bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laser Sealing of Retinal Tear for the Treatment of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: a case report
Authors: Chen Sisi , Zhai Ming , Meng Bo , Wang Shaowei
Published: February 2024

Background:The treatment of asymptomatic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in clinical practice has not yet reached a consensus. We report here a successful case of asymptomatic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment treated with a single retinal laser directly acting around the retinal hole.
Case presentation:
An 18-year-old Chinese male was diagnosed with asymptomatic rhegmatogenous
retinal detachment(RRD). Physical examination revealed a small atrophic hole in the upper temporal periphery of the left retina. Shallow retinal detachment can be seen at the around 2-5 o'clock region near the hole but not in the macular area.Unlike traditional demarcation laser photocoagulation(DLP), we chose to directly focus laser light on the edge of the retinal hole. After a single laser treatment, the patient's retinal hole is closed and the retina was gradually reattached.
Conclusions:We report a novel treatment method for asymptomatic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.In similar cases of this RRD, laser sealing of retinal tear is shown to be effective and necessary to determine its indications.
Identifying Clinical Screening for Major Depressive Disorder in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and the Role of SESTD1 in Pathogenic Process: Mendelian Randomization and Bioinformatics Analyses
Authors: luo lingyun , Li Zhi , Luo Xuelian , He Zhen , Tang Wanqiu
Published: February 2024

Interpretation: Our findings enhance the understanding of the causal link between PAH and ten major mental illnesses, firmly establishing PAH as a distinct risk factor for MDD. Furthermore, our study highlights the potential pivotal role of SESTD1 in this pathophysiological process, offering valuable insights for drug intervention targets.

Background: Evidence from clinical studies suggests that pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with psychiatric disorders. However, the causal association between PAH and major psychiatric disorders (MPD) remains unknown. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the causal relationship between PAH and MPD from a genetic perspective.
Method: We used summary data about PAH, MPD, eQTL from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of mostly European adults from Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, GWAS catalog and IEU OpenGWAS. We conducted bidirectional mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to explore whether PAH could be causally associated with ten MPD which include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tourette syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD), post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. We conducted sensitivity analyses to examine the MR assumptions. Bonferroni correction was also adopted to account for multiple comparisons. We obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of PAH and conduct enrichment analyses from GSE113439 and GSE117261. We performed MR between DEGs of PAH and MDD.
Findings: Our study identified PAH as a risk factor for MDD (OR=1.003; 95% CI, 1.001-0.005; P=0.021), showing a consistent association without horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity. Additionally, we found that SESTD1, upregulated in the context of PAH, acts as a risk gene for MDD (OR=1.002; 95% CI, 1.000-1.004; P=0.03). Gene set enrichment analysis revealed enrichment in steroid biosynthesis, a hallmark of MDD.
Modification of risk for all-cause and cardiovascular disease-related mortality with changes in the body mass index in older individuals: A population-based cohort study
Authors: Chen Mei-Ju , Lai Yun-Ju , Chen Chu-Chieh , Yen Yung-Feng
Published: February 2024

Background: Existing evidence evaluating the impact of change in body mass index (BMI) on the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality in older people is limited and inconsistent. This population-based cohort study evaluated the association of changes in BMI over time with all-cause and CVD-related mortality in older adults.
Methods: We recruited 55,351 adults aged over 65 years between 2006-2011 from Taipei Elderly Health Examination Program who underwentrepeated annual health examinations at 3.2 year-intervals and were followed-up for mortality over 5.5 years. Cox proportional hazard and Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazard models with death from non-CVD causes as the competing risk were used to determine the impact of changes in BMI status on the risk of all-cause or CVD-related mortality, respectively.
Results: Over 227,967 person-years of follow-up, 4,054 participants died, including 940 (23.2%) CVD-related deaths. After adjusting for other covariates, >10% decrease of BMI was significantly associated with a higher risk of all-cause (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]= 1.93; 95%CI: 1.74-2.13) and CVD-related mortality (AHR= 1.96; 95%CI: 1.60-2.40), compared with stable BMI. Sensitivity analysis showed that a >10% decrease in BMI was significantly associated with a high risk of all-cause and CVD-related mortality in participants with normal weight, underweight, overweight, or obesity at baseline.
Conclusion: Older adults with >10% decrease in BMI are at high risk of all-cause and CVD-related mortality. Our findings suggest that older individuals experiencing a substantial reduction in BMI should undergo a thorough evaluation and seek treatment to minimize the risks associated with mortality.
Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors versus programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors for the first-line therapy of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: a propensity score-matched study
Authors: Tian Yaru , Lu Shuangqing , Sun Yulan , Tang Xiaoyong , Sun Zhuoran , Zhao Ke , Du Guochang , Li Wanjing , Zhu Hui
Published: February 2024

