bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polydomus karssenii gen. nov. sp. nov. is a dark septate endophyte with a bifunctional lifestyle parasitising eggs of plant parasitic cyst nematodes (Heterodera spp.)
Authors: Ashrafi Samad , Wennrich Jan-Peer , Becker Yvonne , Maciá-Vicente Jose G. , Brißke-Rode Anke , Daub Matthias , Thünen Torsten , Dababat Abdelfattah A. , Finckh Maria R. , Stadler Marc , Maier Wolfgang
Published: March 2023

In this study fungal strains were investigated, which had been isolated from eggs of the cereal cyst nematodeHeterodera filipjevi, and roots ofMicrothlaspi perfoliatum(Brassicaceae). The morphology, the interaction with nematodes and plants and the phylogenetic relationships of these strains originating from a broad geographic range covering Western Europe to Asia Minor were studied. Phylogenetic analyses using five genomic loci including ITSrDNA, LSUrDNA, SSUrDNA,rpb2andtef1-αwere carried out. The strains were found to represent a distinct phylogenetic lineage most closely related toEquiseticolaandOphiosphaerella, andPolydomus karssenii(Phaeosphaeriaceae,Pleosporales) is introduced here as a new species representing a monotypic genus. The pathogenicity tests against nematode eggs fulfilled Koch’s postulates using in vitro nematode bioassays and showed that the fungus could parasitise its original nematode hostH.filipjevias well as the sugar beet cyst nematodeH.schachtii, and colonise cysts and eggs of its hosts by forming highly melanised moniliform hyphae. Light microscopic observations on fungus-root interactions in an axenic system revealed the capacity of the same fungal strain to colonise the roots of wheat and produce melanised hyphae and microsclerotia-like structure typical for dark septate endophytes. Confocal laser scanning microscopy further demonstrated that the fungus colonised the root cells by predominant intercellular growth of hyphae, and frequent formation of appressorium-like as well as penetration peg-like structures through internal cell walls surrounded by callosic papilla-like structures. Different strains of the new fungus produced a nearly identical set of secondary metabolites with various biological activities including nematicidal effects irrespective of their origin from plants or nematodes.
Serum retinol-binding protein 4 as a predictor of fibrosis regression and response to direct-acting antiviral drugs in chronic hepatitis C virus patients
Authors: Rasmy Hany Samir , Elmalatawy Mohammed Abd Elfattah , ElKarmoty Khaled Zakaria , Abdelwarth Ebrahim Youssef , Isaac Amira
Published: March 2023

Background

Hepatitis C virus is the underlying cause of chronic hepatitis which frequently progresses to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, HCV is thought to cause steatosis, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular events. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of serum RBP-4 in the prediction of fibrosis regression and the response of treatment among chronic HCV patients receiving direct-acting antiviral agents.

Methods

This study included 40 chronic HCV Egyptian patients, divided into two groups: Naive cases, 20 chronic HCV patients before starting first line of treatment; Relapser cases, 20 chronic HCV patients who were non-responders before starting second line treatment; and 10 healthy subjects as control. Laboratory investigations including complete blood count, full hepatic profile, fibroscan assessment, and retinol-binding protein-4 level at baseline and re-assessed 12 weeks after the end of treatment [sustained virological response SVR12]. Student T test, analysis of variance, chi-square, Tukey’s test, and Pearson correlation coefficient tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results

Baseline retinol-binding protein-4 level was significantly higher in the naïve case group than in the relapser and control groups with a P value of P value of < 0.001. All the naïve patients had 100% SVR12, only 90% of the relapser group achieved SVR12. A significant reduction in retinol-binding protein-4 and fibrosis staging and measurements by fibroscan among all studied patients were noted after receiving direct acting antivirals (P value < 0.001). Retinol-binding protein-4 levels before and after treatment were significantly lower among F4 patients in comparison to those of F1–F3 patients (P value 0.002, 0.009, respectively). The best cutoff value of retinol-binding protein-4 in the prediction of liver cirrhosis (F4) was ≤ 46 pg/ml with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 66.67%.

Conclusion

Serum retinol-binding protein-4 was found to be higher in chronic HCV infection with a significant reduction after successful eradication. Its level is much lower in cirrhotic patients [F4]. As a result, retinol-binding protein-4 may have a promising role in assessing direct acting antivirals response, as well as a prognostic value in predicting liver cirrhosis.
Zoonotic and antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter: a view through the One Health lens
Authors: Zhang Qijing , Beyi Ashenafi Feyisa , Yin Yue
Published: March 2023

