bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A longitudinal study of long‐term renal outcome after pediatric liver transplantation in relation to CNI exposure
Authors: Vandewiele Simon , Herman Jean , van den Heuvel Lambert , Knops Noël
Published: December 2023

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is reported in 20%–30% of children after liver transplantation (LT). One of the proposed underlying causes is the long‐term exposure to tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI), which is the main immunosuppressive drug used after LT. Variation in tacrolimus absolute exposure and relative dose requirements are believed to be important risk factors for developing CNI‐associated nephrotoxicity.

Aim

To describe the long‐term renal outcome of pediatric LT recipients and determine the effects of tacrolimus exposure on renal outcome parameters.

Methods

Retrospective single center study of renal function (GFR, proteinuria) and pharmacokinetic parameters (C0, AUC0–12h) obtained during annual follow‐up in children after liver transplantation, between 1998 and 2019. Relevant pharmacogenetic variants for tacrolimus disposition (CYP3A5 and ABCB1) were determined in recipients and donors. The evolution of individual renal function and tacrolimus exposure was evaluated using linear mixed models for repeated measurements.

Results

Twenty‐six children were included (mean follow‐up: 10.4 years (range 2–18.9)). Mean estimated GFR was 109.3 (SE: 7.4), vs. measured: 91.3 mL/min/1.73 m2 (SE: 6.3), which remained stable during follow‐up. CKD stage ≥2 was observed in 32.8% of the visits based on eGFR versus 50.0% on mGFR. CKD stage ≥3 was uncommon (4.1% and 6.2% resp.). Mean tacrolimus C0 was 5.3 ng/mL (SE: 2.5) with a AUC0–12h of 72.7 ng*h/mL (SE: 30.3), which demonstrated a small decrease during follow‐up. There was a negative correlation between C0 and mGFR (rS = −0.3; p < .001). We found no correlation between GFR and tacrolimus dose requirements ((ng/mL)/(mg/kg)) or pharmacogenetic background.

Conclusion

Renal function during long‐term follow‐up after pediatric LT remained stable for the majority of our cohort. However, mild CKD was relatively common, warranting follow‐up into adulthood. Although absolute tacrolimus exposure has a small depressing effect on concurrent GFR, there is no progressive deterioration of GFR due to long‐term exposure, dose requirements or genetic background under the current target levels. These findings should be confirmed in a larger sample set, ideally including data from multiple centers.
Impact of virtual reality‐based therapy on post‐stroke depression: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Blázquez‐González Patricia , Mirón‐González Rubén , Lendínez‐Mesa Alejandro , Luengo‐González Raquel , Mancebo‐Salas Noelia , Camacho‐Arroyo María Teresa , Martínez‐Hortelano José Alberto
Published: December 2023

Background

Post‐stroke depression is the most common neuropsychiatric consequence and reduces rehabilitation effectiveness. However, the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) on mental health treatment for patients after a stroke is uncertain.

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of VR as a co‐adjuvant form of treatment to reduce depression in stroke patients admitted to neurorehabilitation units.

Methods

We systematically searched medical databases including PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to November 16, 2023. Clinical trials comparing the use of VR as an adjuvant form of treatment in stroke patients' rehabilitation with the usual treatment were included. Pooled standardized mean differences were calculated using a random‐effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed according to type of stroke, VR characteristics, and the scale used to measure depression. Meta‐regression analysis was performed for intervention duration and to determine the mean age of the participants.

Results

Eight studies and 388 stroke patients were included. The VR interventions were associated with a lower risk of depression in patients (ES = −0.69; 95% CI [−1.05, −0.33]; I2 = 57.6%; p ≤ .02). The estimates were not affected by the type of stroke, the type of VR used, the blinding process, the type of scale used to detect depression, the duration of the intervention (weeks and minutes), and the total number of sessions. Meta‐regression shows that younger samples (p = .00; 95% CI [0.01, 0.08) and longer interventions (p = < .05; 95% CI [−0.00, −0.00) lead to a greater reduction in depression.

Linking Evidence to Action

This review provides an important basis for treating depression in patients after a stroke. Professionals working in stroke neurorehabilitation units should consider VR as a form of co‐adjuvant treatment for depression in patients.

Systematic Review Registration

CRD42022303968.
Ultrasonographic and pathological findings of syringocystadenoma papilliferum in the skin
Authors: Chen Guiwu , Liu Wenqin , Liao Xiaomin , Meng Jiaxin , Leng Xiaoling
Published: December 2023

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A new 3D volumetric ultrasound technique in the diagnosis of a double carotid web
Authors: Tang Yaqun , Lai Biyin , Xie Peikai , Zhang Heng
Published: December 2023

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An Examination of the Effects of Source Gender on Perceived Credibility of Esports Shoutcasters
Authors: Charitat Celine , Cianfrone Beth A.
Published: December 2023

Esports broadcasters, known as shoutcasters, are an important part of the professional gaming industry. The credibility of these shoutcasters is an area that is understudied, yet critical from a production, consumption, and administrative standpoint. There are few women in this role, and research has shown women who work in the gaming industry may face hostility and toxic masculinity. Audience views of casters have not been empirically tested. Following the source credibility theory, the purpose of this study was to explore gamers’ perceptions of trustworthiness and expertise of male and female shoutcasters in the professional gaming industry. A quasi-experimental design was employed in which gamers (N = 239) were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups. Each group watched a video of a League of Legends match and evaluated the casters, either (a) two males or (b) one male and one female. Participants did not perceive differences in casters’ expertise levels but did have a small significant difference with the female caster being perceived as more trustworthy than the male. While controlling for gamer identification and involvement, there were no significant differences in a female/male pairing’s expertise and trustworthiness in comparison to the all-male pairing. Discussion centers on the findings with consideration that esports are often a noninclusive space.
Generalized hidden conformal symmetry in quadratic f(T) gravity
Authors: Fahim Bardia H. , Ghezelbash A. M.
Published: December 2023