Background
The clinical efficacy and safety differences between PD-L1 inhibitors and PD-1 inhibitors remain controversial for ES-SCLC. We conduct the retrospective study and propensity score-matched analysis to explore the potential differences between them.
Methods
Patients diagnosed with ES-SCLC and treated by EP plus PD-L1 or PD-1 inhibitors at Shandong Cancer Hospital between March 2019 and November 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. According to PD-L1 or PD-1 inhibitors, they were divided into two groups. Propensity score matching (PSM, 1:1) was performed to balance the baseline characteristics of the two groups. The primary endpoints were OS and PFS.
Results
As a result, 264 patients received PD-L1 inhibitors plus EP and 184 received PD-1 inhibitors plus EP. Before PSM, the median OS was 20.1 months in PD-L1 inhibitor plus EP group and 20.7 months in PD-1 inhibitor plus EP group, respectively (HR 1.043, 95%CI 0.776–1.401; p = 0.781). The median PFS was 7.6 and 8.5 months in the two groups (HR 1.099, 95%CI 0.886–1.364; p = 0.390). After PSM, the median OS and PFS were 20.4 and 7.8 months in PD-L1 inhibitor plus EP group, and those were 20.1 and 8.6 months in PD-1 inhibitor plus EP group. There was no significant difference in OS and PFS between the two groups in the matched population (HR 1.104; p = 0.578 and HR 1.072; p = 0.602, respectively). The overall adverse events were comparable in the two groups.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the overall efficacy and safety profile was similar between PD-L1 inhibitors and PD-1 inhibitors for the first-line treatment of ES-SCLC.
Syndromic case definitions for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (LRTI) are less sensitive in older age: an analysis of symptoms among hospitalised adults
Authors: Kwiatkowska Rachel , Chatzilena Anastasia , King Jade , Clout Madeleine , McGuinness Serena , Maskell Nick , Oliver Jennifer , Challen Robert , Hickman Matthew , Finn Adam , Hyams Catherine , Danon Leon
Published: February 2024

Background
Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (LRTI) pose a serious threat to older adults but may be underdiagnosed due to atypical presentations. Here we assess LRTI symptom profiles and syndromic (symptom-based) case ascertainment in older (≥65y) as compared to younger adults (<65y).
Methods
We included adults (≥18y) with confirmed LRTI admitted to two acute care Trusts in Bristol, UK from 1st August 2020- 31st July 2022. Logistic regression was used to assess whether age ≥65y reduced the probability of meeting syndromic LRTI case definitions, using patients’ symptoms at admission. We also calculated relative symptom frequencies (log-odds ratios) and evaluated how symptoms were clustered across different age groups.
Results
Of 17,620 clinically confirmed LRTI cases, 8,487 (48.1%) had symptoms meeting the case definition. Compared to those not meeting the definition these cases were younger, had less severe illness and were less likely to have received a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination or to have active SARS-CoV-2 infection. Prevalence of dementia/cognitive impairment and levels of comorbidity were lower in this group.
After controlling for sex, dementia and comorbidities, age ≥65y significantly reduced the probability of meeting the case definition (aOR=0.67, 95% CI:0.63-0.71). Cases aged ≥65y were less likely to present with fever and LRTI-specific symptoms (e.g., pleurisy, sputum) than younger cases, and those aged ≥85y were characterised by lack of cough but frequent confusion and falls.
Conclusions
LRTI symptom profiles changed considerably with age in this hospitalised cohort. Standard screening protocols may fail to detect older and frailer cases of LRTI based on their symptoms.
Wetland roots as soil reducers – Insights from a Wadden Sea salt-marsh study
Authors: Mittmann-Goetsch Julian , Wilson Monica , Jensen Kai , Mueller Peter
Published: February 2024

The redox potential in wetland soils exerts strong control over microbial decomposition and consequently carbon cycling. Wetland plants influence redox by supplying both terminal electron acceptors (i.e. oxygen) and electron donors (i.e. organic matter) to the soil. However, quantitative insight into plant effects on wetland soil redox are scarce. We investigated plant effects on soil reduction using IRIS (Indicator of Reduction in Soils) sticks. Vegetated and unvegetated treatments were created along salt-marsh flooding gradients both in a mesocosm facility and in situ. We show that the presence of plants resulted in both increased and decreased soil reduction compared to non-vegetated controls in the mesocosm study and that the direction of the plant effect (i.e. reducing versus oxidizing) depended on the background redox conditions observed in non-vegetated controls. When background soil reduction was high, plants tended to act as net oxidizers, whereas under more oxidizing conditions plants acted as net reducers of the soil. High-resolution oxygen profiling via planar optode imaging further supported these findings. Plant effects on soil reduction in the field study were negative across all elevational zones. We attribute this effect to the comparably well aerated soils of Wadden Sea salt marshes. Reduction correlated positively with belowground biomass, indicating that a higher availability of plant-derived electron donors increased soil reduction. Challenging the dominant paradigm that wetland plants primarily act as soil oxidizers, our study reveals their potential to exert a net reducing effect.
Heterarchical modelling of comminution for rotary mills: Part II --- Particle crushing with segregation and mixing
Authors: Bisht Mukesh Singh , Guillard François , Shelley Paul , Marks Benjy , Einav Itai
Published: February 2024

