bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sexual dimorphism and female advantage hypothesis in the gynomonoecious-gynodioecious Dianthus plumarius (Caryophyllaceae)
Authors: Gavini Sabrina S
Published: November 2023

To explain the co-existence and maintenance of females along with hermaphrodite plants, the female advantage hypothesis has been proposed where females should show greater fecundity compared to their conspecific hermaphrodites. On the other hand, greater attraction would be selected in the hermaphrodites to increase their male function, potentially leading to larger showier flowers, with more rewards. Here, I tested the sexual dimorphism trade-off hypothesis with the gynomonoecious-gynodioecious Dianthus plumarius (Caryophyllaceae), in the gardens of Bariloche (Patagonia, Argentina). I measured in female and hermaphrodite plants: flower size, nectar volume and concentration, flower lifespan, ovule production, seed number, seed set and seed weight. Additionally, bagging and pollen supplementation experiments were carried out to evaluate pollen limitation, probability of apomixis, if spontaneous autogamy is possible, and to examine the importance of pollen origin. I found that hermaphrodite flowers are more attractive, with larger-sized flowers and higher nectar volume, whereas female flowers compensate with longer lifespan of stigmatic receptivity and more concentrated nectar. Despite ovule number was lower in female flowers, these showed higher seed set and produced more and heavier seeds than hermaphrodites under open pollination. No evidence of apomixis was found in females, but spontaneous autogamy may occur in hermaphrodites. Hand-pollination experiments showed first that both flower types suffered pollen limitation, but it was higher on hermaphrodite flowers. Finally, despite self-compatibility, pollen origin is important because hand self-pollination decreases seed weight. These findings provide strong evidence in support of the mechanisms and underlying conditions that would allow the co-existence and maintenance of female and hermaphrodite individuals within populations.
Sense of own body shapes neural processes of memory encoding and reinstatement
Authors: Iriye Heather , Chancel Marie , Ehrsson Henrik H
Published: November 2023

How is the fundamental sense of one’s body, a basic aspect of selfhood, incorporated into memories for events? Disrupting bodily self-awareness during encoding impairs functioning of the left posterior hippocampus during retrieval, which implies weakened encoding. However, how changes in bodily self-awareness influence neural encoding is unknown. We investigated how the sense of body ownership, a core aspect of the bodily self, impacts encoding in the left posterior hippocampus and additional core memory regions including the angular gyrus. Furthermore, we assessed the degree to which memories are reinstated according to body ownership during encoding and vividness during retrieval as a measure of memory strength. We immersed participants in naturalistic scenes where events unfolded while we manipulated feelings of body ownership with a full-body-illusion during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. One week later, participants retrieved memories for the videos during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. A whole brain analysis revealed that patterns of activity in regions including the right hippocampus and angular gyrus distinguished between events encoded with strong versus weak body ownership. A planned region-of-interest analysis showed that patterns of activity in the left posterior hippocampus specifically could predict body ownership during memory encoding. Using the wider network of regions sensitive to body ownership during encoding and the left posterior hippocampus as separate regions-of-interest, we observed that patterns of activity present at encoding were reinstated more during the retrieval of events encoded with strong body ownership and high memory vividness. Our results demonstrate how the sense of physical self is bound within an event during encoding, which facilitates reactivation of a memory trace during retrieval.
Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly of the Freshwater Snail Semisulcospira habei from the Lake Biwa Drainage System
Authors: Miura Osamu , Toyoda Atsushi , Sakurai Tetsuya
Published: November 2023

Semisulcospira habei is a freshwater snail species endemic to the Lake Biwa drainage and belongs to a species group radiated within the lake system. We report the chromosome-scale genome assembly of S. habei, including eight megascaffolds larger than 150 Mb. The genome assembly size is about 2.0 Gb with an N50 of 237 Mb. There are 41,547 protein-coding genes modeled by ab initio gene prediction based on the transcriptome data set, and the BUSCO completeness of the annotated genes was 92.2%. The repeat elements comprise approximately 76% of the genome assembly. The Hi-C contact map showed seven well-resolved scaffolds that correspond to the basic haploid chromosome number of S. habei inferred from the preceding karyotypic study, while it also exhibited one scaffold with a complicated mosaic pattern that is likely to represent the complex of multiple supernumerary chromosomes. The genome assembly reported here represents a high-quality genome resource in disentangling the genomic background of the adaptive radiation of Semisulcospira and also facilitates evolutionary studies in the superfamily Cerithioidea.
Resolution and trade-offs in global anelastic full-waveform inversion
Authors: Espindola-Carmona Armando , Örsvuran Rıdvan , Mai P Martin , Bozdağ Ebru , Peter Daniel B
Published: November 2023

