bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Perfused In Vitro Human iPSC-Derived Blood–Brain Barrier Faithfully Mimics Transferrin Receptor-Mediated Transcytosis of Therapeutic Antibodies
Authors: Burgio Floriana , Gaiser Carine , Brady Kevin , Gatta Viviana , Class Reiner , Schrage Ramona , Suter-Dick Laura
Published: September 2023

Delivering biologics to elicit a therapeutic response in the central nervous system (CNS) remains challenging due to the presence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Receptor-mediated transcytosis is a strategy to improve brain exposure after systemic drug administration. The availability of a clinically relevant in vitro BBB model is crucial to investigate transcytosis pathways and to predict the penetration of biologics into the CNS. We created a perfused human in vitro BBB model made of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) for studying transferrin receptor-mediated transcytosis. iPSC-derived BMEC were seeded in the top channel of a three-lane microfluidic device (OrganoPlate®). After 2 days in culture, the established cell model exhibited relevant BBB features, including physiological transendothelial electrical resistance in a transwell setting (1500 Ω*cm2), reduced apparent permeability (Papp) to the fluorescence tracer Lucifer yellow (20-fold less than cell-free chips), expression of key BBB markers such as tight junctions proteins, transporters, receptors and functional P-gp efflux pump. Moreover, the model exhibited functional transferrin receptor-mediated uptake and transcytosis. To assess selective transferrin receptor-mediated transcytosis, a mixture of anti-human transferrin receptor (MEM-189) and control (sheep IgG anti-bovine serum albumin) antibodies was perfused in the top channel for 2 h. The Papp of MEM-189 was 11-fold higher than that of the control antibody, demonstrating facilitated receptor-mediated transcytosis. Compared to published work reporting a 2-fold ratio, this result is remarkable and establishes the suitability of our model for exploring receptor-mediated transcytosis and screening of antibodies for putative brain shuttle application.

Graphical Abstract

A perfused in vitro human model made of iPSC-derived BMEC with the chief characteristics (barrier tightness, functionality) of the human BBB can be applied to study transferrin receptor (TfR)-mediated transcytosis of therapeutic antibodies. This may bring critical advances in drug shuttle technology. Graphical abstract generated with biorender.com.
Evolutionary Perspective on Human Cognitive Architecture in Cognitive Load Theory: a Dynamic, Emerging Principle Approach
Authors: Kalyuga Slava
Published: September 2023

Adopting an evolutionary approach to substantiate major characteristics of human cognitive architecture has been one of the major recent developments in cognitive load theory. According to this approach, human cognitive architecture is a natural information processing system which can be described by five general principles. This paper attempts to (1) identify the scope of applicability of these principles in natural information processing systems of different levels of complexity, (2) reconcile the coexistence of implicit (primary) and controlled (secondary) processes within the same human cognitive architecture, and (3) incorporate motivational factors into the evolutionary approach to human cognitive architecture. The paper suggests two principal modifications to the traditional formulation of the evolutionary approach. Firstly, natural information processing systems are viewed as dynamically evolving systems with new principles added with increasing levels of complexity of the systems. Secondly, a new (the explicit intention to learn) principle is added at the level of human cognition. This sixth principle is expected to address (1) the emergence of controlled mechanisms dealing with biologically secondary information as expressed by conscious processing in working memory and (2) the role of learner motivation in such processes from an evolutionary perspective. The paper concludes with discussion of theoretical and practical instructional implications of the proposed modifications.
Can the configuration of static analyses make resolving security vulnerabilities more effective? - A user study
Authors: Piskachev Goran , Becker Matthias , Bodden Eric
Published: September 2023

The use of static analysis security testing (SAST) tools has been increasing in recent years. However, previous studies have shown that, when shipped to end users such as development or security teams, the findings of these tools are often unsatisfying. Users report high numbers of false positives or long analysis times, making the tools unusable in the daily workflow. To address this, SAST tool creators provide a wide range of configuration options, such as customization of rules through domain-specific languages or specification of the application-specific analysis scope. In this paper, we study the configuration space of selected existing SAST tools when used within the integrated development environment (IDE). We focus on the configuration options that impact three dimensions, for which a trade-off is unavoidable, i.e., precision, recall, and analysis runtime. We perform a between-subjects user study with 40 users from multiple development and security teams - to our knowledge, the largest population for this kind of user study in the software engineering community. The results show that users who configure SAST tools are more effective in resolving security vulnerabilities detected by the tools than those using the default configuration. Based on post-study interviews, we identify common strategies that users have while configuring the SAST tools to provide further insights for tool creators. Finally, an evaluation of the configuration options of two commercial SAST tools, Fortify and CheckMarx, reveals that a quarter of the users do not understand the configuration options provided. The configuration options that are found most useful relate to the analysis scope.
Silence as a Cognitive Tool to Comprehend the Environment
Authors: Sans Pinillos Alger
Published: September 2023