In granular media, the crushing of individual particles is influenced by the number of contacts with neighbouring particles. This well-known phenomenon of ''cushioning'' shields the individual particles from crushing when the number of contacts is high. However, in open systems that involve extensive granular flow and bulk motion, like those found in industrial mills, the neighbouring particles continually exchange positions due to segregation and mixing, thereby altering the number of neighbouring contacts and their sizes, affecting the crushing of individual particles. Therefore, a critical challenge for properly modelling comminution in such systems lies in tracking the fluxes of the various particle size classes. Here, we explore the physics that governs the mechanisms of segregation and mixing within the multiscale heterarchical modelling paradigm. Building upon the framework developed in Part I, which integrated the heterarchical aspects of the physics of crushing along streamlines, we further account for segregation and mixing, and demonstrate their impact on the comminution efficiency of autogenous grinding mills. In particular, segregation is shown to greatly enhance the extent of particle crushing within the mill. Accordingly, we posit that this mechanism cannot be ignored. In summary, the new model sheds light on previously obscured dynamics within industrial mills, as well as enables the field to predict the time evolution of the particle size distribution at any point in the mill domain. This modelling capability opens the doors to new developments for estimating and improving milling efficiencies.
Assessing the Preparedness of Nurses Against the Possible Outbreak of Pandemic Diseases: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Minehmorad Milad , Nemati-Vakilabad Reza , Badpeyma Mohammad , Mirzaei Alireza
Published: February 2024

Background and purpose:Nurses play a critical role in managing pandemics. They require adequate training, proper equipment, and organizational support to be well-prepared. This research study aims to explore the level of preparedness of Iranian nurses in dealing with pandemics. Additionally, the study will identify ways to improve and strengthen their preparedness.Method:From July to September 2023, a study was conducted in Ardabil, Iran. The study involved 233 nurses from five different hospitals. A paper-based form was used to collect data, which included demographic characteristics and the level of pandemic preparedness in health services. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the demographic characteristics and pandemic preparedness levels. Pearson's test was conducted to determine the relationship between the dimensions of pandemic preparedness.Results:Most participants relied on clinical measures and supported using HR and environmental methods to curb the transmission of a pandemic. They felt assured in their ability to explain the preventive measures against the pandemic. However, fewer respondents had access to healthcare improvement programs, and only a few worked remotely from home.Conclusion:To improve nurses' readiness for pandemics, training should focus on raising awareness of the learning environment, developing a professional attitude, effective evaluations, constructive feedback, autonomous learning, appropriate educational methods, and satisfactory clinical professors. These measures enhance preparedness and improve patient care.
Effect of artificial sugar supply on ant-aphid interactions in protected horticulture
Authors: Foronda Jesús , Rodríguez Estefanía , Soler Juan J. , González Mónica , Téllez María del Mar , Robles-Vallet Carmen , Barranco Pablo , Ruano Francisca
Published: February 2024

Ant tending aphid colonies reduce the effectiveness of biological control on aphids which is detrimental to the crop plants. However, their mutualistic interaction is complex and, depending on the quantity and quality of the sugar that aphids produce, it may change to a predator-prey interaction. The objective of this study is to test this hypothesis by providing ants with a high-quality sugar supply with the predictions that ants with an extra-sugar source should more often predate on aphids and, therefore, the abundance of aphids on the experimental plants should be reduced. We carried out an experiment on pepper plants, inoculated with the aphid Aphis gossypii in greenhouses with naturally occurring Tapinoma ibericum colonies in three different periods. Our results showed a significant reduction in aphid colonies abundance and greater aphid predation by the ants in plants with an artificial sugar supply. However, the expected effects greatly varied among greenhouses and seasons. A negative effect on aphid abundance was mainly detected in autumn, while a positive effect on ants predating aphids were mainly detected in summer, when a lower ant activity on the plants occurred. Although our experimental results show that the artificial sugar supply changes ant behavior from tending aphids to preying on them, the large variation in the expected effects suggests that some other unconsidered factors influence their strength. Consequently, future advances should focus on detecting factors driving observed variations among study areas and year seasons, to continue research on using biological control for aphids in horticultural protected crops.
USP10 activates the FAK pathway by stabilizing RIOK3 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Qin Henan , Sun Rui , Ning Zhen , Zhang Wenhe , Guo Xin , Fang Lei , Zou Kun , Li Shuang , Xu Mengyuan , Teng Yibin , Yin Peiyuan , Wang Aman , Liu Jiwei
Published: February 2024