Improving the resolution of seismic anelastic models is critical for a better understanding of the Earth’s subsurface structure and dynamics. Seismic attenuation plays a crucial role in estimating water content, partial melting and temperature variations in the Earth’s crust and mantle. However, compared to seismic wave-speed models, seismic attenuation tomography models tend to be less resolved. This is due to the complexity of amplitude measurements and the challenge of isolating the effect of attenuation in the data from other parameters. Physical dispersion caused by attenuation also affects seismic wave speeds, and neglecting scattering/defocusing effects in classical anelastic models can lead to biased results. To overcome these challenges, it is essential to account for the full 3-D complexity of seismic wave propagation. Although various synthetic tests have been conducted to validate anelastic full-waveform inversion (FWI), there is still a lack of understanding regarding the trade-off between elastic and anelastic parameters, as well as the variable influence of different parameter classes on the data. In this context, we present a synthetic study to explore different strategies for global anelastic inversions.

To assess the resolution and sensitivity for different misfit functions, we first perform mono-parameter inversions by inverting only for attenuation. Then, to study trade-offs between parameters and resolution, we test two different inversion strategies (simultaneous and sequential) to jointly constrain the elastic and anelastic parameters. We found that a sequential inversion strategy performs better for imaging attenuation than a simultaneous inversion. We also demonstrate the dominance of seismic wave speeds over attenuation, underscoring the importance of determining a good approximation of the Hessian matrix and suitable damping factors for each parameter class.
Formulating a code of ethics for Kuwaiti pharmacists using FIP ethical standards: A Delphi study
Authors: Alfailakawi R M , Waheedi S , Alhaqan A
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Pharmacists play a crucial role in healthcare and are expected to adhere to high ethical standards. Ethical values provide a practical basis for identifying valued actions, intentions, and motives. Regulatory organizations in developed countries have established codes of ethics for various professions, including pharmacy, which support improved patient outcomes and increased trust in the healthcare system. While a national code of ethics for pharmacists in Kuwait is not currently published.

Aim

To formulate a code of ethics for pharmacists in Kuwait through a modified Delphi technique that is relevant and applicable for Kuwait context.

Methods

A 2-round E-Delphi consensus technique using the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s (FIP) 14 ethical standards was conducted. An ethical approval for this study was obtained from Human Ethical Committee, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University (270). Pharmacy expertise were recruited through purposive and snowballing sampling method. Consensus was achieved when at least 90% of acceptance and clarity level of the FIP's ethical standards were reached. Round 1: Expertise were asked to indicate their level of acceptance and clarity of the 14 FIP ethical standards in both the Arabic and English languages. Round 2: This round discussed seven standards, which were unaccepted, unclear, and did not reach the cut-off point from round 1.

Results

Round 1 response rate achieved 100% (30) and seven standards were accepted in terms of acceptance and languages’ clarity. Round 2 response rate was 93.3% (28), including the rest 7 standards that did not reach the required consensus’s percentage. Through the 2nd round, it ended up with 2 standards, accomplishing consensus. The remaining five standards need to be reconsidered in a follow-up study.

Discussion/Conclusion

The positive reception and understanding of the FIP ethical standards among pharmacists suggest that the regulatory authority in Kuwait can use this study's data to advance its efforts in adopting these standards. Therefore, it is essential for the regulatory authority to consider the study's findings when evaluating the implementation of ethical standards in Kuwait's healthcare system.

References

1. REFERENCE DOCUMENT Pharmacist Ethics and Professional Autonomy: Imperatives for Keeping Pharmacy Aligned with the Public Interest [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jun 5]. Available from: https://www.fip.org/file/1368
Differential Effects of Two Common Antiparasitics on Microbiota Resilience
Authors: Doolin Margaret L , Dearing M Denise
Published: November 2023

Background

Parasitic infections challenge vertebrate health worldwide, and off-target effects of antiparasitic treatments may be an additional obstacle to recovery. However, there have been few investigations of the effects of antiparasitics on the gut microbiome in the absence of parasites.

Methods

We investigated whether two common antiparasitics—albendazole (ALB) and metronidazole (MTZ)—significantly alter the gut microbiome of parasite-free mice. We treated mice with ALB or MTZ daily for 7 days and sampled the fecal microbiota immediately before and after treatment and again after a two-week recovery period.

Results

ALB did not immediately change the gut microbiota, while MTZ decreased microbial richness by 8.5% and significantly changed community structure during treatment. The structural changes caused by MTZ included depletion of the beneficial family Lachnospiraceae, and predictive metagenomic analysis revealed that these losses likely depressed microbiome metabolic function. Separately, we compared the fecal microbiotas of treatment groups after recovery, and there were minor differences in community structure between the ALB, MTZ, and sham-treated control groups.

