bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stress in the metastatic journey – the role of cell communication and clustering in breast cancer progression and treatment resistance
Authors: Grasset Eloïse M. , Barillé-Nion Sophie , Juin Philippe P.
Published: March 2024

Breast cancer stands as the most prevalent malignancy afflicting women. Despite significant advancements in its diagnosis and treatment, breast cancer metastasis continues to be a leading cause of mortality among women. To metastasize, cancer cells face numerous challenges: breaking away from the primary tumor, surviving in the circulation, establishing in a distant location, evading immune detection and, finally, thriving to initiate a new tumor. Each of these sequential steps requires cancer cells to adapt to a myriad of stressors and develop survival mechanisms. In addition, most patients with breast cancer undergo surgical removal of their primary tumor and have various therapeutic interventions designed to eradicate cancer cells. Despite this plethora of attacks and stresses, certain cancer cells not only manage to persist but also proliferate robustly, giving rise to substantial tumors that frequently culminate in the patient's demise. To enhance patient outcomes, there is an imperative need for a deeper understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that empower cancer cells to not only survive but also expand. Herein, we delve into the intrinsic stresses that cancer cells encounter throughout the metastatic journey and the additional stresses induced by therapeutic interventions. We focus on elucidating the remarkable strategies adopted by cancer cells, such as cell–cell clustering and intricate cell–cell communication mechanisms, to ensure their survival.
MADD regulates natural killer cell degranulation through Rab27a activation
Authors: Medlyn Michael J. , Maeder Easton , Bradley Claire , Phatarpekar Prasad , Ham Hyoungjun , Billadeau Daniel D.
Published: March 2024

Natural killer (NK) cells have the ability to lyse other cells through the release of lytic granules (LGs). This is in part mediated by the small GTPase Rab27a, which was first identified to play a crucial role in degranulation through the study of individuals harboring mutations in the gene encoding Rab27a. However, the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) regulating the activation of Rab27a in cytotoxic lymphocytes was unknown. Here, we show that knockout of MADD significantly decreased the levels of GTP-bound Rab27a in both resting and stimulated NK cells, and MADD-deficient NK cells and CD8+ T cells displayed severely reduced degranulation and cytolytic ability, similar to that seen with Rab27a deficiency. Although MADD colocalized with Rab27a on LGs and was enriched at the cytolytic synapse, the loss of MADD did not impact Rab27a association with LGs nor their recruitment to the cytolytic synapse. Together, our results demonstrate an important role for MADD in cytotoxic lymphocyte killing.
Bumblebees compensate for the adverse effects of sidewind during visually guided landings
Authors: Goyal Pulkit , van Leeuwen Johan L. , Muijres Florian T.
Published: March 2024

Flying animals often encounter winds during visually guided landings. However, how winds affect their flight control strategy during landing is unknown. Here, we investigated how sidewind affects the landing performance and sensorimotor control of foraging bumblebees (Bombus terrestris). We trained bumblebees to forage in a wind tunnel, and used high-speed stereoscopic videography to record 19,421 landing maneuvers in six sidewind speeds (0 to 3.4 m s−1), which correspond to winds encountered in nature. Bumblebees landed less often in higher windspeeds, but the landing durations from free flight were not increased by wind. By testing how bumblebees adjusted their landing control to compensate for adverse effects of sidewind on landing, we showed that the landing strategy in sidewind resembled that in still air, but with important adaptations. Bumblebees landing in a sidewind tended to drift downwind, which they controlled for by performing more hover maneuvers. Surprisingly, the increased hover prevalence did not increase the duration of free-flight landing maneuvers, as these bumblebees flew faster towards the landing platform outside the hover phases. Hence, by alternating these two flight modes along their flight path, free-flying bumblebees negated the adverse effects of high windspeeds on landing duration. Using control theory, we hypothesize that bumblebees achieve this by integrating a combination of direct aerodynamic feedback and a wind-mediated mechanosensory feedback control, with their vision-based sensorimotor control loop. The revealed landing strategy may be commonly used by insects landing in windy conditions, and may inspire the development of landing control strategies onboard autonomously flying robots.
Spatiotemporal modulation of a common set of muscle synergies during unpredictable and predictable gait perturbations in older adults
Authors: Brüll Leon , Santuz Alessandro , Mersmann Falk , Bohm Sebastian , Schwenk Michael , Arampatzis Adamantios
Published: March 2024