We find the nonextremal charged rotating charged black holes in quadratic [Formula: see text] gravity are holographically dual to two different hidden conformal field theories. The two conformal field theories can be merged to find a very general hidden conformal field theory, which is generated by the [Formula: see text] modular group. We also carry out the calculation to the extremal limit of the black holes, and find the corresponding dual quantities. Contrary to the existence of two different dual conformal field theories for the extremal charged rotating black holes in Einstein gravity, we find only one dual theory exists for the extremal charged rotating black holes in quadratic [Formula: see text] gravity.
Singlet scalar dark matter in the noncommutative space–time: A viable hypothesis to explain the gamma-ray excess in the galactic center
Authors: Rezaei Zahra , Zakeri S. Peyman
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we explore the noncommutative space–time to revive the idea that gamma-ray excess in the galactic center may stem from the annihilation of particle dark matter. In the noncommutative theory, the photon spectrum is produced by direct emission during this annihilation wherein a photon can be embed in the final state together with other direct products in new vertices. In the various configurations of dark matter phenomenology, we pursue the most prevalent model known as singlet scalar. Calculating the relevant aspects of the model and determining the parameters phase space, we derive the photon flux in the galactic center. This region, known for its high density and occasional existence of robust magnetic fields, serves as an ideal location for investigating theories that encompass the concept of Lorentz symmetry breaking. Upon comparing our numerical achievements with experimental data, it becomes evident that noncommutative space–time can be a reliable framework to explain the gamma-ray excess.
Axion and the SuperMassive Black Holes at high z
Authors: Fukuyama Takeshi
Published: December 2023

Axion Dark Matter (DM) is studied on the formation of SuperMassive Black Holes (SMBH) at high red shift z. It is shown that the attractive self-interaction of this DM may resolve the tension between the large mass with high angular momentum of SMBH and its early time formation. We consider the ultra-light axion DM around [Formula: see text] eV as its origin, which may also cause nano-Hz stochastic gravitational wave background recently observed.
Optimal Scheduling of Park-Level IES by Considering Combined Weights
Authors: Yang Zihao , Zhou Xiran , Si Ruijie , Cai Xiangyu , Cui Haoqian , Dong Yannan , Wang Haixin , Yang Junyou , Chen Zhe , Hu Shiyan
Published: December 2023

To address the carbon emission issue of combined heat and power (CHP) units in park-level integrated energy system (IES), this paper proposes an optimization scheduling model of park-level IES by considering combined weights. Firstly, a park-level IES is established within a designated park area, incorporating gas storage (GS), power to gas (P2G), carbon capture and storage (CCS), CHP units, wind power and photovoltaic power stations. Based on the analysis of the operational characteristics of GS, P2G, CCS, and CHP, an optimal scheduling model of the GS–P2G–CCS–CHP integrated system is proposed to optimize CHP with low carbon. Secondly, to achieve economic viability and the accommodation of renewable energy, a combined weights approach is proposed for the objective function, considering subjective and objective weights. Finally, to verify the feasibility of the proposed method, four operational strategies are compared, and based on the operational characteristics of GS, P2G, CCS, and CHP, the optimal capacities of P2G and GS are determined.
Careful Seeding for k-Medois Clustering with Incremental k-Means++ Initialization
Authors: Cheng Difei , Zhang Yunfeng , Jin Ruinan
Published: December 2023

[Formula: see text]-medoids clustering is a popular variant of [Formula: see text]-means clustering and widely used in pattern recognition and machine learning. A main drawback of [Formula: see text]-medoids clustering is that an improper initialization can cause it to get trapped in local optima. An improved [Formula: see text]-medoids clustering algorithm, called INCKM algorithm, which is the first to apply incremental initialization to [Formula: see text]-medoids clustering, was recently proposed to overcome this drawback. The INCKM algorithm requires the construction of a subset of candidate medoids determined by one hyperparameter for initialization, and meanwhile, it always fails when dealing with imbalanced datasets with an incorrect hyperparameter selection. In this paper, we propose a novel [Formula: see text]-medoids clustering algorithm, called incremental [Formula: see text]-means++ (INCKPP) algorithm, which initializes with a novel incremental manner, attempting to optimally add one new cluster center at each stage through a non-parametric and stochastic [Formula: see text]-means++ initialization. The INCKPP algorithm overcomes the difficulty of hyperparameter selection in the INCKM algorithm, improves the clustering performance, and can deal with imbalanced datasets well. However, the INCKPP algorithm is not computationally efficient enough. To deal with this, we further propose an improved INCKPP algorithm, called INCKPP[Formula: see text] algorithm which improves the clustering efficiency while maintaining the clustering performance of the INCKPP algorithm. Extensive results from experiments on both synthetic and real-world datasets, including imbalanced datasets, illustrate that the proposed algorithms outperforms than the other compared algorithms.
Equilibrium of charged fluid around a Kerr black hole immersed in a magnetic field: Variation of angular momentum
Authors: Trova Audrey
Published: December 2023