Conclusions

These results suggest that a healthy microbiome is resilient after MTZ-induced depletions of beneficial gut microbes, and ALB may cause slight, latent shifts in the microbiota but does not deplete healthy gut microbiota diversity.
Comparison of databases useful for the analysis of vaginal microbiota in Japanese women using next-generation sequencing data (QIIME 2 software)
Authors: Zou Xianya , Nakura Yukiko , Kawaguchi Haruna , Nishiumi Fumiko , Wu Heng Ning , Yanagihara Itaru
Published: November 2023

Aims

Approximately 10% of children are born prematurely, and bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy is associated with preterm delivery. Highly accurate species-level vaginal microflora analysis helps control bacteria-induced preterm birth. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a bioinformatic analysis of gene sequences using 16S databases and compare their efficacy in comprehensively identifying potentially pathogenic vaginal microbiota in Japanese women.

Methods and results

The 16 s rRNA databases, Silva, Greengenes, and the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) were compared to determine whether the classification quality could be improved using the V3–V4 region next-generation sequencing (NGS) sequences. It was found that NGS data were aligned using the BLAST database with the QIIME 2 platform, whose classification quality was higher than that of Silva, and the combined Silva and Greengenes databases based on the mutual complementarity of the two databases.

Conclusions

The reference database selected during the bioinformatic processing influenced the recognized sequence percentage, taxonomic rankings, and accuracy. This study showed that the BLAST database was the best choice for NGS data analysis of Japanese women's vaginal microbiota.
I’m not burned out. This is how I write notes
Authors: Payne Thomas H , Turner Grace K
Published: November 2023

Objectives

We describe an automated transcription system that addresses many documentation problems and fits within scheduled clinical hours.

Materials and methods

During visits, the provider listens to the patient while maintaining eye contact and making brief notes on paper. Immediately after the visit conclusion and before the next, the provider makes a short voice recording on a smartphone which is transmitted to the system. The system uses a public domain general language model, and a hypertuned provider-specific language model that is iteratively refined as each produced note is edited by the physician, followed by final automated processing steps to add any templated text to the note.

Results

The provider leaves the clinic having completed all voice files, median duration 3.4 minutes. Created notes are formatted as preferred and are a median of 363 words (range 125-1175).

Discussion

This approach permits documentation to occur almost entirely within scheduled clinic hours, without copy-forward errors, and without interference with patient-provider interaction.

Conclusion

Though no documentation method is likely to appeal to all, this approach may appeal to many physicians and avoid many current problems with documentation.
Invasiveness and impact of invasive species on the Tibetan Plateau are inconsistent
Authors: Guan Shuping , Chen Pengdong , Qu Xingle , Wang Xiaolan , Wang Shuopeng , Li Haiying , Fang Jiangping , Wang Yi , Chen Jiarui , Huang Wei , Siemann Evan
Published: November 2023

Managing invasions in the context of globalization is a challenge in part because of the difficulty of inferring invader impacts from their invasiveness (i.e. ability to invade ecosystems). Specifically, the relationship between invasiveness and impact may be context-dependent and it has not been explored in such a unique ecosystem as the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we investigated 32 invasive plant species on the Tibetan Plateau in terms of their distribution, abundance, per capita effects on natives and traits across a large geographic transect to test the relationship between invasiveness and impacts on native communities. We decomposed the components (range, R; local abundance, A; per capita effect, E) that drive the impacts, and investigated the relative contributions of plant traits to these components. The results showed that there was no correlation between invasiveness (R × A) and impacts (R × A × E) of invasive species on the Tibetan Plateau. Specifically, plant invasiveness per se did not indicate a serious threat of harmful impact. In this ecosystem, R and A together drove invasiveness, while R alone drove impacts. Fruit type significantly influenced E, and species bearing berry fruits had the most negative per capita effects. However, plant traits did not drive invasiveness or impact through R, A or E. Our results suggest that the mismatch between components driving invasiveness vs. impact prevent the prediction of impacts of invasive species from their invasiveness. Therefore, management actions directed against invasive plants should prioritize broadly distributed species or those with demonstrated high impacts on native species.
Evaluation of patient satisfaction using the validated French version of the SSIPI questionnaire after inflatable penile implantation
Authors: Beirnaert Jeanne , Pinar Ugo , Benarroche Davy , Akakpo William , Rouprêt Morgan
Published: November 2023

Background

Penile prothesis (PP) is a recommended treatment for erectile dysfunction that is refractory to less invasive treatments, but there are few validated tools to assess patient satisfaction.

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess patient satisfaction after PP implantation using the French Satisfaction Survey for Inflatable Penile Implant (SSIPI) questionnaire.

Methods

Demographic, clinical, and perioperative data were collected from all consecutive patients who underwent PP implantation in our center between 2016 and 2021. The French SSIPI questionnaire was completed during a telephone call with each patient by an independent investigator.

Outcomes

A good functional result was considered when the total SSIPI score was >48, corresponding to a score of >3 for each item.