Background The aberrant activation of FAK (Focal Adhesion Kinase) serves as a critical mechanism leading to heightened invasiveness and metastatic potential in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). FAK inhibitors have entered clinical trials, underscoring the significance of targeting FAK in treating PDAC. Further exploration of the regulation mechanism of FAK is crucial for advancing FAK inhibitors. Our previous study suggests that RIO Kinase 3 (RIOK3) facilitates the invasiveness and metastasis of PDAC cells by stabilizing FAK protein expression and upregulating its phosphorylation. Methods We used bioinformatics and IHC to measure Ubiquitin-specific protease 10 (USP10) mRNA and protein expression in PDAC based on TCGA and GTEx PDAC mRNA databases and two PDAC tissue chips from independent medical centers, and survival analysis was performed. Stable knockdown and overexpression experiments were performed on three different PDAC cells to elucidate the carcinogenic effect of USP10 through both in vivo and in vitro experiments. Co-IP and laser confocal experiments were carried out to confirm the interaction modes between USP10, FAK, and RIOK3. Deubiquitination experiments further validated the deubiquitination effect of USP10 on RIOK3. Finally, a prognostic model incorporating co-expression of USP10 and RIOK3 along with other factors influencing PDAC survival was established and validated using COX regression analysis. Results USP10 was associated with a poor prognosis in PDAC. In vitro experiments found that USP10 significantly promotes the proliferation, invasion, and migration of PDAC cells. Xenografted tumor and lung metastasis models in nude mice demonstrated that USP10 promoted the growth and metastasis of PDAC cells. Mechanically, USP10 interacts with FAK and RIOK3. RIOK3 acts as a bridge between USP10 and FAK. USP10 deubiquitinates and stabilizes RIOK3. In addition, RIOK3 overexpression can significantly compensate for the USP10 knockdown-mediated decline in FAK protein expression. Moreover, USP10 and RIOK3 co-expression is a significant factor associated with poor survival in the PDAC prognostic model. Conclusion USP10 deubiquitinates and stabilizes RIOK3 and activates the FAK signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting PDAC tumorigenesis, indicating that it may be a potential drug target for cancer treatment.
The Effectiveness and Safety of a Flexible Vacuum-Assisted Ureteral Access Sheath in Flexible Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy
Authors: Deng Guanyun , Wang Qing , Jiang Kehua , Lu Wenbing , Huang Kunyuan , Sun Fa
Published: February 2024

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of a flexible vacuum-assisted ureteral access sheath (FV-UAS) in flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy.
Methods: We collected data on procedures using a traditional ureteralaccess sheath (UAS) from May to November 2022 and those using a FV-UAS from December 2022 to June 2023 and conducted a retrospective analysis of the two groups of data. SIRS incidence, stone clearance rate and operation time were the main evaluation criteria. Age composition, sex, preoperative urinary leukocyte count, underlying disease, stone density and stone volume were used as secondary evaluation indices.
Results: There was no significant difference in age composition, sex, preoperative urinary leukocyte count, underlying diseases, stone density or stone volume between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time of the UAS group (57.90±17.86) was higher than that of the FV-UAS group (48.40±15.89, P<0.05). The incidence of SIRS was lower in the FV-UAS (1.70% vs. 12.9%, P<0.05). The stone-free rate in both the UAS group and the FV-UAS group at 3 days after surgery was similar (20.97% vs. 20.33%, P>0.05), while the stone-free rate was 85.48% and 96.60% at 1 month after surgery (P<0.05), and the difference wasstatistically significant, especially the absolute stone-free rate (P<0.01)。
Conclusion: Compared with the UAS, the FV-UAS can reduce the incidence of SIRS postoperatively as well as shorten the operation time and improve the stone-free rate of flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy.
GMMDA: Gaussian Mixture Modeling of Graph in Latent Space for Graph Data Augmentation
Authors: Li Yanjin , Xu Linchuan , Yamanish Kenji
Published: February 2024

Graph data augmentation (GDA), which manipulates graph structure and/or attributes, has been demonstrated as an effective method for improving the generalization of graph neural networks on semi-supervised node classification. As a data augmentation technique, label-preservation is critical, that is, node labels should not change after data manipulation. However, most existing methods overlook the label-preservation requirements. Determining the label-preserving nature of a GDA method is highly challenging, owing to the non-Euclidean nature of the graph structure. In this study, for the first time, we formulate a label-preserving problem (LPP) in the context of GDA. The LPP is formulated as an optimization problem in which, given a fixed augmentation budget, the objective is to find an augmented graph with minimal difference in data distribution compared to the original graph. To solve the LPP problem, we propose GMMDA, a generative data augmentation (DA) method based on Gaussian mixture modeling (GMM) of a graph in a latent space. We designed a novel learning objective that jointly learns a low-dimensional graph representation and estimates the GMM. The learning is followed by sampling from the GMM, and the samples are converted back to the graph as additional nodes. To uphold label preservation, we designed a minimum description length (MDL)-based method to select a set of samples that produces the minimum shift in the data distribution captured by the GMM. Through experiments, we demonstrate that GMMDA can improve the performance of graph convolutional network on Cora, Citeseer and Pubmed by as much as 7.75%, 8.75%, and 5.87%, respectively, significantly outperforming the state-of-the-art methods.
The ED 50 /ED 95 of esketamine in inhibiting body movement when patients undergoing hysteroscopy
Authors: Wang Dan , Li Shuangfeng , Wang Jun , Chen Shuai , Li Zhenzhen , Zhong Ying
Published: February 2024