This article presents silence as a cognitive tool to comprehend the environment. Two dimensions of silence are addressed: a natural mechanism and human beings' social and cultural construction. There is a link between these two dimensions because, on the one hand, agents' cognitive strategies based on silence influence how meanings and uses of silence have been constructed. The meanings of silence we use are contextual shapers of silence-based cognitive strategies. Silence is analyzed as a resource for coping with ambiguity: situations perceived as uncertain provoke doubt and confusion because they can be understood differently or suggest different interpretations. These situations can occur in the face of epistemic disruption. The consequence is a transfer of the ambiguity property of these situations to the usual ways of relating to the world and people. The cognitive approach is based here on a semiotic-hermeneutic interpretation of silence from a phenomenological perspective. This accounts for a paradox: even if silence does not exist (the world is acoustic), it is real. The silence experience is a non-inferential cognitive capacity located at the base of perception: a stimulus that suggests a particular gesture as an action different from the usual one to deal with the environment.
Macroinvertebrates reveal environmental gradients: methods and method development in the Ob River basin
Authors: Yanygina L. V. , Schletterer M.
Published: September 2023

The Ob is the seventh longest river in the world and its length (including the largest tributary Irtysh) is 5410 km. The huge size of the Ob River catchment and diverse natural resources of the region give rise to numerous anthropogenic factors affecting aquatic ecosystems. The patterns of longitudinal changes in the composition aquatic communities are still uncertain, especially for large rivers. To assess the role of environmental factors in the structure of communities, we analyzed longitudinal changes in the species richness, abundance, and biomass of macroinvertebrate communities along a 3363-km section of the Ob River. The trends of longitudinal changes in macroinvertebrate communities differed significantly on sandy, silty, and rocky substrates. For sandy substrates, an important factor in the separation of communities was the Novosibirsk Reservoir, for rocky substrates—the influence of the Altai Mountains, and for silty substrates—the location of large cities. The results emphasize the importance of taking into account the differences in bottom sediments and the patterns of longitudinal changes in bottom communities for bio-assessment of the ecological status of large rivers. Overall, we propose macroinvertebrates for bioindication along the Ob River, with regard to type, anthropogenic impact, stress factors, and response of benthic communities.
Suprachoroidal triamcinolone versus posterior subtenon triamcinolone either alone or formulated in the management of diabetic macular edema
Authors: Tharwat Ehab , Ahmed Riad Elzaher Hassan , Eltantawy Basheer , Ezzeldin Ezzeldin Ramadan , Elgazzar Akram Fekry
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This study aims to compare posterior subtenon triamcinolone acetonide injection either formulated or alone versus suprachoroidal triamcinolone in the management of diabetic macular edema.

Methods

This study is a prospective interventional study that included 75 patients, divided into three groups, each group with 25 patients. Group I received a combination of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) (40 mg) and VISCOAT, which is a combination of sodium chondroitin sulfate (20 mg) and sodium hyaluronate (15 mg). The injection was done in the posterior subtenon space using the NAGATA cannula. Group II received TA (40 mg) in the posterior subtenon space. Group III underwent an injection of 4 mg/100µl of TA in the supra choroidal space.

Results

We found a statistically significant difference between the three studied groups regarding BCVA (P = 0.001) and CMT at six months postoperative (P = 0.001) with the highest median BCVA and lowest median CMT observed in the formulated TA group.

Conclusion

We concluded that early treatment of DME by formulated TA is better than TA alone, and suprachoroidal TA in the form of increasing the BCVA and decreasing the CMT without any elevation of IOP.

Trial registration number NCT05464953.

Date of registration 17/7/2022 (retrospectively registered).
Prognostic factors of cataract surgery in patients with uveitis
Authors: Jevnikar Kristina , Počkar Saša , Umek Lan , Rothova Aniki , Valentincic Natasa Vidovic
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term visual outcomes of patients with uveitis undergoing cataract surgery and to identify possible factors influencing the visual prognosis and the development of postoperative complications.

Methods

Retrospective study of all patients with uveitis who underwent cataract surgery between January 2015 and February 2020 in our tertiary referral center.

Results

A total of 78 eyes from 78 patients were included in the study. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved in 86% of patients, and a BCVA of 0.5 or better was achieved in 57 (73%) patients. A significant correlation was shown between the preoperative and postoperative BCVA (Spearman r = 0.521, p < 0.01). Final BCVA differed between diverse anatomical uveitis entities (p = 0.047), and anterior uveitis demonstrated the best outcomes. Chronic uveitis resulted in a worse final BCVA than acute recurrent uveitis (p = 0.001). The presence of CME any time before the surgery and intermediate uveitis were associated with worse visual prognosis, while systemic therapy for uveitis before surgery and iris manipulation during surgery were not related to visual outcomes. Postoperative development of cystoid macular edema (CME) was closely associated with preexisting CME (p < 0.001) and intermediate uveitis (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Visual results of cataract surgery in patients with uveitis were beneficial, but limited visual outcomes were more frequently observed in patients with chronic uveitis and intermediate uveitis with a history of CME. In consequence, prevention, or adequate treatment of CME, especially in patients with intermediate uveitis, might result in better visual results of their cataract surgery.
Aquaculture in the Ancient World: Ecosystem Engineering, Domesticated Landscapes, and the First Blue Revolution
Authors: Rogers Ashleigh J.
Published: September 2023