Results

The median global SSIPI score for the cohort was 66 (interquartile range [IQR], 60-73), and 53 (89.8%) patients were satisfied. The appearance of the penis with the PP was the item that had the lowest score for satisfaction (median score 23 [IQR, 19–26]), while the patients reported almost no pain (median score 10 [IQR, 9-10]). When patients with a total score of ≤64 were compared with those with a score of >64, PP size was significantly greater in the group with better functional results (P = .03).

Clinical Implications

Assessment of patient satisfaction with a PP is important because this is the main criterion used to judge the success of surgery.

Strengths and Limitations

To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the satisfaction of patients with a PP using the French-validated version of SSIPI questionnaire. However, patients came from a single center and the population size was small.

Conclusion

Almost 90% of patients with a PP were satisfied with the device when satisfaction was assessed using the SSIPI questionnaire.
On stochastic modelling of actuarial compensation for loss of future earnings in Turkey
Authors: Şahin Şule , Bulut Karageyik Başak , Nevruz Ezgi , Şimşek Güven
Published: November 2023

This article presents an actuarial perspective to estimate the economic loss for compensations resulting from a wrongful act. The main aim of this study is to propose a stochastic approach for modelling discount rates and survival probabilities which are used to calculate the present value of the future loss of earnings. We adopted the Wilkie model as an economic scenario generator to forecast future stochastic discount rates and fitted the Lee–Carter and the Heligman–Pollard models to forecast future age-specific survival probabilities using Turkish data. We discussed the impact of stochastic modelling on annuity values and compensation amounts through sensitivity analyses. We also compared the compensation amounts for various cases with the benchmark case representing current practice in Turkey. The results show that the compensation amounts are substantially affected by the financial assumptions, particularly in the case of an unstable economy. The major finding is that the uncertainty in future mortality rates is largely outweighed by the uncertainty associated with future financial and economic variables in the Turkish case.
X-ray plasma flow and turbulence in the colliding winds of WR140
Authors: Miyamoto Asca , Sugawara Yasuharu , Maeda Yoshitomo , Ishida Manabu , Hamaguchi Kenji , Corcoran Michael , Russell Christopher M P , Moffat Anthony F J
Published: November 2023

We analyse the XMM–Newton RGS spectra of Wolf–Rayet (WR) 140, an archetype long-period eccentric WR+O colliding wind binary. We evaluate the spectra of O and Fe emission lines and find that the plasmas emitting these lines have the largest approaching velocities with the largest velocity dispersions between phases 0.935 and 0.968 where the inferior conjunction of the O star occurs. This behaviour is the same as that of the Ne line-emission plasma presented in our previous paper. We perform a diagnosis of the electron number density ne using the He-like triplet lines of O and Ne-like Fe–L lines. The former results in a conservative upper limit of ne ≲ 1010–1012 cm−3 on the O line-emission site, while the latter cannot impose any constraint on the Fe line-emission site because of statistical limitations. We calculate the line-of-sight velocity and its dispersion separately along the shock cone. By comparing the observed and calculated line-of-sight velocities, we update the distance of the Ne line-emission site from the stagnation point. By assuming radiative cooling of the Ne line-emission plasma using the observed temperature and the local stellar wind density, we estimate that the line-emission site extends along the shock cone by at most ±58 per cent (phase 0.816) of the distance from the stagnation point. In this framework, the excess of the observed velocity dispersion over that calculated is ascribed to turbulence in the hot-shocked plasma at earlier orbital phases of 0.816, 0.912, and 0.935, with the largest velocity dispersion of 340-630 km s−1 at phase 0.912.
A Chandra survey of Milky Way globular clusters – IV. Periodic X-ray sources
Authors: Bao Tong , Li Zhiyuan , Cheng Zhongqun , Belloni Diogo
Published: November 2023

We present a systematic search for periodic X-ray sources in 10 Galactic globular clusters (GCs) utilizing deep archival Chandra observations. By applying the Gregory–Loredo algorithm, we detect 28 periodic signals among 27 independent X-ray sources in 6 GCs, which include 21 newly discovered ones in the X-ray band. The remaining 4 GCs exhibit no periodic X-ray sources, mainly due to a relatively lower sensitivity of the data. Through analysis of their X-ray timing and spectral properties, complemented with available optical and ultraviolet information, we identify 21 of these periodic sources as cataclysmic variables (CVs). Combining with 11 periodic CVs in 47 Tuc similarly identified in the X-ray band, we compile the most comprehensive sample to date of GC CVs with a probable orbital period. The scarcity of old, short-period CVs in GCs compared to the Galactic inner bulge and solar neighbourhood, can be attributed to both a selection effect favouring younger, dynamically formed systems and the hindrance of CV formation through primordial binary evolution by stellar dynamical interactions common to the GC environment. Additionally, we identify a significant fraction of the GC CVs, most with an orbital period below or within the CV period gap, as probable magnetic CVs, but in the meantime there is a deficiency of luminous intermediate polars in the GC sample compared to the solar neighbourhood.
Mapping the core of the Tarantula Nebula with VLT-MUSE – III. A template for metal-poor starburst regions in the visual and far-ultraviolet
Authors: Crowther Paul A , Castro N
Published: November 2023