This work presents analytically constructed equilibrium structures of charged perfect fluids orbiting Kerr Black holes embedded in an asymptotically uniform magnetic field. Our focus is on the effect of the nonconstant angular momentum distribution through the disk, as well as its combined effect with the external magnetic field and the fluid charge. We demonstrate that the three parameters of our study have a significant impact on the various features of the accretion disk: the shape, the size of the disk and the characteristic of the fluid, as the pressure and the rest-mass density. Through our investigation, we observe substantial deviations from both the uncharged thick disk model and the charged disk model with constant angular momentum.
INVESTIGATION OF SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS IN PRECISION HOLE MACHINING OF INCONEL-625 USING ABRASIVE AQUA JET DRILLING
Authors: VIJAYA KUMAR R. , SRIRANGARAJALU N. , SANTHANAKUMAR M. , ADALARASAN R.
Published: December 2023

Inconel-625 is a high-performance nickel-based superalloy which offers exceptional properties such as extensive resistance to corrosion, high strength-to-weight ratio, hardness, and impressive heat tolerance. Machining precise holes with required dimensional accuracy is challenging in Inconel-625 using conventional drilling processes. The investigation aims to improve the quality characteristics of hole machined on Inconel-625 by using the abrasive aqua jet drilling (AAJD) process. The influence of jet pressure ([Formula: see text]), table feed ([Formula: see text]), mass flow rate ([Formula: see text]) and gap distance ([Formula: see text]) on the erosion rate ([Formula: see text]), surface roughness ([Formula: see text]), circularity error (CIerror) and striation zone ([Formula: see text]) are investigated. The weighted principal component analysis (WPCA)-based response surface methodology (WPC-RSM) is employed to analyze and optimize process parameters. The optimal parameter settings ([Formula: see text]-300 MPa, [Formula: see text]-1.5 mm, [Formula: see text]-64 mm/min, [Formula: see text]-0.55 kg/min) are observed to produce substantial improvement in response. Comparing initial and optimal conditions, the surface roughness ([Formula: see text]) is decreased by 10.15% from 3.25 [Formula: see text]m to 2.92 [Formula: see text]m. The CIerror and [Formula: see text] are also reduced by 38.02% and 12.74%, respectively. The erosion rate ([Formula: see text]) is improved by 8.79% with the optimal settings. [Formula: see text] is found to be the most influential parameter, followed by [Formula: see text]. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures and 3D roughness plots are used in the surface topography analysis.
On fractional parabolic equations with Hardy-type potentials
Authors: Felli Veronica , Primo Ana , Siclari Giovanni
Published: December 2023

A classification of local asymptotic profiles and strong unique continuation properties are established for a class of fractional heat equations with a Hardy-type potential, via an Almgren–Poon monotonicity formula combined with a blow-up analysis.
Weight module classifications for Bershadsky–Polyakov algebras
Authors: Adamović Dražen , Kawasetsu Kazuya , Ridout David
Published: December 2023

The Bershadsky-Polyakov algebras are the subregular quantum Hamiltonian reductions of the affine vertex operator algebras associated associated with [Formula: see text]. In (D. Adamović, K. Kawasetsu and D. Ridout, A realisation of the Bershadsky–Polyakov algebras and their relaxed modules, Lett. Math. Phys. 111 (2021) 38, arXiv:2007.00396 [math.QA]), we realized these algebras in terms of the regular reduction, Zamolodchikov’s W3-algebra, and an isotropic lattice vertex operator algebra. We also proved that a natural construction of relaxed highest-weight Bershadsky-Polyakov modules has the property that the result is generically irreducible. Here, we prove that this construction, when combined with spectral flow twists, gives a complete set of irreducible weight modules whose weight spaces are finite-dimensional. This gives a simple independent proof of the main classification theorem of (Z. Fehily, K. Kawasetsu and D. Ridout, Classifying relaxed highest-weight modules for admissible-level Bershadsky–Polyakov algebras, Comm. Math. Phys. 385 (2021) 859–904, arXiv:2007.03917 [math.RT]) for nondegenerate admissible levels and extends this classification to a category of weight modules. We also deduce the classification for the nonadmissible level k=-[Formula: see text], which is new.
Two-Step Electrodeposition of Polypyrrole Nanospheres and Pt Nanostars on Ni Foam for Electrochemical Detection of Ammonia–Nitrogen
Authors: Zhang Liang , Liu Sizhe , Liu Xinyao , Han Yue , Gu Jiali , Wang Xinyue
Published: December 2023

Designing and developing sensitive electrochemical sensors have always been paid attention to achieve the accurate detection of ammonia–nitrogen in the aqueous environment. Herein, a two-step electrodeposition route was used to achieve a Ni foam-supported polypyrrole nanospheres and Pt nanostars sensing electrode (Pt-PPy-Ni foam) for ammonia–nitrogen detection. After controlling the deposition time of Pt nanostars, the optimal Pt-PPy-Ni foam electrode exhibited greater electrocatalytic ability for ammonia oxidation reaction with a current density of 41.73 mA cm[Formula: see text] than that of Pt-Ni foam. This enhanced electrocatalytic ability could be attributed to the excellent adsorption of polypyrrole nanospheres for ammonia and the great catalytic activity of Pt nanostars for the ammonia oxidation reaction. This Pt-PPy-Ni foam electrode showed great detection performances with a sensitivity of 0.013 mA [Formula: see text]M[Formula: see text], and a detection limit of 8.72 [Formula: see text]M. Moreover, accepted results were obtained for the recovery measurements of lake and seawater samples with recoveries from 101.05% to 102.27% and 90.73% to 91.70%. In addition, Pt-PPy-Ni foam sensor exhibited good anti-interference ability with low current charges, reproducibility (relative standard deviation = 1.58%) and stability (relative standard deviation = 6.11%), showing a great application potential.
Bifurcation analysis and pattern formation of a delayed diffusive toxic-phytoplankton–zooplankton model
Authors: Wu Ming , Yao Hongxing
Published: December 2023