Aquaculture is the world’s fastest growing food sector and accounts for more than 50% of the world’s fish food supply. The significant growth in global aquaculture since the middle of the 20th century has been dubbed by the Blue Revolution. However, it is not the first Blue Revolution to take place in human history. While historically classified as low-ranking, seasonal, or starvation resources in the archaeological discourse, marine foods were vital resources that ancient communities developed and exploited using a vast array of strategies. Among these aquatic strategies was aquaculture. This first Blue Revolution was initiated during the Early Holocene, some 8,000 years ago in China, with archaeologists now documenting aquaculture across the globe. This review considers the commonalities between ancient aquacultural systems including evidence of ecosystem engineering and the development of domesticated landscapes as production systems. People of the past constructed agroecosystems to not only enhance and diversify aquatic resources, but to control the reliability of key subsistence foods and to meet the demands of ritual practice and conspicuous social stratification. These aquaculture systems were maintained for centuries, if not millennia. Worldwide research conducted on ancient aquaculture can provide critical insights into developing more ecologically sustainable, resilient, and diverse marine production systems for coastal communities today, thus, achieving industry sustainability and limiting negative environmental impacts to the world’s shorelines and overexploited fisheries.
Investigating the combined and unique contributions of positive psychological traits to sleep and exploring emotion regulation as a common mediator
Authors: Tout Amber F. , Jessop Donna C. , Miles Eleanor
Published: September 2023

The identification of variables which facilitate good quality and quantity sleep represents an important step in tackling the current global sleep loss epidemic. Previous research has established links between good sleep and the positive psychological traits of mindfulness, self-compassion, gratitude and optimism. However, studies have typically focused on single traits, limiting understanding of their collective and independent associations. The two studies reported here address this gap by exploring the combined and unique contributions of mindfulness, self-compassion, gratitude and optimism to sleep; Study 2 further investigated emotion regulation as a common underlying mechanism. Participants in both studies (Study 1 N = 268; Study 2 N = 333) completed online questionnaires assessing the four positive psychological traits and sleep quality and quantity; participants in Study 2 also completed measures of adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation. Multiple regression analyses revealed that mindfulness, self-compassion, gratitude and optimism collectively accounted for 24.96% (Study 1) and 15.81% (Study 2) of the variance in overall sleep quality and quantity. Optimism and mindfulness emerged as significant linear predictors in their own right, with higher levels of optimism and mindfulness respectively being associated with better sleep. Study 2 further identified maladaptive emotion regulation as a common mediating mechanism. Findings highlight the importance of positive psychological traits in relation to sleep and indicate that optimism and mindfulness might make unique contributions to the prediction of sleep outcomes. Findings also flag emotion regulation as a potential common mediator of associations between positive psychological traits and sleep.
Institutions, Automation, and Legitimate Expectations
Authors: Belic Jelena
Published: September 2023

Debates concerning digital automation are mostly focused on the question of the availability of jobs in the short and long term. To counteract the possible negative effects of automation, it is often suggested that those at risk of technological unemployment should have access to retraining and reskilling opportunities. What is often missing in these debates are implications that all of this may have for individual autonomy understood as the ability to make and develop long-term plans. In this paper, I argue that if digital automation becomes rapid, it will significantly undermine the legitimate expectation of stability and consequently, the ability to make and pursue long-term plans in the sphere of work. I focus on what is often taken to be one of the main long-term plans, i.e. the choice of profession, and I argue that this choice may be undermined by the pressure to continuously acquire new skills while at the same time facing a diminishing range of professions that one can choose from. Given that the choice of profession is significant for not-work related spheres of life, its undermining can greatly affect individual autonomy in these other spheres too. I argue that such undermining of individual planning agency constitutes a distinctive form of harm that necessitates a proactive institutional response.
Delegated risk-taking, accountability, and outcome bias
Authors: Gillenkirch Robert M. , Velthuis Louis
Published: September 2023

In a sequence of experiments, this study investigates how people evaluate others who make risky decisions on their behalf, and how such evaluations affect delegated risk-taking. A decision maker acts on behalf of a client who holds the decision maker accountable by way of a subjective evaluation after observing a risky decision’s outcome. If evaluation is biased towards the outcome, it may have dysfunctional effects with respect to delegated risk-taking in that decision makers’ risk choices are increasingly misaligned with their clients’ risk preferences. We find evidence giving support to this conjecture. Across and within three experiments, we test for the effects of different types and degrees of accountability in that we manipulate the information available to clients as well as the consequences which evaluations have for decision makers. Evaluations are biased towards outcomes in all experiments. When evaluations affect decision maker’s compensations, a stronger outcome bias in evaluations translates into risk-taking decisions being less frequently aligned with clients’ risk preferences. In the same situation, giving clients the opportunity to make peer comparisons increases outcome bias. We further find that clients do not hold decision makers accountable for their risk choices when they cannot observe the risk-taking decision, but have to infer it from observing the outcome. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.
Room-Scale CO2 Injections in a Physical Reservoir Model with Faults
Authors: Fernø M. A. , Haugen M. , Eikehaug K. , Folkvord O. , Benali B. , Both J. W , Storvik E. , Nixon C. W. , Gawthrope R. L. , Nordbotten J. M.
Published: September 2023