Background
Patients would have a strong discomfort feeling and pain in hysteroscopic surgery because of expanding the cervical canal and tissue stretching. Nowadays, propofol has no analgesic effect, it is necessary to combine other analgesic drugs to inhibit intraoperative body movement and eliminate discomfortable feeling. This study was to explore the half effective dose (ED50) and 95% effective dose (ED95) of esketamine combined with propofol in inhibiting body movement when patients underwent hysteroscopy.
Methods
26 patients who needed hysteroscopy were recruited in Haikou Maternal and Child Health Hospital of China. All patients received intravenous esketamine and propofol. The plasma concentration of propofol was set to 3 µg/mL for target-controlled infusion. The dose of esketamine was determined by the Dixon up-and-down sequential method. The ED50/ED95 of esketamine were detected by binary regression (probit). The respiration, circulation and body movement of patients were observed. The operating time, the awakening time and the analgesic effect were recorded.
Results
The ED50/ED95 of esketamine combined with propofol plasma concetration 3 µg/mL inhibiting body movement in patients with hysteroscopy were 0.391 mg/kg and 0.476 mg/kg, respectively (95% confidence intervals were 0.34–0.431 mg/kg and 0.434–0.778 mg/kg). There are not respiratory and circulatory depression in all patients.
Conclusions
Esketamine at 0.476 mg/kg which combined with propofol plasma concetration 3 µg/mL showed a good analgesic effect in hysteroscopy.
What is the impact of CYP7B1 on the prognosis of endometrial cancer: a cohort study
Authors: Lu Xiao-Fang , Huang Tao , Chen Chang , Zhang Jing , Fu Xu-Yong , Cheng Bo , Zhou Ya-Yan , Lei Jia , Lu Da-Lin
Published: February 2024

Background: Endometrial cancer (EC) tissues express CYP7B1, but its association with prognosis needs to be investigated.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry and image analysis software were used to assess CYP7B1 protein expression in 307 paraffin-embedded endometrial tumor sections. Associations between CYP7B1 and clinical factors were tested with the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between CYP7B1 expression and the prognosis of patients with EC. Kaplan-Meier curves were employed to describe survival, and differences were assessed using the log-rank test.
Results: A total of 307 patients were ultimately enrolled with an average age of 52.6±8.0 years at diagnosis. During follow-up, 46 patients (15.0%) died, and 29 (9.4%) suffered recurrence. The expression of CYP7B1 protein was significantly greater in the cytoplasm than in the nucleus. Higher levels of CYP7B1 protein were observed in patients aged <55 years, in ER-positive patients and in PR-positive patients. Both univariate (HR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.18-0.90) and multivariate (HR=0.35, 95%CI:0.16-0.79) Cox regression analyses
demonstrated that high CYP7B1 protein expression predicted longer overall survival (OS). When considering only ER-positive patients, CYP7B1 protein expression was more strongly associated with OS (HR=0.20,95%CI:0.08-0.52). The 3-year OS and 5-year OS in the low-CYP7B1 subgroup were 81.6% and 76.8%, respectively; while in the high-CYP7B1 subgroup were 93.0% and 92.0%, respectively (P=0.021).
Conclusions: High CYP7B1 protein expression predicted longer OS, suggesting that it may serve as an important molecular marker for predicting EC prognosis.
Genomics and molecular breeding of soft rice- a locally evolved japonica line with unique ready-to-eat trait
Authors: Panja Suraj , Bhowmik Arpan Dey , Chattopadhyay Ansuman , Kar Rup Kumar , Dey Pradip Chandra , Dey Narottam
Published: February 2024

Low amylose containing parboiled soft rice is a natural wonder having ready-to-eat trait (RTE) with possible risk of high glycemic response (GR). In this present investigation typical Indian soft rice (var. Vogali Bora) was studied for biochemical basis, whole genomic and transcriptomic dissection followed by molecular breeding for improvement of yield and GR. Quantitative estimation showed that lower amylose (AC) to amylopectin ratio with low resistant starch (RS) in soft rice may be the possible biochemical basis of softness and high GR. Presence of a smaller number of SNPs in WAXY locus and significant down regulation of GBSSI loci supported the molecular basis of lower AC of soft rice like japonica sub varieties. But in comparison to normal rice higher number of SNPs in starch synthesis related genetic loci conferred that they are specially evolved for unique type of starch synthesis to acquire RTE trait which is further propped up by down regulation of a cascade of trait linked transcripts during grain filling. With respect to soft rice, inbreed lines showed improvement in yield related traits and better GR in mice model due to improved AC and RS content of F2:3 seeds. Though this group of rice is of japonica in origin, due to presence of unique type of sequence diversity and starch synthesis machinery, they possess RTE trait which is unique in rice and rice relatives. It made this study significant and in future, generation advancement of developed inbreed lines may produce healthy soft rice on a large scale.
Evaluation of Follow-up Colposcopy Procedures After Abnormal Cervical Screening Result Across a Statewide Study in Mississippi
Authors: Reaves Sydney , Hall Katherine C. , Stewart Mary W. , Wentzensen Nicolas , Ferrell Christina , Risley Carolann , Wells Jimmie , Rives Rhonda , Bobo Fajada , Daniels Jon , Farrington Kathy , Morgan Jody C. , Clarke Megan A.
Published: February 2024