This study considers a model which incorporates delays, diffusion and toxicity in a phytoplankton–zooplankton system. Initially, we analyze the global existence, asymptotic behavior and persistence of the solution. We then analyze the equilibria’s local stability and investigate the non-delayed system’s bifurcation phenomena, including Turing and Hopf bifurcations and their combination. Subsequently, we explore the effects of delays on bifurcation and the global stability of the system using Lyapunov functional, focusing on Hopf and Turing–Hopf bifurcations. Finally, we present numerical simulations to validate the theoretical results and verify the emergence of various spatial patterns in the system.
Risks to the Public
Authors: Neumann Peter G.
Published: December 2023

Edited by PGN (Risks Forum Moderator, with contribu- tions by others as indicated. Opinions are individual rather than organizational, with usual disclaimers implied. We ad- dress problems relating to software, hardware, people, and other circumstances relevant to computer systems. Ref- erences (R i j) to the online Risks Forum denote RISKS vol i number j. Cited RISKS items generally identify contributors and sources, together with URLs. Official RISKS archives are available at www.risks.org, with nice html formatting and search engine courtesy of Lindsay Mar- shall at Newcastle: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/i.j.html (also ftp://www.sri.com/risks). CACM Inside Risks: http://www.csl.sri.com/neumann/insiderisks.html
Agile Technical Debt Management using the LTD Framework
Authors: Xavier Laerte , dos Santos Rodrigo , Bessa Sandalo , Tulio Valente Marco
Published: December 2023

The Technical Debt (TD) metaphor refers to the unavoidable maintenance and evolution costs of the notquite- right decisions commonly taken by software developers. Due to its clear importance, developers usually document and manage TD by adopting ad-hoc and informal artifacts and activities. Thus, in this paper, we first propose a lightweight framework to support agile teams to manage and increase the awareness on TD. This framework, called LTD: Less Technical Debt Framework, has four key activities-TD Consensus, TD Discovery, TD Planning, and TD Payment-that can be easily plugged into current agile methodologies, such as Scrum. To assess the applicability of LTD in a real context, we also conduct a case study with two Scrum teams from a large public company. As a result, we achieved promising outcomes after adopting the framework. For example, the teams could reduce TD by creating a backlog of issues to pay during sprints.
Summary of the 5th International Workshop on Automated andverifiable Software sYstem DEvelopment (ASYDE)co-located with the 38th IEEE/ACM ASE 2023
Authors: Arbab Farhad , Autili Marco , Ciccozzi Federico , Poizat Pascal , Tivoli Massimo
Published: December 2023

Over the past three decades, automation in software development has gone mainstream. Software development teams strive to automate as much of the software development activities as possible, spanning requirements specification, system modeling, code generation, testing, deployment, verification, as well as release phases, project status reporting and system maintenance. Automation helps to reduce development time and cost, as well as to concentrate knowledge by bringing quality into every step of the development process. The Workshop on Automated and verifiable Software sYstem DEvelopment (ASYDE) provided a forum to share and discuss innovative contributions to research and practice related to novel software engineering approaches to automated and verifiable development of software systems. The 5th edition took place on September 11th, 2023, in Kirchberg, Luxembourg. Notably, this marked the inaugural co-location of ASYDE with the IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering (ASE).
Report of the 8th Workshop on Empirical RequirementsEngineering (EmpiRE 2023)
Authors: Gervasi Vincenzo , Marchetto Alessandro , Daneva Maya
Published: December 2023

The Eighth International Workshop on Empirical Requirements Engineering (EmpiRE 2023), co-located with the 31st IEEE International Requirements Engineering conference (RE 2023), was held on September 5, 2023 in Hannover, Germany. This report presents the workshop structure, the keynote speech, the themes of the presented papers, and the panel discussion.
Mixed Integer Linear Programming Based Speed Profile Optimization for Heavy-Haul Trains
Authors: Yu Huazhen , Wang Yihui , D’Ariano Andrea , Lai Anzheng , Huang Youneng
Published: December 2023

Automatic heavy-haul train (HHT) operation technology has recently received considerable attention in the field of rail transportation. In this paper, a discrete-time-based mathematical formulation is proposed to address the speed profile optimization problem in order to ensure the safe, efficient, and economical operation of heavy-haul trains (HHTs). Due to the presence of long and steep downgrades (LSDs) on some heavy-haul lines, the brake forces of the HHT are typically jointly determined by air braking and electric braking. The time characteristics of the air braking, such as the command delay and the change process caused by the air pressure, are taken into account, and then formulas are presented to calculate the air brake force. In addition, the influence of the neutral section on the control of the electric braking is considered via space-based constraints. The resulting problem is a nonlinear optimal control problem. To achieve linearization, auxiliary 0-1 binary variables and the big-M approach are introduced to transform the nonlinear constraints regarding slope, curve, neutral section, air brake force, and air-filled time into linear constraints. Moreover, piecewise affine (PWA) functions are used to approximate the basic resistance of the HHT. Finally, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model is developed, which can be solved by CPLEX. The experiments are carried out using data from a heavy-haul railway line in China, and the results show that the proposed approach is effective and flexible.
Short-Term Reactive Power Forecasting Based on Real Power Demand Using Holt-Winters’ Model Ensemble by Global Flower Pollination Algorithm for Microgrid
Authors: Bhol Rajeswari , Swain Sarat Chandra , Dash Ritesh , Reddy Kalvakurthi Jyotheeswara , Dhanamjayulu C. , Khan Baseem
Published: December 2023