We perform a series of repeated CO2 injections in a room-scale physical model of a faulted geological cross-section. Relevant parameters for subsurface carbon storage, including multiphase flows, capillary CO2 trapping, dissolution and convective mixing, are studied and quantified. As part of a validation benchmark study, we address and quantify six predefined metrics for storage capacity and security in typical CO2 storage operations. Using the same geometry, we investigate the degree of reproducibility of five repeated experimental runs. Our analysis focuses on physical variations of the spatial distribution of mobile and dissolved CO2, multiphase flow patterns, development in mass of the aqueous and gaseous phases, gravitational fingers and leakage dynamics. We observe very good reproducibility in homogenous regions with up to 97% overlap between repeated runs, and that fault-related heterogeneity tends to decrease reproducibility. Notably, we observe an oscillating CO2 leakage behavior from the spill point of an anticline and discuss the observed phenomenon within the constraints of the studied system.
Chemo-Enzymatic Synthesis of Enantiopure β-Blocker (S)-Metoprolol and Derivatives
Authors: Bøckmann Pål L. , Jacobsen Elisabeth E.
Published: September 2023

(S)-Metoprolol, ((2 S)-1-[4-(2-methoxyethyl)phenoxy]-3-(propan-2-ylamino)propan-2-ol has been synthesised in 99% ee with high yield by a four step chemoenzymatic protocol. Several preparations of Candida antarctica lipase B have been screened in a kinetic resolution of the secondary chlorohydrin 1-chloro-3-(4-(2-methoxyethyl)phenoxy)propan-2-ol. We here report specific rotation values of the enantiopure chlorohydrins from the enzyme catalysed kinetic resolution, in addition to a specific rotation value for (S)-metoprolol, which determines the absolute configuration of the drug, and also the absolute configuration of the chlorohydrin enantiomers.
Optimal Placement and Settings of Valves for Leakage Reduction in Real Life Water Distribution Networks
Authors: Huzsvár Tamás , Wéber Richárd , Szabó Marcell , Hős Csaba
Published: September 2023

Nowadays, the rapid growth of operational costs and human resource shortages increase the importance of the leakage reduction, and the pressure management. This paper presents an optimisation procedure placing pressure-reducing valves (PRVs) to minimise the water losses of real-life water distribution networks (WDNs). The number and placement of the valves are optimised from clustering perspective with the Leiden algorithm. The optimal settings of the valves are determined with a differential evolution algorithm, where a compound fitness function is applied. On the one hand, it minimises the leakages, on the other hand, evades the pressure-dependent consumer outages, i.e. it keeps the pressure above the desired. Seven real-life water distribution networks were analysed from the region of Western Hungary using the techniques. Moreover, three of them are analysed in details. The robustness of the achieved leakage reduction with the optimised PRV placement is analysed to the uncertainty of the leakage exponent.
Invariant measures for the strong-facilitated exclusion process
Authors: Lei Yu-huan , Su Zhong-gen
Published: September 2023

Consider a generalized model of the facilitated exclusion process, which is a one-dimensional exclusion process with a dynamical constraint that prevents the particle at site x from jumping to x + 1 (or x − 1) if the sites x − 1, x − 2 (or x + 1, x + 2) are empty. It is non-gradient and lacks invariant measures of product form. The purpose of this paper is to identify the invariant measures and to show that they satisfy both exponential decay of correlations and equivalence of ensembles. These properties will play a pivotal role in deriving the hydrodynamic limit.
Effect of the Media in the Folin-Ciocalteu Assay for the Analysis of the Total Phenolic Content of Olive Products
Authors: Rizvi Nayab Batool , Fatima Anam , Busquets Rosa , Khan Mohammad Rizwan , Ashraf Sadia , Khan Muhammad Shuaib , Oz Fatih
Published: September 2023

The nutritional and economic value of oils is affected by its antioxidant properties linked to their total phenolic content (TPC). The analysis of antioxidants such as phenols may be affected by the lipophilic character of the media. Therefore, the accurate determination of TPC in oils deserves particular attention. This research has tested the effect of the alkaline medium in the quantification of TPC in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and olive pomace oil (OPO) using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Seven different EVOO and OPO oils were used to gain representativity and study matrix effects in the analysis. Among the alkaline conditions assayed, the Folin-Ciocalteu method led to maximum TPC in EVOOs samples using 7.5% Na2CO3, whereas 35% Na2CO3 showed better characterization of TPC in OPOs than milder basic conditions. Therefore, when analyzing olive oil products, adjusting the alkaline media in the Folin Ciocalteu assay is important for optimal TPC determination. TPC analyses via Folin-Ciocalteu with different media was supported with antioxidant activities determined with reference assays: 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid cation radical and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical.
Literalism in Autistic People: a Predictive Processing Proposal
Authors: Vicente Agustín , Michel Christian , Petrolini Valentina
Published: September 2023