Muscle synergies as functional low-dimensional building blocks of the neuromotor system regulate the activation patterns of muscle groups in a modular structure during locomotion. The purpose of the current study was to explore how older adults organize locomotor muscle synergies to counteract unpredictable and predictable gait perturbations during the perturbed steps and the recovery steps. Sixty-three healthy older adults (71.2±5.2 years) participated in the study. Mediolateral and anteroposterior unpredictable and predictable perturbations during walking were introduced using a treadmill. Muscle synergies were extracted from the electromyographic activity of 13 lower limb muscles using Gaussian non-negative matrix factorization. The four basic synergies responsible for unperturbed walking (weight acceptance, propulsion, early swing and late swing) were preserved in all applied gait perturbations, yet their temporal recruitment and muscle contribution in each synergy were modified (P<0.05). These modifications were observed for up to four recovery steps and were more pronounced (P<0.05) following unpredictable perturbations. The recruitment of the four basic walking synergies in the perturbed and recovery gait cycles indicates a robust neuromotor control of locomotion by using activation patterns of a few and well-known muscle synergies with specific adjustments within the synergies. The selection of pre-existing muscle synergies while adjusting the time of their recruitment during challenging locomotor conditions may improve the effectiveness to deal with perturbations and promote the transfer of adaptation between different kinds of perturbations.
Muhammad Shahrur's millenial interpretation of women’s issues
Authors: Herlambang Saifuddin
Published: March 2024

Background This study examines Muhammad Shahrur’s theory of limits and women’s issues. This theory adjusts the muhkamat verses to remain relevant to sociocultural conditions while remining within the jurisdiction of Allah SWT. Shahrur’s approach conveyed women as different from traditional ulemas and controversial. Therefore, it is necessary to describe Shahrur’s theory and interpretation of women’s issues. Methods This was an exploratory bibliographic study using descriptive-hermeneutic analysis. Two of Shahrur’s books were selected and five chapters from Al-Kitāb wa Al-Qur’ān, Qirā’ah Mu’āshirah and five chapters from Nahw Ushūl al-Jadīdah Li al-Fiqh al-Islāmy; Fiqh al-Mar’ah . Results Shahrur’s interpretations on women’s issues are: a) relationships between teenagers of the opposite sex without marriage or living together are “halal” if they follow their will without a contract and are accompanied by syecih, or permission; b) the maximum limit of the hijab is to cover the entire body except the face and palms. In contrast, the minimum limit covers the juyūb, including cleavage under the armpits, body parts, genitals, and buttocks. Apart from these, it does not include intimate parts and adapts to the community. c) Women’s intimate parts are shown only to the seven groups: brothers, fathers, children of a sibling, parents of one’s wives, and their children; d) Polygamy has both an upper limit and a lower limit. Shahrur allows polygamy under two conditions: widows with children whose husbands left them to protect them; polygamy has two limitations: a limit for quantity and a limit for quality; and e) the law of adultery has a lower and upper limit. Conclusion According to Shahrur, women’s issues are divided into four limits: sometimes they are at the upper limit and sometimes at the lower limit. Shahrur’s linguistic approach finally led him to draw the conclusion that the product of Islamic law is highly dependent on the sociocultural context.
Healthy Lifespan Statistics Derived From Cross-Sectional Prevalence Data Using the Sullivan Method are Informative Summary Measures of Population Health
Authors: Muszyńska-Spielauer Magdalena , Riffe Tim , Spielauer Martin
Published: March 2024

Health expectancy (HE), commonly derived from cross-sectional prevalence data using the Sullivan method, serves as the most frequently used summary measure of population health. Like lifespan distribution statistics, which are often discussed alongside life expectancy (LE) in demographic studies, analogous statistics on healthy lifespans can provide valuable information on population health. We examine whether healthy lifespan distribution statistics beyond HE can be estimated based on cross-sectional prevalence data and the life table, the data inputs of the Sullivan method. To do so, we treat the Sullivan method as an extension of the stationary population model to health and distinguish between health conditions with and without recovery from the state of decreased health. Our empirical demonstration is based on the prevalence of chronic diseases in selected European countries in 2017 from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), as well as on life tables from EUROSTAT.
We find that the Sullivan method, when considered as an extension of the stationary population model to health, allows for the estimation of a healthy survival distribution and its statistics, beyond HE, for health characteristics with no recovery from the state of decreased health. We show that for such health conditions, the method requires that the number of persons in full health in a stationary population does not increase with age. We argue that for such health dimensions, HE conditional on being in good health at the life table radix age is of relevance for health policy interventions.
In our empirical application, we show that the conditional and unconditional measures of HE can give substantially different pictures of population health. Furthermore, we show that across European countries, in contrast to the negative relationship between LE and lifespan inequality, higher HE is associated with greater inequality in healthy years lived when conditional on being healthy at age 50.
Overall, the Sullivan method, when considered as an extension of the stationary population model, proves to be a valuable tool for deriving summary statistics of population health beyond HE, which are highly relevant to public policy.
* This article belongs to a special issue on “Levels and Trends of Health Expectancy: Understanding its Measurement and Estimation Sensitivity”.
Management Practices and Resilience to Shocks: Evidence from COVID-19
Authors: Lamorgese Andrea , Patnaik Megha , Linarello Andrea , Schivardi Fabiano
Published: March 2024

We use the spread of COVID-19 in Italy, the first Western country hit by the pandemic, to investigate the role of structured management practices in responding to a large shock. We exploit a survey eliciting expected sales growth for 2020 to set up a difference-in-difference analysis with repeated cross sections, leveraging the fact that the data collection began prior to the pandemic and continued throughout its spread. We find a sizable effect of such practices on firm performance: a one-standard-deviation increase in the management score increases expected sales growth by 2.3%, against an average drop of 8.3%. Results are confirmed with actual sales growth. Firms with more structured practices were more likely to implement a comprehensive set of changes, including a more intense use of remote work.