Load forecasting is an integral part of the energy study unit to schedule the generating unit by the load demand. Many studies were conducted on load forecasting based on real power demand; however, very few papers were published on reactive power demand. In this research work, an attempt has been made to predict the requirement of reactive power as a function of demand for real power. Household loads are considered for evaluating the demand for reactive power as a critical load. The attempt has been made based on the data collected from the laboratory experimental setup for one year. The load forecasting requires time series analysis of the data set along with error minimization between predicted values and actual value; therefore, the global flower pollination algorithm along with Holt-Winters’ exponential model has been used to predict the reactive power. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models have been used as benchmarking models to evaluate the effectiveness of the model under various conditions. Python-developed model has been used to predict the demand for reactive power, and a MATLAB model has been developed to optimize the cost function. A detailed comparative analysis of the proposed model along with some well-established optimized models such as GA, PSO, and FPA has been presented related to evening peak demand for a microgrid architecture in Conclusion. The analysis includes median values of different quantities such as nMBE, nMAE, nRMSE, and RMSE. Normalized MBE, indicating underestimation and overestimation, is negative for ARIMA but 0.42 for HW-GFPA during validation and 0.43 for the testing data set. Normalized RMSE, measuring the variance between actual and forecasted values, is lowest at 0.803 for proposed HW-GFPA during validation and 0.799 for testing.
Figure S8 from SHP2 Inhibition with TNO155 Increases Efficacy and Overcomes Resistance of ALK Inhibitors in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Valencia-Sama Ivette , Kee Lynn , Christopher Gabriella , Ohh Michael , Layeghifard Mehdi , Shlien Adam , Hayes Madeline N. , Irwin Meredith S.
Published: December 2023

Figure S8. TNO155 plus Lorlatinib treatment decreases tumor burden in ALKF1174L murine xenografts.
Figure S4 from SHP2 Inhibition with TNO155 Increases Efficacy and Overcomes Resistance of ALK Inhibitors in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Valencia-Sama Ivette , Kee Lynn , Christopher Gabriella , Ohh Michael , Layeghifard Mehdi , Shlien Adam , Hayes Madeline N. , Irwin Meredith S.
Published: December 2023

Figure S4. SHP099 synergizes with ALK-TKIs in ALK mutant neuroblastoma cells.
FIGURE 6 from SHP2 Inhibition with TNO155 Increases Efficacy and Overcomes Resistance of ALK Inhibitors in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Valencia-Sama Ivette , Kee Lynn , Christopher Gabriella , Ohh Michael , Layeghifard Mehdi , Shlien Adam , Hayes Madeline N. , Irwin Meredith S.
Published: December 2023

Alterations in RAS-MAPK pathway associate with lorlatinib resistance. A, Abundance of specific BRAF, RAF1, and ERK2 phospho-sites identified by LC/MS-MS in Kelly-LR samples relative to Kelly-S. B, GTP pulldown (PD) of WCE lysates of Kelly-S and Kelly-LR cells. IB, immunoblot. C, Western immunoblots of Kelly-S and Kelly-LR cells treated with TNO155 (1.5 µmol/L), lorlatinib (1 µmol/L) or combination treatment for 6 hours. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; n.s., not significant.
Data from SHP2 Inhibition with TNO155 Increases Efficacy and Overcomes Resistance of ALK Inhibitors in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Valencia-Sama Ivette , Kee Lynn , Christopher Gabriella , Ohh Michael , Layeghifard Mehdi , Shlien Adam , Hayes Madeline N. , Irwin Meredith S.
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Survival rates among patients with high-risk neuroblastoma remain low and novel therapies for recurrent neuroblastomas are required. ALK is commonly mutated in primary and relapsed neuroblastoma tumors and ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are promising treatments for ALK-driven neuroblastoma; however, innate or adaptive resistance to single-agent ALK-TKIs remain a clinical challenge. Recently, SHP2 inhibitors have been shown to overcome ALK-TKI resistance in lung tumors harboring ALK rearrangements. Here, we have assessed the efficacy of the SHP2 inhibitor TNO155 alone and in combination with the ALK-TKIs crizotinib, ceritinib, or lorlatinib for the treatment of ALK-driven neuroblastoma using in vitro and in vivo models. In comparison to wild-type, ALK-mutant neuroblastoma cell lines were more sensitive to SHP2 inhibition with TNO155. Moreover, treatment with TNO155 and ALK-TKIs synergistically reduced cell growth and promoted inactivation of ALK and MAPK signaling in ALK-mutant neuroblastoma cells. ALK-mutant cells engrafted into larval zebrafish and treated with single agents or dual SHP2/ALK inhibitors showed reduced growth and invasion. In murine ALK-mutant xenografts, tumor growth was likewise reduced or delayed, and survival was prolonged upon combinatorial treatment of TNO155 and lorlatinib. Finally, we show that lorlatinib-resistant ALK-F1174L neuroblastoma cells harbor additional RAS-MAPK pathway alterations and can be resensitized to lorlatinib when combined with TNO155 in vitro and in vivo. Our results report the first evaluation of TNO155 in neuroblastoma and suggest that combinatorial inhibition of ALK and SHP2 could be a novel approach to treating ALK-driven neuroblastoma, potentially including the increasingly common tumors that have developed resistance to ALK-TKIs.
Significance:
These findings highlight the translatability between zebrafish and murine models, provide evidence of aberrant RAS-MAPK signaling as an adaptive mechanism of resistance to lorlatinib, and demonstrate the clinical potential for SHP2/ALK inhibitor combinations for the treatment of ALK-mutant neuroblastoma, including those with acquired tolerance or potentially resistance to ALK-TKIs.
Impact of Sleep Deprivation on the Brain’s Inflammatory Response Triggered by Lipopolysaccharide and Its Consequences on Spatial Learning and Memory and Long-Term Potentiation in Male Rats
Authors: Salari Maryam , Esmaeilpour Khadijeh , Mohammadipoor-ghasemabad Lily , Taheri Farahnaz , Hosseini Mahmoud , Sheibani Vahid
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Both sleep deprivation (SD) and inflammation can negatively affect cognitive function. This study aimed to investigate how SD impacts the brain’s inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and its subsequent effects on cognitive functions. Methods: To this end, male rats were tested through a Morris water maze (MWM) to assess their spatial learning and memory. Also, in vivo field potential recordings (to evaluate synaptic plasticity) were done in the Saline, SD, LPS1 (1 mg/kg/7 days), and LPS1+SD groups. Cytokine levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Based on the results, the LPS1+SD group showed increased total distance and escape latency compared to the other groups in the MWM test. Besides, the LPS1+SD group exhibited a significant decrease in long-term potentiation (LTP) induction and maintenance in the CA1 area of the brain. Finally, the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels were significantly higher in the LPS1+SD group than in the Saline group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the combined effects of SD and brain inflammatory response can have more harmful effects on cognitive function, LTP, and inflammatory factors than either SD or LPS1 alone.
Cave-dwelling Neobisiidae in South China Karst, with descriptions of twelve new species of Bisetocreagris (Pseudoscorpiones, Neobisiidae) from Guizhou Province
Authors: FENG ZEGANG , ZHANG FENG , CHEN JUN
Published: December 2023