Autistic individuals are commonly said – and also consider themselves – to be excessively literalist, in the sense that they tend to prefer literal interpretations of words and utterances. This literalist bias seems to be fairly specific to autism and still lacks a convincing explanation. In this paper we explore a novel hypothesis that has the potential to account for the literalist bias in autism. We argue that literalism results from an atypical functioning of the predictive system: specifically, an atypical balance between predictions and error signals in language processing may make individuals more uncertain about their own predictions. Such uncertainty is then often resolved by resorting to the safest interpretation, that is, the literal one. We start by reviewing existing explanations of other autistic traits that appeal to predictive processing. We then apply these insights to language, by showing that predictions play a key role in everyday comprehension and that a low level of confidence in one’s own predictions is likely to escalate comprehension difficulties. Finally, we take a deeper look at non-literal uses of language by discussing the case of metaphors, to illustrate how a predictive processing account offers a promising explanation of the literalist bias in autism.
Effects of ice content on compression characteristics of frozen sandstone by in-situ NMR technology
Authors: Qiu Bei , Fan Lifeng , Ma Congming , Yang Qihao , Du Xiuli
Published: September 2023

In cold regions, the freezing of pore water in rock affects the mechanical behavior of the rock. This paper studied the ice content of frozen sandstone at different temperatures and its effects on the mechanical properties of sandstone. First, the progressive freezing treatment (from 25.0 to − 30.0 °C) and in-situ nuclear magnetic resonance test were conducted to study the evolution of the ice content of sandstone with temperature. This evolution was quantitatively described by the frozen ratio defined as the percentage of the mass of ice and the total mass of water. Then, the mechanical properties of frozen sandstone at different temperatures (25.0 °C, 0.0 °C, − 5.0 °C, − 10.0 °C, − 20.0 °C and − 30.0 °C, respectively) were tested, such as P-wave velocity, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), peak strain and elastic modulus. Finally, the effects of the frozen ratio on these properties were discussed. The results show that the pore water in sandstone shows three stages as the temperature decreases: stable liquid (from 25.0 to 0.0 °C), sharp phase transition (from 0.0 to − 2.5 °C) and slow phase transition (from − 2.5 to − 30.0 °C). Especially, the capillary and bulk water in sandstone is almost completely frozen in the sharp phase transition stage. As the temperature decreases, the frozen ratio first remains constant, then increases rapidly and finally increases slowly. Moreover, as the frozen ratio increases, the P-wave velocity, UCS and peak strain increase while the elastic modulus decreases. Interestingly, the compressive failure mode of sandstone changes from brittle to ductile as the frozen ratio increases.
iTRAQ-based protein profiling and functional identification of four genes involved in rice basal resistance against Magnaporthe oryzae in two contrasting rice genotypes
Authors: Li Chenchen , Chen Ziqiang , Deng Yun , Jiang Shuyu , Su Yan , Yang Shaohua , Lin Yan , Tian Dagang
Published: September 2023

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most destructive rice diseases. Developing blast-resistant rice cultivars represents the most economical and environmentally friend strategy for managing the disease. In our previous study, an isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based comparative protein quantification was carried out to investigate the resistance gene Piz-t gene-mediated resistance response to infection in two contrasting rice genotypes of the Piz-t transgenic Nipponbare line (NPB-Piz-t) and its wild-type Nipponbare (NPB). Here, from the comparisons of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of NPB-Piz-t to the avirulent isolate KJ201 (KJ201-Piz-t)and the virulent isolate RB22 (RB22-Piz-t) with mock-treated NPB-Piz-t (Mock-Piz-t), NPB to the virulent isolate KJ201(KJ201-NPB) and RB22 (RB22-NPB) with mock-treated NPB (Mock-NPB), 1, 1, and 6 common DEPs were, respectively, identified at 24, 48 and 72 h post-inoculation (hpi) in the susceptible comparisons of RB22-Pizt/Mock-Piz-t, KJ201-NPB/Mock-NPB, and RB22-NPB/Mock-NPB, involving in gi|54,290,836 and gi|59,800,021 were identified in the resistance comparison KJ201-Piz-t/Mock-Piz-t at 48 and 72 hpi respectively. Moreover, four genes of Os01g0138900 (gi|54,290,836), Os04g0659300 (gi|59,800,021), Os09g0315700 (gi|125,563,186) or Os04g0394200 (gi|21,740,743) were knocked out or overexpressed in NPB using gene over-expression and CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and results verified that the Os01g0138900 obviously affected the rice blast resistance. Further, expression and targeted metabolomics analysis illuminated the resistance response of cysteine-containing substances as gi|59,800,021 under blast infection. These results provide new targets for basal resistance gene identification and open avenues for developing novel rice blast resistant materials.
A Proposal for a Definition of General Purpose Artificial Intelligence Systems
Authors: Gutierrez Carlos I. , Aguirre Anthony , Uuk Risto , Boine Claire C. , Franklin Matija
Published: September 2023