This paper was accepted by Alfonso Gambardella, business strategy.

Funding: This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme [Grant agreement 835201].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.01341 .
Institution or Individuality? Some Reflections on the Lessons To Be Learned From Personal Accounts of Recovery From Schizophrenia
Authors: Wannberg Rosanna
Published: March 2024

Abstract: In this paper, I argue for a social conception of subjectivity, via a philosophical reading of first-person accounts of recovery from schizophrenia, published in the Schizophrenia Bulletin . Following the hypothesis that these accounts exemplify a more general tension between, on the one hand, normative and social dimensions of the self, and on the other, experiential and psychological dimensions, the first section of the paper formulates the problem from a philosophical perspective inspired by Ludwig Wittgenstein's grammatical approach. The second section explores and rejects different possible readings (sociologistic, phenomenological, or narrativist readings), as conceiving the subject in too passive a relationship with him or herself, and as leading to overly skeptical conclusions about the claims in the first-person accounts insisting on the notion of recovery as a restoration of a sense of self and as empowerment. The third section suggests that a more positive answer can be given via the idea of a certain grammar of recovery governing these narratives, and sketches out how this relates to the more general philosophical question on subjectivity.
Spatial and Scalar Multitudes: Thinking with World, Globe, and Planet
Authors: Campana Joseph , Ramachandran Ayesha
Published: March 2024

Abstract: "Spatial and Scalar Multitudes: Thinking with World, Globe, and Planet" offers a theoretical framework and overview of the themed issue "World, Globe, Planet." This themed issue considers the recourse to macroscopic categories in early modern cultures and argues for their value as a resource for understanding present-day invocations of large-scale categories in conversations about the global, globalization, and geopolitics, on the one hand, and in conversations about the planetary, the environmental, and the Anthropocene, on the other. The tensions between such approaches encourage also a reconsideration of scale, interconnection, universality, modernity, cosmopolitanism, and other foundational concepts. Pieces in the collection, both scholarly and pedagogical, take up other keywords and points of fracture around totality, horizon, collectivity, and sphere.
Worlds of Experience: Fiction, Image, and the Ontology of Ideas in Sidney and Shakespeare
Authors: Turner Henry S.
Published: March 2024

Abstract: This article examines ideas about worlds, fiction, art, images, nature, and experience in Philip Sidney's A Defence of Poetry (1580) and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595) by drawing on accounts of the image in classical culture, on dreams and shamanistic worldviews, and on John Dewey's philosophy of pragmatism. The article suggests how theater might offer resources for bringing diverging human and nonhuman worlds into new alignments by furnishing us with accounts of knowledge and collective action that differ from those of modern science.
Universal relation between the conditional auto-correlation function and the cross-correlation function of biphotons
Authors: Shih Teng-Jen , Huang Wei-Kai , Lin Yi-Min , Li Kai-Bo , Hsu Chia-Yu , Chen Jia-Mou , Tu Pei-Yu , Peters Thorsten , Chen Yong-Fan , Yu Ite A.
Published: March 2024

We systematically studied the relation between the conditional auto-correlation function (CACF) and cross-correlation function (CCF) of biphotons or pairs of single photons. The biphotons were generated from a heated atomic vapor via the spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) process. In practical usage, one single photon of a pair is utilized as the heralding photon, and another is employed as the heralded photon. Motivated by the data of CACF of the heralded photons versus CCF, we proposed a universal formula to predict the CACF. The derived formula was based on general theory and is also valid for the biphoton generation process of spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). With the formula, we utilized the experimentally determined parameters to predict CACFs, which can well agree with the measured CACFs. The proposed formula enables one to quantitatively know the CACF of heralded single photons without the measurement of Hanbury-Brown-Twiss-type three-fold coincidence count. This study provides a better understanding of biphoton generation using the SFWM or SPDC process. Our work demonstrates a valuable tool for analyzing a vital property of how the heralded photons are close to Fock-state single photons.
End-to-end learning strategy based on a frequency domain feature decoupling network emulator with joint probabilistic shaping and equalization for a 300-Gbit/s OAM mode division multiplexing transmission
Authors: Xu Qi , Gao Ran , Cheng Zhaohui , Wang Fei , Cui Yi , Yang Fuling , Li Zhipei , Chang Huan , Liu Jie , Guo Dong , Zhu Lei , Pan Xiaolong , Zhang Qi , Tian Qinghua , Huang Xin , Yan Jinghao , Jiang Lin , Xin Xiangjun
Published: March 2024