As a pathogen of a major public health concern with animal health importance, Campylobacter constitutes a clear and present threat to One Health. This organism colonizes the intestinal tract and is widely distributed among various animal species, including livestock and poultry, companion animals, and wildlife. As a result of its broad distribution, Campylobacter is exposed to antibiotics used in both human and veterinary medicine, which creates antibiotic selection pressure that has driven the development and rising prevalence of antibiotic resistant Campylobacter. This is particularly evident with the resistance to fluoroquinolone (FQ), which has become a great concern for public health. However, the increased prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter cannot be solely attributed to antibiotic usage, as interspecies transmission and subsequent clonal expansion also contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter. This is exemplified by the emergence and expansion of FQ-resistant Campylobacter clones in animal production systems where FQ antibiotics were never used, the transmission of extensively drug resistant Campylobacter from dogs to human patients, and the spread of antibiotic-resistant and hypervirulent Campylobacter from ruminants to humans. Another notable finding from recently published work is the emergence of antibiotic resistance genes of Gram-positive origin in Campylobacter, suggesting that genetic exchange between Campylobacter and Gram-positive bacteria occurs in the natural environment and is more frequent than previously realized. Once these “foreign” antibiotic resistance genes are presented in Campylobacter, they can further disseminate by clonal expansion or horizontal gene transfer among different Campylobacter species/strains. These findings indicate that the emergence and transmission of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter in the ecosystem are complex and multidirectional, and are affected by multiple factors. Thus, a holistic and One Health approach is necessary to fully comprehend and mitigate antibiotic resistant Campylobacter.
Simultaneous seismic inversion study for channel sandstone identification, northern part of the Eastern Shelf, King County, North-Central Texas
Authors: Ogiesoba Osareni , Karakaya Sarp , Cortez Trey
Published: March 2023

This paper documents the results of a prestack simultaneous seismic inversion conducted to investigate the Wolfcampian lower Tannehill sandstone channels within a mixed carbonate siliciclastic system in the northern Eastern Shelf in King County, North Central Texas. Previous exploration methods for the Tannehill sandstone were based largely on well-log correlation which, because of their widely spaced sample points, are not optimal for channel delineation. We have generated crossplots of P- and S-wave velocity ratios ([Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratios) versus P-impedance to determine lithologic types. We then used 3D seismic data and wireline logs to implement a prestack simultaneous seismic inversion procedure to generate P- and S-impedances, density, and [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratio volumes to identify the valley-fill Tannehill lowstand systems. Our results find that (1) based on impedance and density, the sandstone-rich channels can be easily separated from the carbonate-rich zones but are difficult to distinguish using [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]. (2) Although there appeared to be several channel systems in the area of investigation, two of these, hereby referred to as channel A and channel B, are recognized to be the key contributors of sandstone sediments to the shelf edge, slope, and basin areas. (3) Of these two channels, channel A is the larger and highly sinuous; it is associated with a meander loop, a point bar, and an abandoned channel. At the point-bar location, channel A has a width of 890 m (2920 ft) and a depth of 29 m (94 ft). The point bar is structurally anticlinal and thus constitutes a potential exploration target. In contrast, channel B is less sinuous, without any associated point bar. It has a maximum depth and width of 23 m (75 ft) and 270 m (886 ft), respectively. Finally, the inversion results suggest that other potential Tannehill sandstone reservoirs may still be present elsewhere within King County.
Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Expressing Advanced or Recurrent Uterine Carcinosarcoma (NCCH1615): The STATICE Trial
Authors: Nishikawa Tadaaki , Hasegawa Kosei , Matsumoto Koji , Mori Masahiko , Hirashima Yasuyuki , Takehara Kazuhiro , Ariyoshi Kazuya , Kato Tomoyasu , Yagishita Shigehiro , Hamada Akinobu , Kawasaki Mamiko , Kawashima Satoshi , Tomatsuri Sawako , Nagasaka Yukari , Yoshida Hiroshi , Machida Ryunosuke , Hirakawa Akihiro , Nakamura Kenichi , Yonemori Kan
Published: March 2023

PURPOSE

To investigate the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab deruxtecan, an antibody-drug conjugate targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) with a topoisomerase I inhibitor payload, in patients with uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) expressing HER2.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with recurrent UCS with HER2 immunohistochemistry scores ≥1+ previously treated with chemotherapy were included. Patients were assigned to the HER2-high (immunohistochemistry score ≥2+; n = 22) or low (immunohistochemistry score of 1+; n = 10) groups for primary and exploratory analyses, respectively. Trastuzumab deruxtecan 6.4 or 5.4 mg/kg was administered intravenously once every 3 weeks until unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. Dose modification was based on the updated recommended phase II dose for breast cancer to be 5.4 mg/kg. The primary end point was the objective response rate by central review in the HER2-high group. Secondary end points included the overall response rate (ORR) in the HER2-high group by investigator assessment, ORR in the HER2-low group, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety.