Purpose:
Cervical screening is used to detect and treat precancers to prevent invasive cancers. However, successful prevention also requires adequate follow-up and treatment of individuals with abnormal screening results. The aim was to investigate demographics, clinical characteristics, and follow-up status for individuals needing colposcopy after an abnormal screening result.
Methods:
The STRIDES (Studying Risk to Improve DisparitiES) cohort comprises individuals undergoing cervical cancer screening and management at a Mississippi Health Department or University of Mississippi clinic. Follow-up status, demographics, and clinical data were assessed from electronic health records and, if necessary, patient navigation on individuals identified as needing a colposcopy after an abnormal screening.
Results:
Of the 1,458 individuals requiring colposcopy, 43.0% had the procedure within 4 months, 16.4% had a delayed procedure, and 39.5% had no documented follow-up, with significant predictors of follow-up identified as age and cytology diagnosis. Based on age, individuals 30 + were more likely to follow up with a colposcopy compared to individuals < 30 years (49% and 38.7%, respectively; p < .001). Individuals with cytology diagnoses of LSIL (52.9%), ASC-H (51.4%), and HSIL (62.3%) had higher percentages of adherence to follow-up colposcopy guidelines (p < .001).
Conclusion:
Despite high cervical cancer screening rates among Mississippians, a substantial portion did not have adequate next-step intervention. However, it is encouraging that highest risk individuals were more likely to have a colposcopy. Regardless, continuing to understand the underlying causes for incomplete follow-up is crucial for timely secondary targeted interventions to reduce cervical cancer burden, promote awareness, and improve health outcomes.
Fuzzy Metaphor Identification in Terminology: Artificial Neural Network for Reasoning in Cognitive Linguistics
Authors: Isaeva Ekaterina , Yasnitsky Leonid
Published: February 2024

Metaphor is a cognitive phenomenon used for mediating the dialogue between experts and non-experts. To date, research on automation of metaphor identification has focused chiefly on finding metaphor-related words and metaphorical patterns, as well as establishing conceptual mappings in texts. A neglected area in the field of computational linguistics is finding metaphorical terms. This work provides insights into using an artificial neural network for reasoning in cognitive linguistics. We created a multilayer neural network and trained it using the resilient backpropagation algorithm to determine the metaphoricity level in terms. Within the course of English for professional communication, the computer security students collected terms from modern computer security discourse. Each term in the sample was estimated for the percentage of metaphoricity by cognitive linguists, who adopted acknowledged methods for metaphor identification through the prism of cognitive approach to terminology on the one hand and automation of data retrieval on the other. The latter determined our choice of input parameters. This paper has demonstrated an 86% accuracy in artificial network performance. The data presented here also highlight the aptitude of the input parameters for potentially automated preprocessing. The postprocessing stage, including evaluating the input parameters' significance and error analysis, is done automatically. The strength of our work lies in the fuzziness of human-like artificial decision making. We have obtained satisfactory results demonstrating that artificial intelligence can contribute to evaluating the cognitive potency of terms. These findings add substantially to our previous research into linguistic mediation.
LGR5 Expression in Lymph Node Metastases of Colorectal Cancer: Clinicopathological Insights and Prognostic Implications
Authors: Sawaguchi Hiroshi , Uehara Takeshi , Iwaya Mai , Asaka Shiho , Nakajima Tomoyuki , Kamakura Masato , Nagaya Tadanobu , Yoshizawa Takahiro , Ota Hiroyoshi , Umemura Takeji
Published: February 2024

LGR5 is a promising cancer stem cell marker in colorectal cancer (CRC), and many studies have been conducted on primary tumors. However, LGR5 expression in lymph nodes has not been well studied. In this study, we identified LGR5 expression by RNAscope, a highly sensitive RNA in situ method, and analyzed its association with clinicopathological characteristics. Tissue microarrays were generated from primary tumors and lymph node metastases in paraffin-embedded blocks of 38 CRC surgical resection materials. LGR5 expression by RNAscope was evaluated by dividing the expression levels into negative and positive expression. In all but two cases of lymph node metastasis, LGR5-positive dots were detected in tumor cells, and there was a wide range of LGR5-positive cells. More LGR5-positive dots were identified in the gland-forming region. Twenty-three cases were classified into an high LGR5-expression group, and 15 cases were classified into an low LGR5-expression group. In the high LGR5-expression group, the histological grade was lower than in the low LGR5-expression group (P = 0.0159), while necrosis was significantly more prevalent (P = 0.0326), and the TNM stage was significantly lower (P = 0.0302). There was no association between LGR5 expression levels in lymph node metastases and LGR5 expression levels in primary tumor tissue. LGR5 expression in lymph node metastases may influence prognosis. Further analysis may lead to new therapeutic strategies.
Evaluating the Seasonal Diversity, Habitat Preference and Assemblages of Water birds in Agroecosystem at Central Kerala
Authors: NARAYANAN NEENA , C Latha
Published: February 2024

The study proposes to discuss about the seasonal water bird diversity, habitat preference, assemblages of water bird species and their conservation problems in different agroecosystems. Field visits was done once in a week during Jan. 2021-Jan. 2023. Freshwater and saline agroecosystems are the study areas used for the water bird survey. The water bird study was conducted by direct observation method, point count method and line transect method. Observations were made using binoculars (10 × 50 Nikon) and video camera (Nikon Coolpix p1000). Based on the pilot study in 2020, we decided to concentrate on 16 species of waterbirds coming in the 3 different orders i.e., Order Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes and Suliformes. Compared to the different study areas, a greater abundance of water birds was recorded in winter season, while a lesser abundance was observed in the monsoon season. The species richness was highest in saline agroecosystem and water bird congregation was more in freshwater agroecosystem. Saline agroecosystem was the most preferred habitat used for water bird species. Agroecosystems support the globally threatened water bird species such as spot billed pelican, darter, black headed ibis and painted stork. Many factors that are listed below threatens the agroecosystems and it causes the decreasing assemblages of water bird species. They are high water intake due to heavy rain, electric lines, high growth of water hyacinth, fishing nets, solid wastes and garbage deposited from toddy shops, pesticides used in fresh water rice farming, tourism, crackers, high level of fishing activities, habitat destruction, communication towers, predators and white flags were introduced by farmers.
Arabic translation and validation of the Clinician Administered Staden Schizophrenia Anxiety Rating Scale (S-SARS)
Authors: Fekih-Romdhane Feten , Mouzakzak Fadila Al , Abilmona Ghinwa , Dahdouh Oussama , Hallit Souheil
Published: February 2024