Mode coupling and device nonlinear impairment appear to be a long-standing challenge in the orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode division multiplexing (MDM) of intensity modulation direct detection (IM/DD) transmission systems. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end (E2E) learning strategy based on a frequency domain feature decoupling network (FDFDnet) emulator with joint probabilistic shaping (PS) and equalization for an OAM-MDM IM/DD transmission with three modes. Our FDFDnet emulator can accurately build a complex nonlinear model of an OAM-MDM system by separating the signal into features from different frequency domains. Furthermore, a FDFDnet-based E2E strategy for joint PS and equalization is presented with the aim of compensating the signal impairment for the OAM-MDM IM/DD system. An experiment is carried out on a 300 Gbit/s carrierless amplitude phase-32 (CAP-32) signal with three OAM modes over a 10 km ring-core fiber transmission, and the results show that the proposed FDFDnet emulator outperforms the traditional CGAN emulator, with improvements in the modelling accuracy of 30.8%, 26.3% and 31% for the three OAM modes. Moreover, the receiver sensitivity of the proposed E2E learning strategy is higher than for the CGAN emulator by 3, 2.5, 2.2 dBm and the real channel by 5.5, 5.1, and 5.3 dBm for the three OAM modes, respectively. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed FDFDnet emulator-based E2E learning strategy is a promising contender for achieving ultra-high-capacity interconnectivity between data centers.
Enhancing OFDM with index modulation using heuristic geometric constellation shaping and generalized interleaving for underwater VLC
Authors: Zhao Yinan , Chen Chen , Zhong Xin , Cao Hailin , Liu Min , Lin Bangjiang , Savović Svetislav
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we propose and demonstrate enhanced orthogonal frequency division multiplexing with index modulation (OFDM-IM) schemes for bandlimited underwater visible light communication (UVLC) systems via geometric constellation shaping (GCS) and subblock interleaving. Specifically, two heuristic GCS approaches based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) and hybrid genetic algorithm-PSO (GA-PSO) algorithms are proposed to generate IM-preferable constellations. Moreover, a generalized interleaving technique is further proposed to overcome the low-pass effect of bandlimited UVLC systems, where an optimal step size can be obtained to perform subblock interleaving. Simulation and experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed enhanced OFDM-IM schemes in bandlimited UVLC systems, where both OFDM with single-mode index modulation (OFDM-SM) and OFDM with dual-mode index modulation (OFDM-DM) schemes are considered. The experimental results demonstrate remarkable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gains of 1.3 and 1.9 dB for OFDM-SM and OFDM-DM in comparison to the benchmark schemes, respectively.
Temporal contrast enhancement of a Ti:Sapphire laser by nonlinear Fourier filtering
Authors: Szatmári Sándor , Nagy Tamás , Dajka Rita , Kedves Miklós Á. , Aladi Márk , Földes István B.
Published: March 2024

Temporal cleaning of high-power infrared (IR) pulses generated by a Ti:Sapphire system is demonstrated by the use of the Nonlinear Fourier Filtering (NFF) method. In a proof-of-principle experiment suppression of up to 1000 is achieved for the temporal pedestal prior to the main pulse, with a moderate (20-25%) overall throughput. This includes the same suppression ratio for the picosecond coherent pedestal in the direct vicinity of the main pulse. Based on the instantaneous, intensity-dependent and high-order switching characteristics of NFF, excellent pulse cleaning performance is observed. The efficient, high-contrast removal of the coherent pedestal from the foot of the main pulse even if its duration is shorter than 100 fs is compared with the capability of the plasma mirror technique. Calculations are also performed, supporting the experimentally observed sharp intensity dependence of the switching process, pointing out the dominant role of the ionization-based refractive index change.
Vortex electromagnetic wave imaging with orbital angular momentum and waveform degrees of freedom
Authors: Liu Kang , Liu Hongyan , Wang Hongqiang , Li Xiang
Published: March 2024

The vortex electromagnetic wave has shown great prospects of radar applications, due to the orbital angular momentum (OAM) degree of freedom. However, the radiation energy convergence of the OAM beam remains a hard problem to be solved for radar target imaging in realistic scenario. In this paper, an OAM beam generation method is developed exploiting the OAM and waveform degrees of freedom simultaneously, which can collimate the beams with different OAM modes. Furthermore, the echo demodulation and the imaging methods are proposed to reconstruct the target profiles in the range and azimuth domain. Simulation and experimental results both validate that the OAM-based radar imaging can achieve azimuthal super-resolution beyond the diffraction limit of the array aperture. This work can advance the system design of vortex electromagnetic wave radar and its real-world applications.
Multi-channel delay sampling to extend imaging depth in high-speed swept-source OCT systems
Authors: Shi Yaping , Liu Jian , Gong Zhaoyu , Burger Christopher , Jayaraman Vijaysekhar , Wang Ruikang K.
Published: March 2024

We present a multi-channel delay sampling method to extend imaging depth in high-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). A balanced detector captures interference signals, converting them into electrical signals, which are then split into N channels, each with fixed time delays determined by the length of electrical cables. Then, they are digitized by an N-channel acquisition card. A calibration procedure is utilized to compensate for non-uniform phase shifts resulting from fixed time delays. The N-channel signals are merged in k-space and resampled to obtain a linearized spectrum, which increases the sampling rate by a factor of N, thereby extending the ranging distance by N times, all without altering k-clock triggering or sacrificing other imaging performance. The signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity within the original depth range also have been enhanced. This advancement contributes to the improvement of the overall performance of SS-OCT systems.
Effects of e-cigarette smoking on periodontal health: A scoping review
Authors: Charde Priti , Ali Kamran , Hamdan Nader
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Use of electronic cigarettes (ECs), also known as vaping, has gained remarkable popularity globally during the last decade especially among young people. Current evidence suggests that vaping may be associated with health risks. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether vaping increases the risk for initiation and progression of periodontal disease; and to appraise the clinical changes seen in patients using e-cigarettes, and how these changes impact the management of periodontal disease.