We present the integrated VLT-MUSE spectrum of the central 2 × 2 arcmin2 (30 × 30 pc2) of NGC 2070, the dominant giant H ii region of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, together with an empirical far-ultraviolet spectrum constructed via LMC template stars from the ULLYSES survey and Hubble Tarantula Treasury Project UV photometry. NGC 2070 provides a unique opportunity to compare results from individual stellar populations (e.g. VLT FLAMES Tarantula Survey) in a metal-poor starburst region to the integrated results from the population synthesis tools Starburst99, Charlot & Bruzual, and BPASS. The metallicity of NGC 2070 inferred from standard nebular strong line calibrations is ∼0.4 ± 0.1 dex lower than obtained from direct methods. The Hα inferred age of 4.2 Myr from Starburst99 is close to the median age of OB stars within the region, although individual stars span a broad range of 1–7 Myr. The inferred stellar mass is close to that obtained for the rich star cluster R136 within NGC 2070, although this contributes only 21 per cent to the integrated far-UV continuum. He ii λ1640 emission is dominated by classical WR stars and main sequence WNh + Of/WN stars. Around 18 per cent of the NGC 2070 far UV continuum flux arises from very massive stars with ≥100 M⊙, including several very luminous Of supergiants. None of the predicted population synthesis models at low metallicities are able to successfully reproduce the far-UV spectrum of NGC 2070. We attribute issues to the treatment of mass-loss in very massive stars, the lack of contemporary empirical metal-poor templates, plus WR stars produced via binary evolution.
The impact of halo concentration on the Sunyaev Zel’dovich effect signal from massive galaxy clusters
Authors: Baxter Eric J , Pandey Shivam , Adhikari Susmita , Cui Weiguang , Shin Tae-hyeon , Li Qingyang , Rasia Elena
Published: November 2023

The Sunyaev Zel’dovich (SZ) effect is sensitive to the pressure of ionized gas inside galaxy clusters, which is in turn controlled largely by the gravitational potential of the cluster. Changing the concentration parameter describing the cluster mass distribution impacts the gravitational potential and thus the cluster SZ signal, with implications for cosmological and other analyses of SZ-selected clusters. We investigate the concentration–SZ relation in theory and simulations. We find that the impact of concentration on the inner SZ profile (R ≲ 0.75R200c) can be captured with standard polytropic gas models. However, we find that such models do a poor job of reproducing the outer SZ profiles (R ≳ 0.75R200c) and the relation between the integrated SZ signal, Y, and concentration. This disagreement results from a sharp truncation of the gas pressure profile near the splashback radius, likely caused by virial shocks. We develop a simple description of the truncation that leads to a good match with the simulated SZ profiles out to several R200c for clusters of varying mass and concentration, and that also accurately predicts the concentration–Y relationship. Finally, we determine how inference of the linear bias parameter and splashback radius for SZ-selected clusters can be biased by ignoring the concentration dependence of the SZ signal, finding that bias to the former is essentially negligible, while bias to the latter can be as much as 2 per cent.
Discovery of a relation between the decay rate of the Sun’s magnetic dipole and the growth rate of the following sunspot cycle: a new precursor for solar cycle prediction
Authors: Jaswal Priyansh , Saha Chitradeep , Nandy Dibyendu
Published: November 2023

Sunspots have been observed for over four centuries and the magnetic nature of sunspot cycles has been known for about a century; however, some of its underlying physics still remain elusive. It is known that the solar magnetic cycle involves a recycling of magnetic flux between the poloidal and toroidal components of the magnetic field, that manifests as the solar dipole and sunspots, respectively. Here, we report the discovery of a new relationship between the rise rate of the sunspot cycle and the decay rate of the solar (axial) dipole moment. This provides an extension to the Waldmeier effect in sunspot cycles and points to the existence of a causal connection between the aforementioned physical quantities, which can be succinctly stated as the decay rate of the Sun’s dipole moment is related to the rate of rise of the following sunspot cycle. We demonstrate how one may take advantage of this new relationship to predict the timing of the sunspot cycle. Our analysis indicates solar cycle 25 is expected to be a weak-moderate cycle, peaking in $2024.00_{-0.49}^{+0.68}$.
Trajectory of Healthcare Contact Days for Veterans With Advanced Gastrointestinal Malignancy
Authors: Johnson Whitney V , Phung Quan H , Patel Vishal R , Tsai Alexander K , Arora Nivedita , Klein Mark A , Westanmo Anders D , Blaes Anne H , Gupta Arjun
Published: November 2023