RESULTS

The ORR by central review in the HER2-high and HER2-low groups were 54.5% (95% CI, 32.2 to 75.6) and 70.0% (95% CI, 34.8 to 93.3) and those by investigator assessments were 68.2% and 60.0%, respectively. The median PFS and OS in the HER2-high and HER2-low groups were 6.2 and 13.3 months and 6.7 months and not reached, respectively. Grade ≥ 3 adverse events occurred in 20 patients (61%). Grades 1-2 and 3 pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease occurred in eight (24%) and one (3%) patient, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Trastuzumab deruxtecan has efficacy in patients with UCS, regardless of HER2 status. The safety profile was generally consistent with that previously reported. Toxicities were manageable with appropriate monitoring and treatment.
More Than Words? How Highlighting Target Populations Affects Public Opinion about the Medicaid Program
Authors: Haeder Simon F. , Sylvester Steven M. , Callaghan Timothy
Published: March 2023

Context: The Medicaid program provides health insurance coverage to a diverse set of demographics. We know little about how the policy community describes these populations (e.g., on Medicaid-related websites or in public opinion polls and policy writings) or whether and how these descriptions may affect perceptions of the program, its beneficiaries, and potential policy changes.

Methods: To investigate this issue, we developed and fielded a nationally representative survey of 2,680 Americans that included an experiment for priming respondents by highlighting different combinations of target populations of the Medicaid program as found in the Medicaid policy discourse.

Findings: Overall, we find that Americans view Medicaid and its beneficiaries rather favorably. However, there are marked differences based on partisanship and racial animosity. Emphasizing citizenship and residency requirements at times improved these perceptions.

Conclusions: Racial perceptions and partisanship are important correlates in Americans’ views about Medicaid and its beneficiaries. However, perceptions are not immutable. In general, the policy community should shift toward using more comprehensive descriptions of the Medicaid population that go beyond the focus on low income and that include citizenship and residency requirements. Future research should expand this work by studying descriptions in the broader public discourse.
Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Versus Microendoscopic Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy for Unilateral Cervical Radiculopathy: A 1-Year Cost-Utility Analysis
Authors: Monk Steve H. , Hani Ummey , Pfortmiller Deborah , Dyer E. Hunter , Smith Mark D. , Kim Paul K. , Bohl Michael A. , Coric Domagoj , Adamson Tim E. , Holland Christopher M. , McGirt Matthew J.
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND:

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) are the most common surgical approaches for medically refractory cervical radiculopathy. Rigorous cost-effectiveness studies comparing ACDF and PCF are lacking.

OBJECTIVE:

To assess the cost-utility of ACDF vs PCF performed in the ambulatory surgery center setting for Medicare and privately insured patients at 1-year follow-up.

METHODS:

A total of 323 patients who underwent 1-level ACDF (201) or PCF (122) at a single ambulatory surgery center were compared. Propensity matching generated 110 pairs (220 patients) for analysis. Demographic data, resource utilization, patient-reported outcome measures, and quality-adjusted life-years were assessed. Direct costs (1-year resource use × unit costs based on Medicare national allowable payment amounts) and indirect costs (missed workdays × average US daily wage) were recorded. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated.

RESULTS:

Perioperative safety, 90-day readmission, and 1-year reoperation rates were similar between groups. Both groups experienced significant improvements in all patient-reported outcome measures at 3 months that was maintained at 12 months. The ACDF cohort had a significantly higher preoperative Neck Disability Index and a significantly greater improvement in health-state utility (ie, quality-adjusted life-years gained) at 12 months. ACDF was associated with significantly higher total costs at 1 year for both Medicare ($11 744) and privately insured ($21 228) patients. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for ACDF was $184 654 and $333 774 for Medicare and privately insured patients, respectively, reflecting poor cost-utility.

CONCLUSION:

Single-level ACDF may not be cost-effective in comparison with PCF for surgical management of unilateral cervical radiculopathy.
Daily Pain Prediction Using Smartphone Speech Recordings of Patients With Spine Disease
Authors: Duey Akiro H. , Rana Aakanksha , Siddi Francesca , Hussein Helweh , Onnela Jukka-Pekka , Smith Timothy R.
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND:

Pain evaluation remains largely subjective in neurosurgical practice, but machine learning provides the potential for objective pain assessment tools.

OBJECTIVE:

To predict daily pain levels using speech recordings from personal smartphones of a cohort of patients with diagnosed neurological spine disease.

METHODS:

Patients with spine disease were enrolled through a general neurosurgical clinic with approval from the institutional ethics committee. At-home pain surveys and speech recordings were administered at regular intervals through the Beiwe smartphone application. Praat audio features were extracted from the speech recordings to be used as input to a K-nearest neighbors (KNN) machine learning model. The pain scores were transformed from a 0 to 10 scale to low and high pain for better discriminative capacity.

RESULTS:

A total of 60 patients were enrolled, and 384 observations were used to train and test the prediction model. Using the KNN prediction model, an accuracy of 71% with a positive predictive value of 0.71 was achieved in classifying pain intensity into high and low. The model showed 0.71 precision for high pain and 0.70 precision for low pain. Recall of high pain was 0.74, and recall of low pain was 0.67. The overall F1 score was 0.73.