Study selection, data and sources

A comprehensive electronic search was conducted on the PubMed, Scopus and Embase databases using the following search terms: Electronic Cigarettes OR vaping OR electronic nicotine delivery systems OR e-cigarettes AND Periodontitis. The search was limited to studies published from 1st January 2012 to 31st December 2022.

Results

A total of 23 clinical studies focusing on the effect of e-cigarette smoking on the periodontal clinical parameters, levels of inflammatory mediators, alteration in periodontal microflora, and response to periodontal treatment were found to be eligible for inclusion in the review. Vaping may be associated with greater clinical attachment loss (CAL) compared to non-smokers. Moreover, ECs are also associated with unfavorable effects on periodontal microbial counts, biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress.

Conclusions

Vaping may play a role in the initiation and progression of periodontal disease by altering the host response resulting in the release of inflammatory cytokines and periodontal microflora. Clinical studies show deleterious effects of vaping on periodontal health as well as less favourable response to periodontal treatment is observed in e–cigarette users compared to non-smokers. However, compared to cigarette smoking, the effects of vaping are less remarkable.
Epidemiological, clinical, and geographical characterization of Leprosy in the County of Santarém-Pará: Insights for effective control and targeted intervention
Authors: Cota Queiroz Edson Jandrey , Nunes da Rocha Ingrid , Valentim Lívia de Aguiar , Quaresma Thiago Junio Costa , de Souza Filho Zilmar Augusto , de Oliveira Sheyla Mara Silva , de Paula Fernandes Franciane , Macedo Caroline Gomes , Quaresma Tatiane Costa , Moraes Waldiney Pires
Published: March 2024

Leprosy is an infectious disease characterized by slow and chronic evolution, caused by Mycobacterium leprae and or Mycobacterium lepromatosis, an intracellular alcohol-acid-resistant (BAAR) bacillus. The objective of this study was to provide an epidemiological, clinical, and geographic characterization of leprosy in the city of Santarém-Pará during the period 2011–2020. A cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative approach was used, employing maps and tables to illustrate clinical and epidemiological variables, including: sex, age, race, area of residence, operational classification, clinical form, number of skin lesions, number of affected nerves, and health units. During the analyzed period, 581 cases of leprosy were diagnosed, resulting in the following cumulative incidence rates: male (60%); age over 15 years (94%); urban area (73%); multibacillary (74%); borderline form (46%); skin lesions greater than 5 (34%); and no nerves affected (68%). In the urban perimeter, a higher cumulative incidence of cases was observed in the central area with 133 cases. However, the health unit reporting the largest number of cases belonged to the southern area, specifically the Basic Health Unit of Nova República, with 48 cases. This study highlights the need to characterize the nuances of leprosy and its variability within the urban environment, according to different areas. Further research is essential to inform the implementation of public policies aimed at addressing the population with the highest vulnerability index, thereby reducing leprosy rates in Santarém.
Enterprise digital transformation’s impact on stock liquidity: A corporate governance perspective
Authors: Liu Hui , Zhu Jia , Cheng Huijie
Published: March 2024

The innovation in technology and economic growth, which are brought about by digital transformation in enterprises, will inevitably impact their performance in the capital market. Using a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2021, this study extensively examines the impact, mechanism, and economic consequences of enterprises digital transformation on stock liquidity. The research reveals that enterprises digital transformation can significantly improve stock liquidity. From the perspective of corporate governance, a further analysis indicates that the digital transformation of enterprises can improve stock liquidity by three mechanisms: easing financing constraints, improving the quality of internal control, and enhancing information disclosure. The results of the heterogeneity analysis indicate that the digital transformation of enterprises, combined with a high level of financial technology, developed financial markets, and policy guidance, has a significantly more significant effect on improving stock liquidity. The analysis of economic consequences reveals that the digital transformation of enterprises can lower the risk of a stock price crash and enhance the accuracy of analysts’ forecasts, primarily by improving stock liquidity. This study offers empirical evidence from a micro-mechanism perspective that elucidates the spillover effect of enterprise digital transformation on the capital market. It provides insight into the impact of enterprise digital transformation on stock liquidity and offers theoretical guidance to promote the adoption of enterprise digital transformation across different countries and enhance stock liquidity in the capital market.
Thrombophilia genetic mutations and their relation to disease severity among patients with COVID-19
Authors: Moness Hend , Mousa Suzan Omar , Mousa Sarah Omar , Adel Nashwa Mohamed , Ibrahim Reham Ali , Hassan Ebtesam Esmail , Abdelhameed Nadia Ismail , Meshref Dalia Abdelrahman , Abdullah Noha M.
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Patients with COVID-19 infection appear to develop virus-induced hypercoagulability resulting in numerous thrombotic events. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between the thrombophilia genes mutations (prothrombin G20210A, factor V Leiden, and methyltetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR)) and the severity of COVID-19 patients.