How and where patients with advanced cancer facing limited survival spend their time is critical. Healthcare contact days (days with healthcare contact outside the home) offer a patient-centered and practical measure of how much of a person’s life is consumed by healthcare. We retrospectively analyzed contact days among decedent veterans with stage IV gastrointestinal cancer at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System from 2010 to 2021. Among 468 decedents, the median overall survival was 4 months. Patients spent 1 in 3 days with healthcare contact. Over the course of illness, the percentage of contact days followed a “U-shaped” pattern, with an initial post-diagnosis peak, a lower middle trough, and an eventual rise as patients neared the end-of-life. Contact days varied by clinical factors and by sociodemographics. These data have important implications for improving care delivery, such as through care coordination and communicating expected burdens to and supporting patients and care partners.
Carboxyl nanodiamonds inhibit melanoma tumor metastases by blocking cellular motility and invasiveness
Authors: Behera Sushreesangita P , Tyagi Witty , Saxena Rajiv K
Published: November 2023

Carboxyl nanodiamond (cND) nanoparticles are actively internalized by B16F10 melanoma cells in culture. Treatment of B16F10 tumor cells with cNDs in vitro inhibited their ability to (i) migrate and invade through porous membranes in a transwell culture system, (ii) secrete matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP-2 and MMP-9, and (iii) express selected epithelial–mesenchymal transition markers critical for cell migration and invasion. Administration of luciferase-transfected B16F10-Luc2 melanoma cells resulted in a rapid growth of the tumor and its metastasis to different organs that could be monitored by in vivo bioluminescence imaging as well as by ex vivo BLI of the mouse organs. After tumor cells were administered intravenously in C57Bl/6 mice, administration of cNDs (50 μg i.v. every alternate day) resulted in marked suppression of the tumor growth and metastasis in different organs of mice. Subcutaneous administration of B16F10 cells resulted in robust growth of the primary tumor subcutaneously as well as its metastasis to the lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys. Intravenous treatment with cNDs did not affect the growth of the primary tumor mass but essentially blocked the metastasis of the tumor to different organs. Histological examination of mouse organs indicated that the administration of cNDs by itself was safe and did not cause toxic changes in mouse organs. These results indicate that the cND treatment may have an antimetastatic effect on the spread of B16F10 melanoma tumor cells in mice. Further exploration of cNDs as a possible antimetastatic therapeutic agent is suggested.
Outsourcing authority in global policy: legitimating the anti-money laundering regime through professionalization
Authors: Tsingou Eleni
Published: November 2023

How is authority legitimated when global policy leads to the delegation of implementation and monitoring tasks to private actors? This paper shows that putting private actors at the forefront of compliance gives them significant interpretation autonomy, with knock-on effects for how rule-making authority is legitimated. I show that actors can mobilize to claim expertise based on their practice in, and input to, transnational administration and that professional associations are important arenas for establishing and legitimating these claims. The paper explores these dynamics through an empirical focus on the global anti-money laundering regime. Revolving around the Financial Action Task Force, the regime to tackle illicit finance has been a highly political process with a global reach. Yet it relies heavily on financial institutions to put systems in place that control the flow of money. This puts private compliance officers at the forefront of transnational administration. The paper shows that compliance officers have responded to the demands of this role by professionally organizing. Focusing on the largest professional association, the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists or ACAMS, a US-based association with a global program and membership, the paper explains that professionalization mechanisms have helped demarcate practice boundaries and support the expertise claims of private sector employees. By becoming the experts, these officers can claim pragmatic authority over what global policy rules and standards mean and how they can be implemented.
abYpap: improvements to the prediction of antibody VH/VL packing using gradient boosted regression
Authors: Boron Veronica A , Martin Andrew C R
Published: November 2023

The Fv region of the antibody (comprising VH and VL domains) is the area responsible for target binding and thus the antibody’s specificity. The orientation, or packing, of these two domains relative to each other influences the topography of the Fv region, and therefore can influence the antibody’s binding affinity. We present abYpap, an improved method for predicting the packing angle between the VH and VL domains. With the large data set now available, we were able to expand greatly the number of features that could be used compared with our previous work. The machine-learning model was tuned for improved performance using 37 selected residues (previously 13) and also by including the lengths of the most variable ‘complementarity determining regions’ (CDR-L1, CDR-L2 and CDR-H3). Our method shows large improvements from the previous version, and also against other modeling approaches, when predicting the packing angle.
ADVANCED BIONICS AG v MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERÄTE GMBH
Authors:   Patents Court
Published: November 2023

H1 Patents — European patents — Revocation — Infringement — Cochlear implants — Common general knowledge — Construction — Amendment — Technical contribution — Infringement on normal construction — Doctrine of equivalents — Indirect infringement — Means relating to an essential element — Staple commercial product — Means suitable for putting invention into effect — Spare parts — Right to repair — Replacement headsets and batteries — Knowledge — Validity — Obviousness — Hindsight — Long-felt want
Missions and Cohesion Policy: is there a match?
Authors: Cappellano Francesco , Molica Francesco , Makkonen Teemu
Published: November 2023