CONCLUSION:

Our study uses a KNN to model the relationship between speech features and pain levels collected from personal smartphones of patients with spine disease. The proposed model is a stepping stone for the development of objective pain assessment in neurosurgery clinical practice.
How bumblebees coordinate path integration and body orientation at the start of their first learning flight
Authors: Collett Thomas S. , Robert Theo , Frasnelli Elisa , Philippides Andrew , Hempel de Ibarra Natalie
Published: March 2023

The start of a bumblebee's first learning flight from its nest provides an opportunity to examine the bee's learning behaviour during its initial view of the nest's unfamiliar surroundings. Like many other hymenopterans, bumblebees store views of their nest surroundings while facing their nest. We found that a bumblebee's first fixation of the nest is a coordinated manoeuvre in which the insect faces the nest with its body oriented towards a particular visual feature within its surroundings. This conjunction of nest fixation and body orientation is preceded and reached by means of a translational scan during which the bee flies perpendicularly to its preferred body orientation. The utility of the coordinated manoeuvre is apparent during the bees' first return flight after foraging. Bees then adopt a similar preferred body orientation when close to the nest. How does a bee, unacquainted with its surroundings, know when it is facing its nest? A likely answer is through path integration, which gives bees continuously updated information about the current direction of their nest. Path integration also gives bees the possibility to fixate the nest when their body points in a desired direction. The three components of this coordinated manoeuvre are discussed in relation to current understanding of the central complex in the insect brain, noting that nest fixation is egocentric, whereas the preferred body orientation and flight direction that the bee adopts within the visual surroundings of the nest are geocentric.
Elevated developmental temperatures impact the size and allometry of morphological traits of the bumblebeeBombus terrestris
Authors: Gérard Maxence , Guiraud Marie , Cariou Bérénice , Henrion Maxime , Baird Emily
Published: March 2023

The impact of global warming on wild bee decline threatens the pollination services they provide. Exposure to temperatures above optimal during development is known to reduce adult body size but how it affects the development and scaling of body parts remains unclear. In bees, a reduction in body size and/or a reduction in body parts, such as the antennae, tongue and wings, and how they scale with body size (i.e. their allometry) could severely affect their fitness. To date, it remains unclear how temperature affects body size and the scaling of morphological traits in bees. To address this knowledge gap, we exposed both males and workers of Bombus terrestris to elevated temperature during development and assessed the effects on (i) the size of morphological traits and (ii) the allometry between these traits. Colonies were exposed to optimal (25°C) or stressful (33°C) temperatures. We then measured the body size, wing size, antenna and tongue length, as well as the allometry between these traits. We found that workers were smaller and the antennae of both castes were reduced at the higher temperature. However, tongue length and wing size were not affected by developmental temperature. The allometric scaling of the tongue was also affected by developmental temperature. Smaller body size and antennae could impair both individual and colony fitness, by affecting foraging efficiency and, consequently, colony development. Our results encourage further exploration of how the temperature-induced changes in morphology affect functional traits and pollination efficiency.
Mobility and Congestion in Urban India
Authors: Akbar Prottoy , Couture Victor , Duranton Gilles , Storeygard Adam
Published: March 2023

We develop a methodology to estimate robust city-level vehicular speed indices, exactly decomposable into uncongested speed and congestion. We apply it to 180 Indian cities using 57 million simulated trips measured by a web mapping service. We verify the reliability of our simulated trips using a number of alternative data sources, including data on actual trips. We find wide variation in speed across cities that is driven more by differences in uncongested speed than congestion. Denser and more populated cities are slower, only in part because of congestion. Urban economic development is correlated with faster speed despite worse congestion. (JEL O15, O18, R23, R41)
The Long and Short (Run) of Trade Elasticities
Authors: Boehm Christoph E. , Levchenko Andrei A. , Pandalai-Nayar Nitya
Published: March 2023

When countries change most favored nation (MFN) tariffs, partners that trade on MFN terms experience plausibly exogenous tariff changes. Using this variation, we estimate the trade elasticity at short and long horizons with local projections. We find that the elasticity of tariff-exclusive trade flows is −0.76 in the short run, and approximately −2 in the long run. Our long-run estimates are smaller than typical in the literature, and it takes 7 to10 years to converge to the long run, implying that (i) the welfare gains from trade are high and (ii) there are substantial convexities in the costs of adjusting exports. (JEL C51, F13, F14)
Evaluation of the interaction between ketone bodies and obesity-associated proteins: an in silico approach
Authors: Kayode Omowumi , Yoko Deborah , Kayode Abolanle A.A.
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Obesity is an upsurge in body fat and is associated with a number of cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, including type-2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, and several malignancies. The ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and protein and very low in carbohydrates, has become one of the most researched options for weight loss in recent years. It has also recently gained recognition as a metabolic therapy for its efficacious methods in the prevention and treatment of cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other illnesses.