Design

Prospective cross-sectional study.

Method

One hundred and forty patients (80 adults and 60 children) were included in the current study. They were divided into the severe COVID-19 group and the mild COVID-19 group, with each group comprising 40 adults and 30 children. The patients were assessed for FV R506Q, FV R2H1299R, MTHFR A1298C, MTHFR C677T, and prothrombin gene G20210A polymorphisms. CBC, D-dimer, renal and liver function tests, hs-CRP, ferritin, and LDH were also assessed. Thrombotic events were clinically and radiologically documented.

Results

Severe COVID-19 cases were significantly more frequent to have a heterozygous mutation for all the studied genes compared to mild COVID-19 cases (p<0.05 for all). Being mutant to gene FV R506Q carried the highest risk of developing a severe disease course (p<0.0001). Patients with abnormally high D-dimer levels were significantly more frequent to be heterozygous for FV R506Q, FV R2H1299R, and prothrombin gene G20210A (p = 0.006, 0.007, and 0.02, respectively).

Conclusion

We concluded that there is an evident relationship between severe COVID-19 and inherited thrombophilia. In the current study, FV R506Q gene mutation carried the highest risk of developing a severe COVID-19 disease course.
DVFNet: A deep feature fusion-based model for the multiclassification of skin cancer utilizing dermoscopy images
Authors: Naeem Ahmad , Anees Tayyaba
Published: March 2024

Skin cancer is a common cancer affecting millions of people annually. Skin cells inside the body that grow in unusual patterns are a sign of this invasive disease. The cells then spread to other organs and tissues through the lymph nodes and destroy them. Lifestyle changes and increased solar exposure contribute to the rise in the incidence of skin cancer. Early identification and staging are essential due to the high mortality rate associated with skin cancer. In this study, we presented a deep learning-based method named DVFNet for the detection of skin cancer from dermoscopy images. To detect skin cancer images are pre-processed using anisotropic diffusion methods to remove artifacts and noise which enhances the quality of images. A combination of the VGG19 architecture and the Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) is used in this research for discriminative feature extraction. SMOTE Tomek is used to resolve the problem of imbalanced images in the multiple classes of the publicly available ISIC 2019 dataset. This study utilizes segmentation to pinpoint areas of significantly damaged skin cells. A feature vector map is created by combining the features of HOG and VGG19. Multiclassification is accomplished by CNN using feature vector maps. DVFNet achieves an accuracy of 98.32% on the ISIC 2019 dataset. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical test is used to validate the model’s accuracy. Healthcare experts utilize the DVFNet model to detect skin cancer at an early clinical stage.
Sanitation in urban areas may limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance via flies
Authors: Capone Drew , Cumming Oliver , Flemister Abeoseh , Ilevbare Victor , Irish Seth R. , Keenum Ishi , Knee Jackie , Nala Rassul , Brown Joe
Published: March 2024

Synanthropic filth flies are common where sanitation is poor and fecal wastes are accessible to them. These flies have been proposed as mechanical vectors for the localized transport of fecal microbes including antimicrobial resistant (AMR) organisms and associated antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), increasing exposure risks. We evaluated whether an onsite sanitation intervention in Maputo, Mozambique reduced the concentration of enteric bacteria and the frequency of detection of ARGs carried by flies collected in household compounds of low-income neighborhoods. Additionally, we assessed the phenotypic resistance profile of Enterobacteriaceae isolates recovered from flies during the pre-intervention phase. After fly enumeration at study compounds, quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify an enteric 16S rRNA gene (i.e., specific to a cluster of phylotypes corresponding to 5% of the human fecal microflora), 28 ARGs, and Kirby Bauer Disk Diffusion of Enterobacteriaceae isolates was utilized to assess resistance to eleven clinically relevant antibiotics. The intervention was associated with a 1.5 log10 reduction (95% confidence interval: -0.73, -2.3) in the concentration of the enteric 16S gene and a 31% reduction (adjusted prevalence ratio = 0.69, [0.52, 0.92]) in the mean number of ARGs per fly compared to a control group with poor sanitation. This protective effect was consistent across the six ARG classes that we detected. Enterobacteriaceae isolates–only from the pre-intervention phase–were resistant to a mean of 3.4 antibiotics out of the eleven assessed. Improving onsite sanitation infrastructure in low-income informal settlements may help reduce fly-mediated transmission of enteric bacteria and the ARGs carried by them.
Gene expression analysis suggests immunosuppressive roles of endolysosomes in glioblastoma
Authors: Sun Michael A. , Yao Haipei , Yang Qing , Pirozzi Christopher J. , Chandramohan Vidyalakshmi , Ashley David M. , He Yiping
Published: March 2024