This paper explores possibilities for cross-fertilization between the mission-oriented approach (MOA), informing the European Union (EU) Missions, and Cohesion Policy (CP). It argues for mutual policy learning between CP and MOA to address their shortcomings: CP faces a gradual erosion of its identity, while MOA lacks a territorial perspective. MOA can offer a theoretical ‘blueprint’ for reorganizing and clarifying CP’s ever-expanding and blurred thematic scope, providing direction to strengthen CP’s result orientation, and encouraging the adoption of ‘whole-of-government’ approaches to streamline CP’s complex governance relationships. MOA can benefit from adopting the CP architecture, which allows for common broad priorities to be adapted to territorial contexts and to regional strategies. MOA could also learn from CP’s goal of maximizing equity and efficiency, its focus on empowering regions, and its redistributive approach for fostering the full potential of all regions to address societal challenges to support the objectives of the EU Missions.
Genetic Racialization: Ancestry Tests and the Reification of Race
Authors: Zarrugh Amina , Romero Luis
Published: November 2023

While there has been a significant increase in the availability of DNA testing to identify one’s ancestry, we know little about the implications of these services for everyday social meanings of race and ethnicity. Scholarship about ancestry testing generally focuses on the significance of DNA testing for individual consumers who lack access to genealogical history, often due to systemic racism and inequality. Drawing on an analysis of over 400 videos uploaded by people who have utilized DNA testing kits to uncover their ancestry, this article focuses on how ancestry testing is mediated in the public sphere and its implications for social understandings of race and ethnicity. We find that consumers of DNA-based ancestry testing engage in what we term “genetic racialization,” in which they emphasize the primacy of science to uncover their ancestral connections, and, by extension, biologize notions of race and ethnicity and omit histories of colonialism and conquest in the social construction of race. The vocabulary of “blood” provides a key framework from which individuals interpret their ancestry results and implicitly draw on colonial frameworks of blood quantum and purity to define what it means to belong to particular racial and ethnic groups.
Resistance of the Ginseng Gray Mold Pathogen, Botrytis cinerea, to Boscalid and Pyraclostrobin Fungicides in China
Authors: Yue Mo Yi , Wang Rong , Liu Yan Min , Chen Bing Wei , Ding Wan Long , Li Yong
Published: November 2023

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea severely threatens the yield of ginseng (Panax ginseng). Various categories of fungicides have been utilized to control gray mold on this crop. In this study, the resistance of 102 isolates of B. cinerea from 11 commercial ginseng-growing regions in China to fungicides was examined. A total of 32.4% were resistant to boscalid, with EC50 values that ranged from 12.26 to 235.87 μg/ml, and 94.1% were resistant to pyraclostrobin, with EC50 values that ranged from 5.88 to 487.72 μg/ml. Except for sdhA and sdhD, the amino acid substitutions of P225F, P225L, N230I, H272Y, and H272R in the sdhB subunit from 24 (4 sensitive [S] and 20 resistant [R]), 5 (1 S and 4 R), 1 (S), 1 (R), and 8 (4 S and 4 R) strains, respectively, and the concurrent amino acid substitutions of G85A + I93V + M158V + V168I in the sdhC subunit from 5 (4 S and 1 R) strains were identified. A G143A substitution in cytochrome b was identified in 96 isolates that were resistant to pyraclostrobin and three that were sensitive to it. The Bcbi-143/144 intron was identified in the other three isolates sensitive to pyraclostrobin, but it was absent in the isolates that harbored the G143A mutation. The results showed that the populations of B. cinerea on ginseng have developed strong resistance to pyraclostrobin. Therefore, it is not recommended to continue using this fungicide to control gray mold on P. ginseng. Boscalid is still effective against most isolates. However, to prevent fungicide resistance, it is recommended to use a mixture of boscalid with other categories of fungicides.
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes After Prenatal Exposure to Anesthesia for Maternal Surgery: A Propensity-score Weighted Bidirectional Cohort Study
Authors: Bleeser T. , Devroe S. , Lucas N. , Debels T. , Van de Velde M. , Lemiere J. , Deprest J. , Rex S.
Published: November 2023

(Anaesthesia. 2023;78:159–169)

One percent or less of women undergo nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy and require anesthesia. While a recent animal study showed general anesthesia (GA) during pregnancy can increase the risk of fetal neuronal injury, it is uncertain whether the same outcomes are seen in the clinical setting. This study investigated whether exposure to GA in-utero increases the risk of neurodevelopmental impairment outcomes in children, comparing exposed and unexposed children.
Association Between Marked Fetal Heart Rate Variability and Neonatal Acidosis: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Loussert L. , Berveiller P. , Magadoux A. , Allouche M. , Vayssiere C. , Garabedian C. , Guerby P.
Published: November 2023