Methods: This study was carried out to investigate the interaction of ketogenic diet end products, the ketone bodies (acetoacetate, acetone and beta-hydroxybutyrate) and standard drugs (orlistat and cetilistat) on selected obesity-related proteins including ghrelin, leptin, fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene protein (PDB id: 3LFM), catalase, superoxide dismutase and 3-hydroxyl-3-methylgluatarate Co-A (HMG CoA) reductase in vivo.

Results: In silico docking simulations of the proteins and ligands (standard drugs and ketone bodies) was done using high computing tools and software. The results revealed varied docking scores based on interactions between the proteins and ligands. The standard drugs and ketone bodies exhibited good docking scores for all the proteins docked, although the standard drugs had slightly higher scores in most cases except for FTO, for which the ketone bodies had higher docking scores. This implies that the FTO–ketone bodies complex might activate the inhibition of fatty acid synthesis, leading to reduction in stored fat.

Conclusions: This study concludes that ketone bodies obtained from ketogenic diets may serve as an adjuvant therapy in the management of obesity with a reduced risk of toxicity compared with conventional therapy.
Assessment of depth of invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue: a study protocol
Authors: Durge Shelley Rajendra , Hande Alka
Published: March 2023

Background: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy of oral cavity. It remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity around the world. Overall OSCC represents more than 550,000 cases throughout the world yearly and the 6th leading cause of death. The mortality and rate of OSCC are higher in developing nations. About 25% patients with OSCC of tongue exist with occult metastasis at initial presentation. 

The utilization of TNM staging of OSCC to assess the clinical response to treatment and survival result is for many years. Prognosis of malignancy also depends on the histopathological grading of the OSCC. Histopathological assessment by measuring Depth of Invasion (DOI) enables us the insight about the extent of invasion by neoplastic cells. This observation will further be helpful for treatment management protocol particularly in OSCC of tongue. Hence, we aimed to assess the significance of DOI in the prognosis and clinicopathological features and survival of OSCC lesions in the current study.

Methods: The surgically operated cases of OSCC of tongue from year 2009 to 2015 will be retrieved from the archival. Measurement of DOI will be carried out using Research microscope. The staging of the patients will be done according to the American Joint Committee of Cancer staging system.  

The present study will find DOI in tongue OSCC and its correlation with the clinicopathological features of OSCC of tongue and three years disease-specific survival.

Conclusion: Measurement of the DOI ought to be included as a part of routine histological assessment. This likewise should be utilized for grading the tumor, which can further help in treatment management protocol.
The identification of high-preforming antibodies for Ubiquilin-2 for use in Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence
Authors: McDowell Ian , Ayoubi Riham , Fotouhi Maryam , Southern Kathleen , McPherson Peter S. , Laflamme Carl ,   NeuroSGC/YCharOS/EDDU collaborative group,   ABIF Consortium
Published: March 2023

Ubiquilin-2, a member of the ubiquilin protein family, plays a role in the regulation of various protein degradation pathways, and is mutated in some neurodegenerative diseases. Well-characterized anti-Ubiquilin-2 antibodies would advance reproducible research for Ubiquilin-2 and in turn, benefit the scientific community. In this study, we characterized ten Ubiquilin-2 commercial antibodies for Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls. We identified many high-performing antibodies and encourage readers to use this report as a guide to select the most appropriate antibody for their specific needs.
Successful implementation of Medical Education Faculty Development Project at Saint George University of Beirut in the immediate post triple blow to Beirut
Authors: Nehme Alexandre , Btaiche Rachel , Jreij Marc , Jahjah Jizel , Karam George , Belcher Anne
Published: March 2023

Background: The aim of this study is to explore the efficacy of the Faculty Development Program (FDP) implemented at the Saint George University of Beirut-Faculty of Medicine (SGUB FM) under exceptional circumstances as the triple blow to Beirut.

Methods: The Faculty Development, directed towards a cohort of 35 faculty members, is composed of two major components: methodology of teaching and techniques of assessment. The Kirkpatrick’s assessment model, in combination with a specifically designed psychological questionnaire, were chosen to assess the effectiveness of the faculty development initiative.

Results: Results of the different questionnaires were interpreted individually, then through the lens of the psychological questionnaire. A majority of faculty (55%) were significantly affected psychologically by Beirut’s triple blow and 77% of all participants found the workshops to be of excellent quality (Kirkpatrick’s Level I). Moreover, Kirkpatrick’s level II results yielded a 76% mean percentage of correct answers to post-workshops MCQs and a significant improvement in the mean results of the self-assessment questionnaires, administered before and after each workshop. Results also show that the more a trainee is psychologically affected, the less he/she performs as evidenced by a decrease in the satisfaction rate as well as in the score of the cognitive MCQs and of the self-assessment questionnaires.

Conclusions: This study was able to highlight that significant learning can occur amidst exceptional circumstances like the Beirut triple blow and administration should invest in professional growth to retain its faculty.
Experimenting with visual content: online focus group on citizens’ perception and trust in science communication
Authors: Piccolo Chiara , Pellegrini Giuseppe , Tulin Marina , Szüdi Gábor , Bartar Pamela
Published: March 2023

Background: This paper presents part of a wider research project called TRESCA[1] which aims to develop trust in science through the innovation of communication practices.

