perceive motion, while the remaining two (the principal anterior medial eyes) are shifted across the visual scene to further inspect detected objects. When presented with a biologically moving stimulus and a random one, jumping spiders turn to face the latter, clearly demonstrating the ability to discriminate between them. However, it remains unclear whether the principal eyes are necessary for this behavior, whether all secondary eyes can perform this discrimination, or whether a single eye-pair is specialized for this task. Here, we systematically tested the ability of jumping spiders to discriminate between biological and random visual stimuli by testing each eye-pair alone. Spiders were able to discriminate stimuli only when the anterior lateral eyes were unblocked, and performed at chance levels in other configurations. Interestingly, spiders showed a preference for biological motion over random stimuli – unlike in past work. We therefore propose a new model describing how specialization of the anterior lateral eyes for detecting biological motion contributes to multi-eye integration in this system. This integration generates more complex behavior through the combination of simple, single-eye responses. We posit that this in-built modularity may be a solution to the limited resources of these invertebrates' brains, constituting a novel approach to visual processing.
Terrestrial locomotion characteristics of climbing perch (Anabas testudineus)
Authors: Li Peimin , Xiong Caihua , Huang Bo , Sun Baiyang , Gong Xuan
Published: May 2024

The evolution and utilization of limbs facilitated terrestrial vertebrate movement on land, but little is known about how other lateral structures enhance terrestrial locomotion in amphibian fishes without terrestrialized limb structures. Climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) exhibit sustained terrestrial locomotion using uniaxial rotating gill covers instead of appendages. To investigate the role of such simple lateral structures in terrestrial locomotion and the motion-generating mechanism of the corresponding locomotor structure configuration (gill covers and body undulation), we measured the terrestrial kinematics of climbing perch and quantitatively analysed its motion characteristics. The digitized locomotor kinematics showed a unique body postural adjustment ability that enables the regulation of the posture of the caudal peduncle for converting lateral bending force into propulsion. An analysis of the coordination characteristics demonstrated that the motion of the gill cover is kinematically independent of axial undulation, suggesting that the gill cover functions as an anchored simple support pole while axial undulation actively mediates body posture and produces propulsive force. The two identified feature shapes explained more than 87% of the complex lateral undulation in multistage locomotion. The kinematic characteristics enhance our understanding of the underlying coordinating mechanism corresponding to locomotor configurations. Our work provides quantitative insight into the terrestrial locomotor adaptation of climbing perch and sheds light on terrestrial motion potential of locomotor configurations containing a typical aquatic body and restricted lateral structure.
On the Robustness of Second-Price Auctions in Prior-Independent Mechanism Design
Authors: Anunrojwong Jerry , Balseiro Santiago R. , Besbes Omar
Published: May 2024

Market designers often only have partial information about the environment and prefer simple mechanisms that are robust to the underlying uncertainty. In “On the Robustness of Second-Price Auctions in Prior-Independent Mechanism Design,” Anunrojwong, Balseiro, and Besbes study the fundamental problem of selling an item to n buyers, when only an upper bound on values is known and the seller minimizes worst-case regret. They establish that the same mechanism is robustly optimal across a wide range of environments for distributions of values: i.i.d., mixtures of i.i.d., exchangeable, and affiliated (the last two capturing positive dependence). Moreover, this robust mechanism is a second-price auction with random reserve price depending on n. Without positive dependence, the problem reduces to the one-buyer case. This result supports the wide use of second-price auctions in practice and allows them to quantify the robust value of competition in auctions.
The Effectiveness of Herbal Poultice in Relieving Pain and Flexibility in Osteoarthritis Patients
Authors:   Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand, Srikaew Nunthiya , Phewkham Natthaphol ,   Department of Sport Science and Sport Development, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand, Tungsukruthai Sucharat ,   Division of Health and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand, Sriyakul Kusuma ,   Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand, Tungsukruthai Parunkul ,   Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand, Phetkate Pratya ,   Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand, Kamalashiran Chuntida ,   Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand, Jumpa-ngern Piracha ,   Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
Published: May 2024

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition that causes joint degradation and primarily affects the elderly, reducing their quality of life and physical movements. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of Thai herbal poultice in relieving pain in OA patients. A single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted amongst OA patients at Integrative medicine clinic, Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Thailand. Participants were randomly allocated to the Thai herbal poultice or the diclofenac gel group (N=30). The main outcomes were evaluated using visual analog scale (VAS), isokinetic testing, goniometer, and knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome scores (KOOS) at different time assessment. Data were analyzed by the paired t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Thai herbal poultice and diclofenac group showed a significant difference in both the VAS pain scores, extension and flexion as well as KOOS scores (P < 0.01 in both groups). In addition, when compared to diclofenac group, Thai herbal poultice group were significantly improve pain score at the sixth time point following the intervention (P < 0.01). Furthermore, no patients have experienced allergic reactions to therapies. In conclusion, Thai herbal poultice showed more efficiency in reducing pain scores than diclofenac gel without causing undesirable side effects.