Twelve new troglomorphic pseudoscorpion species of the genus Bisetocreagris Ćurčić, 1983 (Family Neobisiidae) are described based on specimens collected from karst caves in Guizhou Province, China: Bisetocreagris ampla sp. nov. from Hei Cave (Zunyi City), B. aspera sp. nov. from Tu Cave (Tongren City), B. brevis sp. nov. from Yehu Cave (Tongren City), B. changbing sp. nov. from Sanyuan Cave and Guanyin Cave (Zunyi City), B. chumi sp. nov. from Tufei Cave (Zunyi City), B. grandis sp. nov. from Wulibeidadong Cave (Bijie City), B. jiangi sp. nov. from Anjialin Cave (Tongren City), B. longidigitata sp. nov. from Mao’er Cave (Guiding County), B. que sp. nov. from Yanggong Cave (Sandu County), B. sanmen sp. nov. from Sanmen Cave (Zunyi City), B. xishui sp. nov. from Dongkoushan Cave (Zunyi City), B. tenuipalma sp. nov. from Sanjie Cave (Zunyi City). Detailed diagnoses, descriptions, and illustrations are provided for all species.
Outcomes for pregnant women with Borderline Personality Disorder who attended a specialist antenatal service
Authors: Nguyen Thinh , Frayne Jacqueline , Watson Stuart , Galbally Megan
Published: December 2023

Objective

Our study focussed on the obstetric and psychosocial outcomes of pregnant women with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) who received care via a specialist antenatal clinic in Western Australia.

Method

This study is a retrospective examination of outcomes for 80 women with a confirmed diagnosis of BPD, with findings compared with published population outcome data for the state.

Results

Pregnant women with BPD appeared to be at a risk of complications including pre-eclampsia and special care nursery admission for their newborns when compared to population data. Furthermore, the studied women had elevated rates of psychiatric admissions during pregnancy, child protection involvement, and domestic violence. Polypharmacy exposure was frequent, with the likely impact on obstetric and neonatal outcomes requiring further study.

Conclusion

The findings reinforced the notion that pregnant women with BPD experience complex multifaceted vulnerabilities and require enhanced multidisciplinary care. Our study further calls for the development of clinical practice guidelines for managing BPD in the perinatal period.
The infrapatellar fat pad contributes to spontaneous healing after complete anterior cruciate ligament injury
Authors: Kano Takuma , Minegish Yuki , Terada Hidenobu , Takasu Chiharu , Kojima Takuma , Oka Yuichiro , Kawabata Sora , Shimada Naoki , Morishita Yuri , Murata Kenji , Kanemura Naohiko
Published: December 2023