Connected with the topic of trust in sciences, in terms of the credibility and reliability of scientific information, a part of the project was dedicated to the assessment of the explanatory power of two main elements of communication: audio and video. Particular attention was given to how these two elements relate to the perception of citizens, mediating with the latent imaginaries, emotional charges and value judgements that are the basis of the framing of relevant news, and thus with the ability of people to distinguish between correct and false communication.

Methods: To investigate these aspects, an ad hoc workshop was designed and implemented in three European countries with the aim of understanding how people interpret the content of a scientific communication video with particular attention to the role of images and audio. Some probe questions were carefully selected to explore content and latent imaginaries, emotional and critical aspects also related with the trust of the communication.

Results: By involving citizens in discussions and innovation efforts, many suggestions and recommendations have been collected. In today’s everyday life, where the visual is very widespread, thanks to the ever-growing presence of social media, the power of images can exceed that of audio.

Conclusions: Since watching a video without sound can mislead the real content of the message, especially when the source or the speaker aren’t recognisable. This can have many repercussions on people’s ability to evaluate the truthfulness of a news and, consequently, on the choice to grant trust - or distrust.
The genome sequence of the Feathered Bright, Incurvaria masculella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Authors: Langdon William B.V. , Holland Peter W.H. ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: March 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Incurvaria masculella (the Feathered Bright; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Incurvariidae). The genome sequence is 552 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 26 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the assembled Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.3 kilobases in length.
How Does Competition Affect Exploration vs. Exploitation? A Tale of Two Recommendation Algorithms
Authors: Cao H. Henry , Ma Liye , Ning Z. Eddie , Sun Baohong
Published: March 2023

Through repeated interactions, firms today refine their understanding of individual users’ preferences adaptively for personalization. In this paper, we use a continuous-time bandit model to analyze firms that recommend content to multihoming consumers, a representative setting for strategic learning of consumer preferences to maximize lifetime value. In both monopoly and duopoly settings, we compare a forward-looking recommendation algorithm that balances exploration and exploitation to a myopic algorithm that only maximizes the quality of the next recommendation. Our analysis shows that, compared with a monopoly, firms competing for users’ attention focus more on exploitation than exploration. When users are impatient, competition decreases the return from developing a forward-looking algorithm. In contrast, development of a forward-looking algorithm may hurt users under monopoly but always benefits users under competition. Competing firms’ decisions to invest in a forward-looking algorithm can create a prisoner’s dilemma. Our results have implications for artificial intelligence adoption and for policy makers on the effect of market power on innovation and consumer welfare.

This paper was accepted by Dmitri Kuksov, marketing.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4722 .
In vivo characterization of the human glioblastoma infiltrative edge with label-free intraoperative fluorescence lifetime imaging
Authors: Alfonso-Garcia Alba , Anbunesan Silvia Noble , Bec Julien , Lee Han Sung , Jin Lee-Way , Bloch Orin , Marcu Laura
Published: March 2023

Challenges in identifying a glioblastoma’s infiltrative edge during neurosurgical procedures result in rapid recurrence. A label-free fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) device was used to evaluate glioblastoma’s infiltrative edge in vivo in 15 patients (89 samples). FLIm data were analyzed according to tumor cell density, infiltrating tissue type (gray and white matter), and diagnosis history (new or recurrent). Infiltrations in white matter from new glioblastomas showed decreasing lifetimes and a spectral red shift with increasing tumor cell density. Areas of high versus low tumor cell density were separated through a linear discriminant analysis with a ROC-AUC=0.74. Current results support the feasibility of intraoperative FLIm for real-time in vivo brain measurements and encourage refinement to predict glioblastoma infiltrative edge, underscoring the ability of FLIm to optimize neurosurgical outcomes.
Confidentiality-preserving machine learning algorithms for soft-failure detection in optical communication networks
Authors: Silva Moises Felipe , Sgambelluri Andrea , Pacini Alessandro , Paolucci Francesco , Green Andre , Mascarenas David , Valcarenghi Luca
Published: March 2023

Automated fault management is at the forefront of next-generation optical communication networks. The increase in complexity of modern networks has triggered the need for programmable and software-driven architectures to support the operation of agile and self-managed systems. In these scenarios, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute zero-touch network and service management approach is imperative. The need for machine learning algorithms to process the large volume of telemetry data brings safety concerns as distributed cloud-computing solutions become the preferred approach for deploying reliable communication network automation. This paper’s contribution is twofold. First, we propose a simple yet effective method to guarantee the confidentiality of the telemetry data based on feature scrambling. The method allows the operation of third-party computational services without direct access to the full content of the collected data. Additionally, the effectiveness of four unsupervised machine learning algorithms for soft-failure detection is evaluated when applied to the scrambled telemetry data. The methods are based on factor analysis, principal component analysis, nonlinear principal component analysis, and singular value decomposition. Most dimensionality reduction algorithms have the common property that they can maintain similar levels of fault classification performance while hiding the data structure from unauthorized access. Evaluations of the proposed algorithms demonstrate this capability.
Mode-locked fiber laser based on a small-period long-period fiber grating inscribed by femtosecond laser
Authors: Li Qianying , Cheng Peiyun , Zhao Rong , Cai Jintao , Shen Ming , Shu Xuewen
Published: March 2023