Background: Literature on anxiety in patients with schizophrenia of Arab origin is surprisingly scarce, particularly given that expressions of both psychotic disorders and anxiety disorders can be largely shaped by cultural factors. The present study proposes to complement the literature by examining the psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the Staden Schizophrenia Anxiety Rating Scale (S-SARS) in a sample of chronic, remitted patients with schizophrenia from Lebanon. As the Arabic version of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7‑Item Scale (GAD‑7) has not been previously validated in an Arabic-speaking clinical population of patients with schizophrenia, this study had as a secondary objective to examine the psychometric properties of this scale before its use.
Method: his cross-sectional study has been conducted during August and October 2023. A total of 117 chronic inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia who were remitted and clinically stable filled the survey, with a mean age of 57.86 ± 10.88 years and 63.3% males.
Results: Confirmatory factor analyses showed that all 10 items were condensed into a single factor and had high factor loading values between 0.53 and 0.81. The reliability of the Arabic version of the S-SARS was excellent as attested by a Cronbach’s alpha and a McDonald’s omega coefficients of 0.89 and .90, respectively. The score of Arabic S-SARS correlated positively with the GAD-7 scores (r = .55; p < .001), thus supporting good convergent validity. As for discriminant validity, findings showed positive correlations between S-SARS and depression scores as assessed using the Calgary Depressive Symptoms Scale. In addition, the Arabic S-SARS correlated negatively with general functioning, further supporting the good validity and clinical relevance of the scale. Finally, measurement invariance was established in the gender subsamples (males vs. females) at the configural, metric and scalar levels, with females showing more anxiety than males.
Conclusion: Findings suggest that the Arabic S-SARS holds good psychometric properties, and is suitable for use among Arabic-speaking patients with schizophrenia in clinical practice and research. The Arabic version of S-SARS will hopefully be widely applied to provide useful and timely clinical information for monitoring and adequately treating patients with schizophrenia, in order to improve the course and prognosis of the disease.
Assessing the Risk of Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals in Commercial Baby Formula in Malawi
Authors: Kachipande Andrew , Temba Ben , Materu Silvia , Kaonga Chikumbusko
Published: February 2024

Introduction
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as organochlorine pesticides (OCP) and some heavy metals disturb important life functions such as reproduction, metabolism, and growth by interfering with the normal functionality of the human hormonal system. These toxic and persistent chemicals used in agricultural and industrial processes, can enter the baby formula and remain effective for extended periods. These EDCs come from environmental contamination and the manufacturing process of the baby formula.
Materials and method
In this study, we examined the levels and risk of EDC contamination in a sample of 85 baby formula products available in the Malawian market. Extraction was done using the EU CEN 15662 QuEChERS method and then analyzed using gas-liquid chromatography with fluorescence to quantify OCP contamination. For heavy metals, samples were digested and analyzed using the Analytik Jena microwave digestion system (TOPwave_90_09) and an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, respectively. The risk of exposure was computed using a hypothetical consumption of infant formula at 12 and 24 months, and weight ranges of 9.25–12.247 kg with corresponding average daily intakes of 0.057–0.2kg.
Results
EDC contamination ranged from not detected to 0.3 mg/kg. Common EDCs were Aldrin (23%), dieldrin (27%), and lindane (35%). The risk assessment showed a Hazard Index of 1.2. This suggests higher levels of exposure, are more likely to have lasting effects during human development. The detection levels were above the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended maximum residual limit of 0.01mg/kg.
Conclusion
Considering the health implications and susceptibility of the babies, it is pertinent to enforce and closely monitor the EDC content of baby formulas in the Malawi market.
Beneath the surface: co-habitation of land crabs recruits of Johngarthia lagostoma and its relevance for conservation on oceanic islands
Authors: Pinheiro Marcelo Antonio Amaro , Silva Isabella Dias e , Kriegler Nicholas , Santana William , João Marcio Camargo Araujo
Published: February 2024