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have a very low healing capacity but have recently been shown to heal spontaneously with conservative treatment. This study examined the mechanism of spontaneous ACL healing by focusing on the intra-articular tissues of the knee joint. Skeletally mature Wistar rats ( n = 70) were randomly assigned to two groups: the controlled abnormal movement (CAM) and anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) groups. The ACL was completely transected at the mid-portion in both groups. Only the CAM group underwent extra-articular braking to control for abnormal tibial translation. The animals were allowed full cage activity until sacrifice for histological, and molecular biology analyses. The results showed that the behavior of the stump after ACL injury differed between models 12 h after injury. The femoral stump in the ACLT group retreated posteriorly and upwardly. Macrophage polarity analysis revealed that the stump immune response in the CAM group was more activated than that in the ACLT group 6 h after injury. Microarray analysis of the ACL parenchyma and infrapatellar fat pads suggested the involvement of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed that NF-κB gene expression in the infrapatellar fat pad was significantly increased in the CAM group than in the ACLT group. However, there was no difference in the gene expression levels in the ACL parenchyma between models. In conclusion, the healing response of the ACL was activated within 12 h of injury, resulting in differences in the healing response between the models. It has been suggested that infrapatellar fat pads are involved in the healing process and that angiogenesis and antiapoptotic effects through NF-κB signaling may contribute to this mechanism.
Theoretical Contribution and Critical Analysis of Indian Dairy Sector: A Review on Sustainable Advantage in Milk Supply Chain
Authors: Singh Rachna , Chaturvedi Anand Kishore
Published: December 2023

A milk supply chain (MSC) is an operational framework that integrates dairy farmers, suppliers, milk outlets, retailers and users to deliver the milk from the producer to end users. Domestic consumption of milk from 17.0 million tonnes (MT) in the year 1950 increased to 221.6 MT in the year 2022−2023 (Department of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry Dairying, 2023). Now the Indian dairy Sector has become the largest milk production country across the globe. This article aims to review an in-depth analysis of the selected literature corpus, providing a better understanding of a subject domain. More than 300 articles or research papers were retrieved from various journals of production engineering, clinical and medical journals on pertinent topics through academic literature and publishers and were systematically studied and classified. It also gives better insights about publications concerning possible issues related to the number of themes, sub-themes covered in individual journals, future scope, the methodology adopted, number of methods used and publication trends. The literature suggests that milk intake helps prevent various health ailments, contrary to other non-epidemic diseases in humans. Inclusive authors discuss the literature on the trade-off between sustainability and risks or challenges in the MSC.
A Qualitative Study of Selected Organisations’ Reward and Recognition Policies to Motivate People with Disability Employees
Authors: Pandey Kavita , Deshpande Aruna
Published: December 2023

A World Bank report in 2019 observed that approximately one billion differently abled in the world are a source of talent and contributors to the world economy. The concept of disability entered the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2006. After its entry into UNCRPD, the issue related to disability has been seen as a human right and human development issue. The challenges faced by the differently abled at physical, intellectual, psychological and mental impairments multiplied when they face undue isolation and restrictions in society. This article is based on in-depth qualitative data in the form of case studies of selected business organisations that have modified their HR practices to include differently abled people as an employee. This study is based on a theoretical framework of high-performance work practices (HPWP) and their policies regarding building reward and recognition for managing employee performance in their organisations. As further scope for research, the recommendations and suggestions of the study may be taken as a reference point to do a detailed primary study in future research.
Driving Sustainability: Exploring Global Green Banking Initiatives for a Greener Future
Authors: J Rakshitha , R Chaya
Published: December 2023

Environmental degradation threatens survival of entire Global system. Global warming has been a national and international issue in recent years. Environmental challenges harm businesses directly and indirectly. Although several regulations to control pollution and protect the environment, they are not enforced, therefore we have failed to prevent environmental damage. So, all business policies focus on environmental issues. In a worldwide economy, regulators, governments, media, judiciaries, civil society organisations, and social activist groups are analysing industry and corporate environmental impacts and pressuring them to become greener. Hence, ethical regard for the environment is transforming global corporate sectors into green, ecologically friendly ones. The banking sector as a business sector is not excluded from this initiative. Consequently, encouraging environmentally friendly initiatives and prudent lending should be one of the financial industry’s obligations. Hence Banks and other financial companies are streamlining carbon emission reduction. Banks worldwide are investing in green strategy. These actions, part of a larger sustainable development plan, have created the concept of Green Banking. In the realm of finance, Green Banking is a relatively recent concept. It varies from conventional banking in that it considers environmental considerations while deciding whether to grant a loan. The green finance movement is young but expanding fast enough to replace fossil fuel investments. So, future demand for green financial products is expected to rise. In light of this, the present study compiled a list of a few global banks that have implemented Green Banking initiatives. Consumers are able to safeguard the environment and work to mitigate the effects of climate change while also doing their typical banking operations online. This research study is intended to analyse the various Green Banking Initiatives that have been implemented by a selected financial institution worldwide. The focus of the study has been narrowed down to five financial institutions from around the world that were actively engaging in green banking initiatives through their customers’ active participation namely Starling Bank, Treecard, Aspiration, bunq and Tomorrow and Green Banking Initiatives in Indian Scenario. The annual reports of the chosen financial institutions, sustainability reports, official websites of the concerned banks, and other sources are sorted through in great detail for the purpose of gathering data on the green banking activities initiated by these financial institutions.
The Impact of Youth Medicaid Eligibility on Adult Incarceration
Authors: Arenberg Samuel , Neller Seth , Stripling Sam
Published: December 2023

This paper identifies an important spillover associated with public health insurance: reduced incarceration. In 1990, Congress passed legislation that increased Medicaid eligibility for individuals born after September 30, 1983. We show that Black children born just after the cutoff are 5 percent less likely to be incarcerated by age 28, driven primarily by a decrease in incarcerations connected to financially motivated offenses. Children of other races, who experienced almost no gain in Medicaid coverage as a result of the policy, demonstrate no such decline. We find that reduced incarceration in adulthood substantially offsets the initial costs of expanding eligibility. (JEL H51, I13, I18, I38, J15, K42)
Informed Enforcement: Lessons from Pollution Monitoring in China
Authors: Axbard Sebastian , Deng Zichen
Published: December 2023