We demonstrate stable mode-locked pulses in an erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) using a femtosecond laser-inscribed small-period long-period grating (SP-LPG). The SP-LPG has a period of 25 µm and a length of 2.5 mm. The polarization dependent loss (PDL) of the SP-LPG reaches 20 dB at the wavelength of 1556 nm and 25 dB at the wavelength of 1607 nm, which is sufficient to trigger the mode-locking mechanism. In addition, a mode-locked fiber laser (MLFL) based on the SP-LPG has been demonstrated to generate 1.58-ps pulses at 1577 nm with a bandwidth of 4 nm and a repetition rate of 1.54 MHz. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 50 dB shows the high stability of this system. This work indicates various potential applications of the SP-LPG in ultra-fast laser technologies due to its simple fabrication, compact structure, and high damage threshold.
Manipulating leaky mode in silicon waveguides harnessing bound states in the continuum
Authors: Li Jie , Zhao Shi , Chen Jingye , Shi Yaocheng
Published: March 2023

A low-loss ridge waveguide is proposed and demonstrated with a novel, to the best of our knowledge, bound state in the continuum (BIC)-based structure on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. The presented waveguide is designed appropriately to suppress TM-mode leakage, and has a theoretically low propagation loss of ∼0.0027 dB/cm at 1550 nm. In the wavelength range from 1530 nm to 1600 nm, the 2-mm-long waveguide can achieve an average loss suppression of ∼30 dB in the experiment. Such a novel ridge waveguide structure can also be introduced into narrowband optical filters. The fabricated Bragg grating filter working at the TM mode can achieve a narrow bandwidth of ∼1 nm and an extinction ratio of ∼14.8 dB.
Modelling and classifying joint trajectories of self-reported mood and pain in a large cohort study
Authors: Das Rajenki , Muldoon Mark , Lunt Mark , McBeth John , Yimer Belay Birlie , House Thomas
Published: March 2023

It is well-known that mood and pain interact with each other, however individual-level variability in this relationship has been less well quantified than overall associations between low mood and pain. Here, we leverage the possibilities presented by mobile health data, in particular the “Cloudy with a Chance of Pain” study, which collected longitudinal data from the residents of the UK with chronic pain conditions. Participants used an App to record self-reported measures of factors including mood, pain and sleep quality. The richness of these data allows us to perform model-based clustering of the data as a mixture of Markov processes. Through this analysis we discover four endotypes with distinct patterns of co-evolution of mood and pain over time. The differences between endotypes are sufficiently large to play a role in clinical hypothesis generation for personalised treatments of comorbid pain and low mood.
Preliminary study on the application of bioimpedance analysis to measure the psoas major muscle in older adults
Authors: Chu Lee-Ping , Chen Kuen-Tsann , Lu Hsueh-Kuan , Lai Chung-Liang , Huang Hsing-Ching , Hsieh Kuen-Chang
Published: March 2023

For the assessment of sarcopenia or other geriatric frailty syndromes, psoas major area may be one of the primary indicators. Aim to develop and cross-validate the psoas cross-sectional area estimation equation of L3-L4 of the elderly over 60 years old by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Ninety-two older adults with normal mobility were enrolled (47 females, 45 males), and were randomly divided into a modeling group (MG, n = 62) and validation group (VG, n = 30). Computed tomography (CT) was used to measure the psoas major area at the’ L3-L4 lumbar vertebrae height as a predictor. Estimated variables were height (h), whole body impedance (Zwhole), whole body impedance index (h2/Zwhole, WBI), age, gender (female = 0, male = 1), and body weight (weight) by standing BIA. Relevant variables were estimated using stepwise regression analysis. Model performance was confirmed by cross-validation. BIA estimation equation for PMM obtained from the MG was: (PMMBIA = 0.183 h2/Z– 0.223 age + 4.443 gender + 5.727, r2 = 0.702, n = 62, SEE = 2.432 cm2, p < 0.001). The correlation coefficient r obtained by incorporating the VG data into the PMM equation was 0.846, and the LOA ranged from -4.55 to 4.75 cm2. PMMBIA and PMMCT both correlate highly with MG or VG with small LOA. The fast and convenient standing BIA for measuring PMM may be a promising method that is worth developing.
Identification and characterization of gut-associated lactic acid bacteria isolated from the bean bug, Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae)
Authors: Choi Okhee , Lee Yeyeong , Kang Byeongsam , Cho Su Kyung , Kang Yongsung , Kang Dong-Wan , Lee Seul-Bi , Bae Sung-Mun , Kim Jinwoo
Published: March 2023