The European Union (EU) is in the middle of comprehensively regulating artificial intelligence (AI) through an effort known as the AI Act. Within the vast spectrum of issues under the Act’s aegis, the treatment of technologies classified as general purpose AI systems (GPAIS) merits special consideration. Particularly, existing proposals to define GPAIS do not provide sufficient guidance to distinguish these systems from those designed to perform specific tasks, denominated as fixed-purpose. Thus, our working paper has three objectives: first, to highlight the variance and ambiguity in the interpretation of GPAIS in the literature; second, to examine the dimensions of the generality of purpose available to define GPAIS; lastly, to propose a functional definition of the term that facilitates its governance within the EU. Our intention with this piece is to offer policymakers an alternative perspective on GPAIS that improves the hard and soft law efforts to mitigate these systems’ risks and protect the well-being and future of constituencies in the EU and globally.
Distributed Multi-Agent Hierarchy Construction for Dynamic DCOPs in Mobile Sensor Teams
Authors: Agyemang Brighter , Ren Fenghui , Yan Jun
Published: September 2023

Coordinating multiple agents to optimize an objective has several real-world applications. In areas such as disaster rescue, environment monitoring and the like, mobile agents may be deployed to work as a team to achieve a joint goal. Recently, multi-agent problems involving mobile sensor teams have been formalized in the literature as DCOP_MSTs. Under this class of problems, DCOP algorithms are applied to enable agents to coordinate the assignment of their physical locations as they jointly optimize the team objective. In DCOP_MSTs, the environment is dynamic, and agents may leave or join the environment at random times. As a result, a predefined interaction topology or graph may not be useful over the problem horizon. Therefore, there is a need to study methods that could facilitate agent-to-agent interaction in such open and dynamic environments. Existing methods require reconstructing the entire graph upon detecting changes in the environment or assume a predefined interaction graph. In this study, we propose a dynamic multi-agent hierarchy construction algorithm that can be used by DCOP_MST algorithms that require a pseudo-tree for execution. We evaluate our proposed method in a simulated target detection case study to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach in large agent teams.
Inadvertent hypothermia: a prevalent perioperative issue that remains to be improved
Authors: Wang Jia-feng , Deng Xiao-ming
Published: September 2023

Inadvertent hypothermia, defined as a body temperature lower than 36 °C, remains to be a critical issue during the perioperative period. Despite of the development of the active warming devices, the incidence of perioperative hypothermia has been reported to varying between 10%–80%. The top five risk factors of perioperative hypothermia include advanced age, low body mass index, duration of anesthesia or surgery, preoperative hypothermia and large amount of fluid or blood product. A prediction scoring system may be helpful in identifying the population with high risk of perioperative hypothermia. Perioperative hypothermia is associated with shivering, postoperative infection, increased amount of intraoperative blood loss and infusion of fluid or blood products, and delayed recovery after anesthesia. The most accepted warming intervention is forced-air warmers, which has been reported to be associated with elevated intraoperative temperature and reduced intraoperative bleeding and postoperative infection. The present review will focus on the mechanism, incidence, risk factor, adverse outcome, monitoring and warming strategies of perioperative hypothermia.

Graphical Abstract
“More than Disease”: Uncovering the Economic, Social, and Political Consequences of Sierra Leone’s COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: McLean Kristen E. , Malcolm Liza J.
Published: September 2023

When COVID-19 reached Sierra Leone, the government responded by implementing strict containment measures. While the effectiveness of such actions has been debated, the socioeconomic and political implications were undeniable. This qualitative study reveals that people suffered tremendously from economic insecurity, strains on social relationships, and civil rights violations, prompting many to perceive the COVID-19 pandemic as worse than the 2014–15 Ebola epidemic. These hardships have driven distrust of the government, which threatens continuing mitigation efforts. Using a feminist global health security frame, which recenters the protection of vulnerable individuals in relation to the state, we call for more contextually-relevant, civil society-informed pandemic responses.
The Blackwater is not a Back Water: Locating the Mesolithic and its Environment at Eversley Quarry, Fleet Hill Farm, Finchampstead, Berkshire
Authors: HARDING PHIL , BROWN ALEX , LÓPEZ-DÓRIGA INÉS
Published: September 2023

Archaeological fieldwork at Eversley Quarry, Fleet Hill Farm, Finchampstead, Berkshire documented evidence of Mesolithic activity, associated with paleoenvironmental deposits, on the Blackwater River floodplain, a river for which activity of this period was previously unknown. The discovery evolved from initial recognition of worked flint artefacts across a well weathered, stripped subsoil surface in part of the site. Additional material was collected subsequently from the summit of an adjacent low knoll. The findings were of sufficient extent and importance to warrant supplementary archaeological fieldwork using a gridded test pit strategy to evaluate the Mesolithic potential in remaining parts of the site. This resulted in the identification of additional clusters of worked flints, which were preserved in situ.