Targeting endolysosomes is a strategy extensively pursued for treating cancers, including glioblastomas (GBMs), on the basis that the intact function of these subcellular organelles is key to tumor cell autophagy and survival. Through gene expression analyses and cell type abundance estimation in GBMs, we showed that genes associated with the endolysosomal machinery are more prominently featured in non-tumor cells in GBMs than in tumor cells, and that tumor-associated macrophages represent the primary immune cell type that contributes to this trend. Further analyses found an enrichment of endolysosomal pathway genes in immunosuppressive (pro-tumorigenic) macrophages, such as M2-like macrophages or those associated with worse prognosis in glioma patients, but not in those linked to inflammation (anti-tumorigenic). Specifically, genes critical to the hydrolysis function of endolysosomes, including progranulin and cathepsins, were among the most positively correlated with immunosuppressive macrophages, and elevated expression of these genes is associated with worse patient survival in GBMs. Together, these results implicate the hydrolysis function of endolysosomes in shaping the immunosuppressive microenvironment of GBM. We propose that targeting endolysosomes, in addition to its detrimental effects on tumor cells, can be leveraged for modulating immunosuppression to render GBMs more amenable to immunotherapies.
The Model Family Code and the regulation of Polish Family Law
Authors: Sokołowski Tomasz
Published: March 2024

The paper presents the comparison between the principles of Model Family Code and the regulations Polish family Law. The main questions are connected with the sources of Family Law, the recognition of the clause on “a child’s welfare”, the scope of State’s protection of families and family life and the influence of the European Court of Human Rights’ jurisprudence. In addition, the analyse takes into account the definitions of marriage, concubinage and partnership in connection with the protection of privacy and family life. On the area of divorce regulation the main analyse are connected with the alternative dispute resolution (ADR), parental authority, joint custody and contacts with common child, and financial consequences of dissolution of marriage. At last are analysed the descent of a child, alimentation, adoption the new institution of child’s advocate.
Isomorphisms and commensurability of surface Houghton groups
Authors: Aramayona Javier , Domat George , Leininger Christopher J.
Published: March 2024

We classify surface Houghton groups, as well as their pure subgroups, up to isomorphism, commensurability, and quasi-isometry.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of a Ti6Al4V alloy recycled by waste chips vacuum arc melting
Authors: Ozkan Dilara Nur , Sahin Omer , Icin Kursat , Kilicli Volkan , Akar Neset
Published: March 2024

This study investigated the microstructure and mechanical properties of the recycled Ti6Al4V alloy produced using the waste chips vacuum arc melting (VAM) process. The waste chips were cleaned to remove machining residues before VAM and dried in the oven. The dried and compressed chip compacts are vacuum arc melted and hot rolled. Microstructural characterization was performed by using an optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Mechanical properties were determined by tensile and hardness tests. The microstructures of recycled Ti6Al4V alloy, which produced the VAM process, consist of acicular structures due to rapid solidification. After hot rolling from 950 °C, the elongated α grains and transformed β grains consisting of fine acicular α phase were observed. The recycled Ti6Al4V alloy by hot rolling after VAM exhibited very low total elongation compared to the as-received Ti6Al4V alloy. While a micro dimples ductile fracture was observed on the fracture surfaces of the as-received Ti6Al4V alloy after the tensile test, a brittle fracture surface was observed in the recycled Ti6Al4V alloy samples after VAM + hot rolling due to the coarse α and β grain structure after cooling in the air after hot rolling.
Metallographic characterization of metallic heat shields, accidentally precipitation-hardened with tripled soaking time
Authors: Neidel A. , Fischer B. , Rockel J.
Published: March 2024

Heat treatment (HT) problems, or the lack of necessary HT, are a regular topic of discussion in the papers published in this section Failure Analysis of Practical Metallography. In this present contribution, a case study is presented that shows how an erroneous furnace run almost caused the scrapping of an entire engine set of Metallic Heat Shields (MHS) of a heavy-duty gas turbine engine. The authors readily admit that the subject components did not fail. They were not even put in engine service yet. That means that this case study does not describe a failure in the original sense of the word. However, from a metallurgical point of view, it is still an interesting case that shows that without proper scrutiny during metallurgical investigation in the laboratory, considerable economic loss could have resulted from a simple fabrication problem, that involved a malfunctioning control system of a heat treatment furnace. It was concluded from the metallurgical investigation that is the subject of this contribution that an almost tripled soaking time during aging, i. e., precipitation hardening, of an entire engine set of MHS did not cause any microstructural alterations that could have detrimentally affected mechanical properties of the subject components.
Tmod2is a regulator of cocaine responses through control of striatal and cortical excitability, and drug-induced plasticity
Authors: Mitra Arojit , Deats Sean P. , Dickson Price E. , Zhu Jiuhe , Gardin Justin , Nieman Brian J. , Henkelman R. Mark , Tsai Nien-Pei , Chesler Elissa J. , Zhang Zhong-Wei , Kumar Vivek
Published: March 2024