Government regulations are often imperfectly enforced by public officials. In this study, we exploit the introduction of air pollution monitors in China to investigate whether real-time monitoring of policy outcomes affects the enforcement of existing regulations. Using assignment criteria established by the central government and new georeferenced data on local enforcement activities, we show that monitoring (i) increases enforcement against local firms, (ii) improves the targeting of enforcement, and (iii) reduces aggregate pollution. These effects are driven by officials facing performance incentives and are stronger when there is limited scope for data manipulation, suggesting that real-time monitoring improves top-down accountability. (JEL K32, L51, O13, P25, P28, Q52, Q53)
Gender Attitudes in the Judiciary: Evidence from US Circuit Courts
Authors: Ash Elliott , Chen Daniel L. , Ornaghi Arianna
Published: December 2023

Do gender attitudes influence interactions with female judges in US circuit courts? In this paper, we propose a judge-specific measure of gender attitudes based on use of gender-stereotyped language in the judge’s authored opinions. Exploiting quasi-random assignment of judges to cases and conditioning on judges’ characteristics, we validate the measure showing that higher-slant judges vote more conservatively in gender-related cases. Higher-slant judges interact differently with female colleagues: they are more likely to reverse lower court decisions if the lower court judge is a woman than a man, are less likely to assign opinions to female judges, and cite fewer female-authored opinions. (JEL D91, J16, K41)
H κατανόηση του χημικού δεσμού από πρωτοετείς φοιτητές: Ανάλυση απαντήσεων σε μεταγνωστικές ερωτήσεις
Authors: Πύργας Ευάγγελος , Παππά Ελένη , Τσαπαρλής Γεώργιος
Published: December 2023

Αναλύονται οι απαντήσεις 73 πρωτοετών φοιτητών χημείας και βιολογίας σε δύο μεταγνωστικές ερωτήσεις για τον χημικό δεσμό. Η έρευνα πραγματοποιήθηκε το ακαδημαϊκό έτος 2012-13 στο Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων. Οι περισσότεροι φοιτητές θεώρησαν τον ομοιοπολικό δεσμό δυσκολότερο από τον ιοντικό. Κανένας από τους δύο δεσμούς δεν είναι δύσκολος για το 4,1% των φοιτητών, ενώ και οι δύο δεσμοί είναι εξίσου δύσκολοι για το 8,2%. Το 43,8% ανέφεραν δυσκολίες για συγκεκριμένες έννοιες και θέματα, ενώ το 19,2% ανέφεραν γενικές παρατηρήσεις. Σύμφωνα με τις κατηγορίες της μεταγνώσης του Flavell, οι περισσότερες απαντήσεις ανήκουν στην κατηγορία της μεταγνωστικής γνώσης και ακολουθεί η μεταγνωστική εμπειρία.
Αυτο-αποτελεσματικότητα νηπιαγωγών και δασκάλων στη διδασκαλία ζητημάτων επιστημών της θάλασσας
Authors: Καντής Αντώνης , Μόγιας Αθανάσιος
Published: December 2023

Καθώς τα σημάδια διατάραξης στη σχέση ανθρώπου και θαλάσσιου περιβάλλοντος γίνονται τελευταία ολοένα και εντονότερα, ο ρόλος του εκπαιδευτικού αναδεικνύεται ακόμη περισσότερο στις μέρες μας. Η παρούσα έρευνα, η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε σε δείγμα 40 νηπιαγωγών και δασκάλων μέσω ημι-δομημένης συνέντευξης, επιχειρεί να αποτυπώσει την αίσθηση της αυτο-αποτελεσματικότητάς τους στη διδασκαλία ζητημάτων Επιστημών της Θάλασσας. Τα αποτελέσματα φανερώνουν αφενός ελλιπή γνωστική και παιδαγωγική επάρκεια και αφετέρου αναδεικνύεται σειρά παραγόντων που πρέπει να τροποποιηθούν ή να καλλιεργηθούν περαιτέρω, τόσο από τη μεριά των ίδιων των εκπαιδευτικών όσο και από τη μεριά της κουλτούρας της σχολικής μονάδας, των μαθητών, των οικογενειών τους και της τοπικής κοινωνίας προς την κατεύθυνση ενός βιώσιμου θαλάσσιου περιβάλλοντος.
Κριτική αποτίμηση του επιστημονικού πεδίου της φύσης της επιστήμης (ΦΤΕ) και αναζήτηση συνεργειών με μια εναλλακτική ατζέντα για τη φύση των επιστημών (ΦΤΕν)
Authors: Σχίζας Δημήτριος
Published: December 2023

Η παρούσα εργασία εξετάζει την βιβλιογραφία γύρω από την τρέχουσα συναινετική ατζέντα της Φύσης της Επιστήμης μέσα από μια επιστημολογική οπτική και συμπεραίνει ότι το εν λόγω επιστημονικό πεδίο στο χώρο της Διδακτικής των Φυσικών Επιστημών δεν έχει αρκετά ισχυρή εξηγητική και ευρετική δύναμη λόγω του τρόπου με τον οποίο είναι δομημένο. Στη συνέχεια, προσπαθεί να δείξει το πώς μια εναλλακτική ατζέντα της Φύσης των Επιστημών που θα επικεντρώνεται στα μοναδικά επιστημολογικά χαρακτηριστικά της κάθε επιστήμης μπορεί να βοηθήσει το πεδίο να ξεπεράσει τα επιστημολογικά του προβλήματα.