The clusters were predominantly of Mesolithic date but also included Neolithic and Bronze Age artefacts, indicating prolonged use of the landscape. Concentrations were consistently located on slightly elevated sand bars flanking palaeochannels of a formerly braided river system. The contemporaneity of the palaeodrainage and Mesolithic activity has been confirmed by radiocarbon dates from peat that formed during the Holocene. The collective results mark a significant contribution to knowledge of the Blackwater River valley, a major communications artery in the Mesolithic period linking the west end of the Wealden Greensand to the Rivers Thames and Kennet. These findings also highlight the importance that river valleys can make to locations that have been less well studied but nevertheless enjoyed prolonged use.
Novel ENT live telehealth and live video-otoscopy clinics in remote Australia: outcomes and comparisons to traditional clinic models
Authors: O'Neil Luke M , O'Neill Margie , Whelan Fiona , Leahy Travis , Wormald Robert , Hinton-Bayre Anton D , Ghandour Joseph , Kuthubutheen Jafri
Published: September 2023

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 challenged the delivery of healthcare in Australia, disproportionately impacting vulnerable patients, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and those living in remote regions. The otolaryngology service provided to remote Western Australia adapted to these barriers by altering clinical consultations to a digital model.

Methods

A review was undertaken of patients in regional Western Australia. Demographics and clinical outcomes from 20 live telehealth clinics were retrospectively reviewed and compared to 16 face-to-face clinics.

Results

The demographics of patients reviewed in both live telehealth and face-to-face clinics were similar, except for a larger proportion of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients utilising telehealth. The outcomes of patients reviewed through each model of care were comparable. Live video-otoscopy provided diagnostic quality images in 92 per cent of cases.

Conclusion

The findings of our review suggest that, despite its limitations, a large proportion of ENT patients may be safely assessed through a live telehealth model.
China’s zero-COVID policy and psychological distress: a spatial quasi-experimental design
Authors: Yan Karl , Jiang Shan , Xia Lili , Jin Tianye , Dai Anran , Gu Chudie , Li Angran
Published: September 2023

Before the Omicron variant ran amok inside China in November 2022, the Chinese central government’s dynamic zero-COVID policy effectively contained the spread of the coronavirus and its variants during multiple waves of outbreaks. However, it was not without cost. This study examines the impacts of stringent lockdown interventions on urban residents’ mental health during the initial outbreak of the Omicron variant in the spring of 2022. Using survey data from 522 respondents within the same neighbourhood and a spatial quasi-experimental design, the results show that strict lockdown interventions are significantly related to higher levels of psychological distress after controlling for observed confounders and that lockdown interventions have further spillover effects on mental health for residents in adjacent residential compounds who are otherwise free. Moreover, the results show that the lack of material supplies and medical care plays a more salient role in explaining lockdown effects on psychological distress than residents’ social interaction and trust levels of COVID-19 policy. Policy and intervention implications are also discussed.
Saturn's Atmosphere in Northern Summer Revealed by JWST/MIRI
Authors: Fletcher Leigh N. , King Oliver R. T. , Harkett Jake , Hammel Heidi B. , Roman Michael T. , Melin Henrik , Hedman Matthew M. , Moses Julianne I. , Guerlet Sandrine , Milam Stefanie N. , Tiscareno Matthew S.
Published: September 2023

Saturn's northern summertime hemisphere was mapped by JWST/Mid‐Infrared Instrument (4.9–27.9 µm) in November 2022, tracing the seasonal evolution of temperatures, aerosols, and chemical species in the 5 years since the end of the Cassini mission. The spectral region between reflected sunlight and thermal emission (5.1–6.8 µm) is mapped for the first time, enabling retrievals of phosphine, ammonia, and water, alongside a system of two aerosol layers (an upper tropospheric haze p < 0.3 bars, and a deeper cloud layer at 1–2 bars). Ammonia displays substantial equatorial enrichment, suggesting similar dynamical processes to those found in Jupiter's equatorial zone. Saturn's North Polar Stratospheric Vortex has warmed since 2017, entrained by westward winds at p < 10 mbar, and exhibits localized enhancements in several hydrocarbons. The strongest latitudinal temperature gradients are co‐located with the peaks of the zonal winds, implying wind decay with altitude. Reflectivity contrasts at 5–6 µm compare favorably with albedo contrasts observed by Hubble, and several discrete vortices are observed. A warm equatorial stratospheric band in 2022 is not consistent with a 15‐year repeatability for the equatorial oscillation. A stacked system of windshear zones dominates Saturn's equatorial stratosphere, and implies a westward equatorial jet near 1–5 mbar at this epoch. Lower stratospheric temperatures, and local minima in the distributions of several hydrocarbons, imply low‐latitude upwelling and a reversal of Saturn's interhemispheric circulation since equinox. Latitudinal distributions of stratospheric ethylene, benzene, methyl, and carbon dioxide are presented for the first time, and we report the first detection of propane bands in the 8–11 µm region.
Feeding characteristics of healthy infants without reported feeding impairments throughout the first month of life
Authors: McGrattan Katlyn Elizabeth , Hammell Abbey E. , Turski Morgan Elaine , Klein Kristina E. , Delaware Elise , McCormick Jennie , Weikle Ellen , Broderick Erin , Ramel Sara E. , Mohr Alicia Hofelich
Published: September 2023

Objective

Elucidate characteristics of feeding performance in healthy infants without reported feeding problems throughout the first month of life.