Drugs of abuse induce neuroadaptations, including synaptic plasticity, that are critical for transition to addiction, and genes and pathways that regulate these neuroadaptations are potential therapeutic targets.Tropomodulin 2(Tmod2) is an actin-regulating gene that plays an important role in synapse maturation and dendritic arborization and has been implicated in substance-abuse and intellectual disability in humans. Here we mine the KOMP2 data and find thatTmod2 knockout mice show emotionality phenotypes that are predictive of addiction vulnerability. Detailed addiction phenotyping showed thatTmod2deletion does not affect the acute locomotor response to cocaine administration. However, sensitized locomotor responses are highly attenuated in these knockouts, indicating perturbed drug-induced plasticity. In addition,Tmod2mutant animals do not self-administer cocaine indicating lack of hedonic responses to cocaine. Whole brain MR imaging shows differences in brain volume across multiple regions although transcriptomic experiments did not reveal perturbations in gene co-expression networks. Detailed electrophysiological characterization ofTmod2KO neurons, showed increased spontaneous firing rate of early postnatal and adult cortical and striatal neurons. Cocaine-induced synaptic plasticity that is critical for sensitization is either missing or reciprocal inTmod2KO nucleus accumbens shell medium spiny neurons, providing a mechanistic explanation of the cocaine response phenotypes. Combined, these data collected from both males and females, provide compelling evidence thatTmod2is a major regulator of plasticity in the mesolimbic system and regulates the reinforcing and addictive properties of cocaine.

Significance statementWe identify, characterize, and establish tropomodulin 2(Tmod2),an actin-regulating gene exclusively expressed in neurons, as an important regulator of addiction-related phenotypes. We show thatTmod2, knockout mice (Tmod2 KO) exhibit phenotypes that are predictive of addiction. In detailed addiction phenotyping, we find theTmod2regulates cocaine sensitization and self-administration. We explore anatomical, transcriptional, electrophysiological mechanisms of this regulation. Combined these studies provide compelling evidence thatTmod2is critical for synaptic plasticity necessary for transition to addiction.
Environmental based social studies learning reconstruction in developing social skills during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Indrianisari Bakti , S Dewi Liesnoor , Priyanto Agustinus Sugeng
Published: March 2024

Utilization of the environment is a learning approach that seeks to increase student involvement through the utilization of the environment as a learning resource. The purpose of this study is to analyze the lesson preparation plan, implementation of learning and assessment of environmental-based social studies learning in developing social skills of junior high school students during the Covid-19 Pandemic. This study uses qualitative research methods, namely research that produces descriptive data. This research was conducted by taking locations in SMPN 1, SMPN 3 and SMPN 12 Pekalongan. Data collection techniques are in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. The data that has been collected is then analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis. The data that has been collected will be interpreted with source triangulation and technical triangulation. The results obtained from the research that environmental-based social studies learning can improve students' social skills during the covid-19 pandemic. The development of students' ideas and intellect can be more optimal when students are able to take advantage of their environment as a learning resource
Survival strategies and formation of national character from farmer families in Rejosari, Karangawen, Demak
Authors: Imron Ali , Banowati Eva , Rachman Maman
Published: March 2024

The income of farmers in Indonesia is still relatively low even to support their families. In the current economic conditions, farmers play a role as parents who must meet the needs of the family and form a national character in their children. This study aims to identify the strategies used by farmers to maintain survival and the formation of national character in children. This study uses a qualitative method. Informants in this study are farmers who cultivate limited land. Informants were selected based on purposive sampling method. This research was conducted in Rejosari, Karangawen, Demak. The results showed that the survival strategy of farmers in meeting family needs was divided into two, the first was farmers who carried out agricultural activities, while the second activity was carried out in agriculture. Farmers' strategies in shaping the values of the nation's character to children are carried out by instilling religious, responsible, creative and disciplined characters. This research is useful for the Government, especially the Ministry of Agriculture to make policies in the form of capital assistance, seeds, fertilizers and medicines to farmers so that farmers can increase their income and can shape the character of the nation.
The symbolic meaning of ruwatan bumi for youth as successors of tradition in Guci, Tegal
Authors: Setiawan Aditya Fajar , Arsal Thriwati , Atmaja Hamdan Tri
Published: March 2024

Youth as a measure of cultural integrity is an essential element. Without youth, culture will gradually disappear into the earth. Youths begin to reason by viewing a culture that looks ancient and contains mystical elements (irrational) without seeing or understanding the symbolic meaning of the elements of the Ruwatan Bumi tradition. The development of today's era makes people's understanding of the meaning and symbolic elements of the Ruwatan Bumi tradition begin to blur, especially the youth. This study aims to analyze the implementation of the Ruwatan Bumi procession in Guci Village, the meaning of the youth toward the Ruwatan Bumi tradition in Guci Village, and the social attitudes of youth towards the Ruwatan Bumi tradition. The youth of Guci Village rarely follows the Ruwatan Bumi tradition ceremony. This study uses a qualitative approach, obtaining data through in-depth interviews, documentation, and observation. Validation of data using triangulation from Mils and Huberman. The results show that the implementation of the Ruwatan Bumi tradition is still carried out every year. Ruwatan begins with bathing and slaughtering Mendit goats and continues with Kidungan. Youth interpret Ruwatan Bumi as a ritual, ceremony, entertainment, and thanksgiving.