Gecarcinid crabs have their life cycles in antagonistic scenarios, with their larvae developing in the sea and the juvenile/adult phases occurring on land. Adults migrate from land to sea to release their larvae, which return to land upon reaching the megalopa stage. Recruitment and early instar traits in land crabs remain unknown, leading to some species lacking age-specific information. It is expected that recruits exhibit cryptic behavior, potentially occupying conspecific burrows. We evaluated whether recruits of Johngarthia lagostoma (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) on Trindade Island, Brazil, co-inhabit larger conspecific burrows, describing this occurrence, and examining their growth patterns, density, and body size across different lunar phases. Johngarthia lagostoma recruits inhabit conspecific burrows, either abandoned or occupied by adult crabs, but always with leaves stored in the inner chamber. Recruits in co-inhabiting behavior reach a maximum carapace width of 7.3 mm and, after that, they are likely detected by the adults and possibly cannibalized or leave burrows naturally. During the full moon, the higher density and smaller size of recruits were recorded, indicating a recruitment lunar phase. It is crucial to ascertain the prevalence of co-inhabitation behaviors in other land crab species to expand the knowledge about recruitment patterns in these key community species.
La educación como factor de promoción social: ¿un paradigma en vía de extinción?
Authors: Mendieta Claudia Patricia
Published: February 2024

Este artículo hace una reflexión de la educación como factor de la promoción social. Se discute el cambio paradigmático de la educación en el contexto de las sociedades neoliberales. Algunas preguntas que se dejan abiertas en este artículo ¿Será que la educación como factor de promoción social es un paradigma en vía de extinción? ¿Esta premisa se aplicaría a nivel mundial…o sólo a América Latina? ¿Debemos apostarle a un nuevo modelo de educación? ¿Cuál es el tipo de educación por la que debemos propender?  ¿Cómo potenciar el aprendizaje en el ser humano aún por encima de la misma educación?
El acontecimiento en la virtualización. Más allá de una posibilidad para la educación
Authors: Carvajal Edward
Published: February 2024

El presente artículo presenta una reflexión en relación con los cambios generados en la sociedad a partir de la llegada de la tecnología informática y cómo, ese universo simbólico movilizado por cuenta de los procesos comunicativos, logra permear a los sujetos al promover la multiplicidad. Adicionalmente, se propone que la educación puede verse beneficiada de estos cambios al ser potenciadora de otras posibilidades en el mundo digital, teniendo en cuenta los contextos y las temporalidades, cuando dichas expresiones visuales y los diversos lenguajes que allí se generan puedan ser reconocidos como potenciadores en la construcción de conocimiento a partir del acontecimiento, pensado como una contingencia que permite la creación de otras oportunidades que alertan sobre las opciones repetidas, concluídas o terminadas; donde se brinda relevancia a los nuevos horizontes de posibilidad en las conexiones sincrónicas o asincrónicas a partir de la interacción de los sujetos en las plataformas digitales.
The relationship between monetary stability and central bank independence: The case of Azerbaijan
Authors: Tanriverdi Ilknur , Jabiyev Farid , Bilan Yuriy , Azizov Mayis , Ibadov Elsevar
Published: February 2024

The independence of the central bank is one of the most important factors for effective monetary policy. Central bank independence is closely related to monetary stability, which is an important part of monetary policy. In this study, the purpose of the analysis is to understand whether monetary stability functions effectively for central bank independence in Azerbaijan using the vector autoregression method. In addition, the Granger Causality test was conducted to empirically investigate how central bank independence affects the provision of monetary stability in the economy of Azerbaijan over the data period from 1996 to 2022. In this framework, indices or variables are the exchange rate stability index (ERS) in 1996–2022, the level of monetary independence index (MI) in 1996–2020, taken from the “trilemma indexes”, which are defined as the consumer price index (CPI) in 1996–2022, and the broad money supply (M2) in 1996–2022. The findings of the study show that the independence of the central bank has a positive effect on the monetary stability of the Azerbaijani economy.
STEPHEN THE LITTLE IN HIS AND OUR TIMES
Authors: Маrоyеvich Radmilo N.
Published: February 2024

Two decades ago the article ‘Mountain Wreath and our language, linguistic and social reality’ was published (Maroyevich, 2002:pp.63–93). The basic postulates of the study were later reflected in a debate on lexical homonymy in a critical issue of the edition of the epic The Mountain Wreath (Maroyevich, 2005:pp.366–400). Following a series, the final part of Nyegosh’s epic trilogy encompassing The Ray of Microcosm, the epic The Mountain Wreath and the epic Stephen the Little, are considered as ‘a revelation of Nyegosh’ by which some contemporary events and phenomena can be explained.

The current issue of this topic deals with the contemporary usurper, students of divinity and language creators and particularly some ethnics. The name Crnogorci had only geographical and territorial meaning ‛The Serbs the inhabitants of Montenegro’, but today there is a tendency to establish this name as the name for one special nation. The name Boshnyaci had also only geographical and territorial meaning ‛the Serbs from Bosnia independent of their religion’, and nowadays there is tendency to proclaim them as being only a special nation of Islamic religious and cultural tradition. The name Arbanаsi is the name of a particular nation described in the epic Stephen the Little from the standpoint of view of aspects of their etnical characteristics that are actual even nowadays. That term is morphologically and semantically related to the area of Arbana (in Serbian as a result of metathesis of liquids: Rabana) where the Shiptars (their ethnical self term) first settled. The concept of swear word (bound by oath) with the Serbs and (new)Turks is also analysed in this paper: that concept within the overall macroconcept of face is respected by the Islamised Serbs in the Turkish camp, while the Turkish solid faith as a variant of the concept turned into a means of deception.