Study design

Feeding was monitored in 61 healthy infants by caregiver report for 48 h a week from birth to 4 weeks old. Outcomes included feeding modality, how much they consumed, how long the feed lasted, and how many coughing episodes the infant exhibited. Data were analyzed with descriptive and non-parametric statistics.

Result

The majority of infants (68%) exhibited at least one problematic feeding behavior. Infants consumed 68 ml/feed over 20 min, though the milk volumes and feed durations were highly variable. Coughing occurred an average of 2 feeds per day. No significant change in coughing was observed throughout the first month of life (p = 0.64). Infants coughed significantly less during breast feeds than bottle feeds (p = 0.02).

Conclusion

Healthy term infants exhibit what appear to be normal developmental imperfections in feeding performance throughout the first month of life.
E2 enzyme Bruce negatively regulates Hippo signaling through POSH-mediated expanded degradation
Authors: Song Sha , Ma Xianjue
Published: September 2023

The Hippo pathway is a master regulator of organ growth, stem cell renewal, and tumorigenesis, its activation is tightly controlled by various post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination. While several E3 ubiquitin ligases have been identified as regulators of Hippo pathway, the corresponding E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) remain unknown. Here, we performed a screen in Drosophila to identify E2s involved in regulating wing overgrowth caused by the overexpression of Crumbs (Crb) intracellular domain and identified Bruce as a critical regulator. Loss of Bruce downregulates Hippo target gene expression and suppresses Hippo signaling inactivation induced tissue growth. Unexpectedly, our genetic data indicate that Bruce acts upstream of Expanded (Ex) but in parallel with the canonical Hippo (Hpo) -Warts (Wts) cascade to regulate Yorkie (Yki), the downstream effector of Hippo pathway. Mechanistically, Bruce synergizes with E3 ligase POSH to regulate growth and ubiquitination-mediated Ex degradation. Moreover, we demonstrate that Bruce is required for Hippo-mediated malignant tumor progression. Altogether, our findings unveil Bruce as a crucial E2 enzyme that bridges the signal from the cell surface to regulate Hippo pathway activation in Drosophila.
Bone metastasis detection method based on improving golden jackal optimization using whale optimization algorithm
Authors: Magdy Omnia , Abd Elaziz Mohamed , Elgarayhi Ahmed , Ewees Ahmed A. , Sallah Mohammed
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a machine learning-based technique for interpreting bone scintigraphy images, focusing on feature extraction and introducing a new feature selection method called GJOW. GJOW enhances the effectiveness of the golden jackal optimization (GJO) algorithm by integrating operators from the whale optimization algorithm (WOA). The technique’s performance is evaluated through extensive experiments using 18 benchmark datasets and 581 bone scan images obtained from a gamma camera, including 362 abnormal and 219 normal cases. The results highlight the superior predictive effectiveness of the GJOW algorithm in bone metastasis detection, achieving an accuracy of 71.79% and specificity of 91.14%. The contributions of this study include the introduction of a new machine learning-based approach for detecting bone metastasis using gamma camera scans, leading to improved accuracy in identifying bone metastases. The findings have practical implications for early detection and intervention, potentially improving patient outcomes.
Comprehensive analysis of copper-metabolism-related genes about prognosis and immune microenvironment in osteosarcoma
Authors: Lin Zili , He Yizhe , Wu Ziyi , Yuan Yuhao , Li Xiangyao , Luo Wei
Published: September 2023

Despite being significant in various diseases, including cancers, the impact of copper metabolism on osteosarcoma (OS) remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to use bioinformatics analyses to identify a reliable copper metabolism signature that could improve OS patient prognosis prediction, immune landscape understanding, and drug sensitivity. Through nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering, we revealed distinct prognosis-associated clusters of OS patients based on copper metabolism-related genes (CMRGs), showing differential gene expression linked to immune processes. The risk model, comprising 13 prognostic CMRGs, was established using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression, closely associated with the OS microenvironment's immune situation and drug sensitivity. Furthermore, we developed an integrated nomogram, combining the risk score and clinical traits to quantitatively predict OS patient prognosis. The calibration plot, timeROC, and timeROC analyses demonstrated its predictable accuracy and clinical usefulness. Finally, we identified three independent prognostic signatures for OS patients: COX11, AP1B1, and ABCB6. This study confirmed the involvement of CMRGs in OS patient prognosis, immune processes, and drug sensitivity, suggesting their potential as promising prognostic signatures and therapeutic targets for OS.