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are beneficial bacteria for humans and animals. However, the characteristics and functions of LAB in insects remain unclear. Here, we isolated LAB from the gut of Riptortus pedestris, a pest that is a significant problem in soybean cultivation in Korea, and identified two Lactococcus lactis and one Enterococcus faecalis using matrix-associated laser desorption/ionization-time of flight and 16S rRNA analyses. All three LAB strains survived at pH 8, and L. lactis B103 and E. faecalis B105 survived at pH 9 for 24 h. In addition, these strains survived well in simulated gastric juice of humans containing pepsin and exhibited high resistance to bile salts. Two strains of L. lactis and one of E. faecalis maintained constant density (> 104 colony-forming units [CFU]/mL) at pH 2.5, but viability at pH 2.2 was strain-dependent. The three LAB were reinoculated into second-instar nymphs of R. pedestris and colonized well, reaching a constant density (> 105 CFU/gut) in the adult insect gut. Interestingly, feeding of these LAB increased the survival rate of insects compared to the negative control, with the largest increase seen for L. lactis B103. However, the LAB did not increase the weight or length of adult insects. These results indicate that insect-derived LAB possess the traits required for survival under gastrointestinal conditions and have beneficial effects on insect hosts. The LAB infection frequency of the wild bean bug populations was 89% (n = 18) in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. These LAB can be utilized as a novel probiotic in the cultivation of beneficial insects. This study provides fundamental information about the symbiosis between insects and LAB, and a novel concept for pest control.
GATA-3 expression in breast cancer is related to intratumoral M2 macrophage infiltration and tumor differentiation
Authors: Oda Husam , Hedayati Elham , Lindström Annelie , Shabo Ivan
Published: March 2023

Accumulating evidence indicates that tumor-associated macrophages promote tumor progression and that high macrophage infiltration is correlated with advanced tumor stages and poor prognosis in breast cancer. GATA binding protein 3 (GATA-3) is a differentiation marker related to differentiated states in breast cancer. In this study, we explore how the extent of MI relates to GATA-3 expression, hormonal status, and the differentiation grade of breast cancer. To examine breast cancer in early development, we selected 83 patients that were treated with radical breast-conserving surgery (R0), without lymph node metastases (N0) or distant metastases (M0), with and without postoperative radiotherapy. Immunostaining of M2-macrophage-specific antigen CD163 was used to detect tumor-associated macrophages, and macrophage infiltration was estimated semi-quantitatively into no/low, moderate, and high infiltration. The macrophage infiltration was compared to GATA-3, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), and Ki-67 expression in cancer cells. GATA-3 expression is associated with ER and PR expression but inversely correlated to macrophage infiltration and Nottingham histologic grade. High macrophage infiltration in advanced tumor grade was associated with low GATA-3 expression. The disease-free survival is inversely related to Nottingham histologic grade in patients having tumors with no/low macrophage infiltration, a difference that is not found in patients with moderate/high macrophage infiltration. These findings indicate that macrophage infiltration might impact the differentiation, malignant behavior, and prognosis of breast cancer, regardless of the morphological and hormonal states of the cancer cells in the primary tumor.
Socio-economic inequalities in burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases among older adults in India: Evidence from Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, 2017–18
Authors: Kundu Jhumki , Chakraborty Ruchira
Published: March 2023

Developing countries like India grapple with significant challenges due to the double burden of communicable and non-communicable disease in older adults. Examining the distribution of the burden of different communicable and non-communicable diseases among older adults can present proper evidence to policymakers to deal with health inequality. The present study aimed to determine socioeconomic inequality in the burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases among older adults in India. This study used Longitudinal Ageing study in India (LASI), Wave 1, conducted during 2017–2018. Descriptive statistics along with bivariate analysis was used in the present study to reveal the initial results. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between the outcome variables (communicable and non-communicable disease) and the chosen set of separate explanatory variables. For measurement of socioeconomic inequality, concentration curve and concentration index along with state wise poor-rich ratio was calculated. Additionally, Wagstaff’s decomposition of the concentration index approach was used to reveal the contribution of each explanatory variable to the measured health inequality (Communicable and non- communicable disease). The study finds the prevalence of communicable and non-communicable disease among older adults were 24.9% and 45.5% respectively. The prevalence of communicable disease was concentrated among the poor whereas the prevalence of NCDs was concentrated among the rich older adults, but the degree of inequality is greater in case of NCD. The CI for NCD is 0.094 whereas the CI for communicable disease is -0.043. Economic status, rural residence are common factors contributing inequality in both diseases; whereas BMI and living environment (house type, drinking water source and toilet facilities) have unique contribution in explaining inequality in NCD and communicable diseases respectively. This study significantly contributes in identifying the dichotomous concentration of disease prevalence and contributing socio- economic factors in the inequalities.