(BJOG. 2023;130:407–414)

Although it has been considered the standard of care to evaluate the fetus during labor, intrapartum electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) is controversial in its effectiveness for reducing cerebral palsy and perinatal mortality. Research on fetal heart rate (FHR) analysis has demonstrated high interobserver variability and with low specificity. Further, the pathophysiology of FHR marked variability is not well understood and research is limited.
The Impact of Preoperative Ultrasound and Intraoperative Findings on Surgical Outcomes in Patients at High Risk of Placenta Accreta Spectrum
Authors: Hussein A.M. , Fox K. , Bhide A. , Elbarmelgy R.A. , Elbarmelgy R.M. , Thabet M.M. , Jauniaux E.
Published: November 2023

(BJOG. 2023;130:42–50)

When placental villous tissue abnormally attaches to the uterine wall it is known as placenta accreta spectrum (PAS). A large number of PAS cases are seen in the setting of placenta previa and previous cesarean delivery (CD). Removing placental villous tissue at delivery typically results in hemorrhaging. This hemorrhaging has been proven to be reduced when PAS is caught before delivery. Studies show that PAS is missed before delivery in over 50% of cases. This study aimed to determine how preoperative ultrasound can help to detect PAS in patients prior to delivery.
Hush Little Baby: Promise of the Eat, Sleep, Console Approach
Authors: Barfield W.D.
Published: November 2023

(N Engl J Med. 2023;388:2391–2392)

In this editorial written on the recent article by Young et al, entitled “Eat, Sleep, Console Approach or Usual Care for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal,” Barfield reviews the findings while also discussing the study limitations and need for further investigations. The original study explored using a nonpharmacologic interventions called Eat, Sleep, Console for the treatment of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. The Eat, Sleep, Console tool involves a greater emphasis on meeting the needs of the infant holistically. This approach is appealing due to rising rates of infants diagnosed with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, which puts a greater stress on hospital staff due to the need of longer hospital stays to treat the neonates. Overall, the study found that the use of the Eat, Sleep, Console intervention reduced hospital stay lengths and reduced use of pharmacologic therapy, without significant differences in safety measures assessed at 3 months of age.
Aspirin Discontinuation at 24 to 28 Weeks’ Gestation in Pregnancies at High Risk of Preterm Preeclampsia: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Mendoza M. , Bonacina E. , Garcia-Manau P. , López M. , Caamiña S. , Vives À. , Lopez-Quesada E. , Ricart M. , Maroto A. , de Mingo L. , Pintado E. , Ferrer-Costa R. , Martin L. , Rodríguez-Zurita A. , Garcia E. , Pallarols M. , Vidal-Sagnier L. , Teixidor M. , Orizales-Lago C. , Pérez-Gomez A. , Ocaña V. , Puerto L. , Millán P. , Alsius M. , Diaz S. , Maiz N. , Carreras E. , Suy A.
Published: November 2023

(JAMA. 2023;329:542–550)

Globally, 70,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 fetal deaths each year can be attributed to preeclampsia, which affects roughly 2-4% of pregnancies. Diagnosis of preeclampsia falls into several categories depending on gestational age at diagnosis, with early-onset preeclampsia (delivery <34 wk), preterm preeclampsia (delivery <37 wk), and term preeclampsia (delivery at or past 37 wk). Many serious complications can be associated with a diagnosis of preeclampsia, including preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, placental abruption, seizures, and others, with earlier onset correlating with more severe complications. Previous research has identified aspirin as an effective way to reduce the incidence of preeclampsia in high-risk individuals, especially when treatment is initiated in the late first trimester or early second trimester.
Umbilical Cord Milking in Nonvigorous Infants: A Cluster-Randomized Crossover Trial
Authors: Katheria A.C. , Clark E. , Yoder B. , Schmölzer G.M. , Yan Law B.H. , El-Naggar W. , Rittenberg D. , Sheth S. , Mohamed M.A. , Martin C. , Vora F. , Lakshminrusimha S. , Underwood M. , Mazela J. , Kaempf J. , Tomlinson M. , Gollin Y. , Fulford K. , Goff Y. , Wozniak P. , Baker K. , Rich W. , Morales A. , Varner M. , Poeltler D. , Vaucher Y. , Mercer J. , Finer N. , El Ghormli L. , Rice M.M. ,   of the Milking In Nonvigorous Infants group
Published: November 2023

(Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023;228:217.e1–217.e14)

Mortality rates among infants that need resuscitation after birth is high despite recent advancements in resuscitation technology. The potential consequences of the need for resuscitation include a host of neurological disorders and problems, which underscores the need for maximizing effectiveness of treatment to stabilize these infants. One method that has been shown to benefit newborns in the first few minutes after birth is delayed cord clamping; for infants who require resuscitation; however, this is typically foregone in favor of immediate efforts to help them breathe.
Presence of the Partner in the Operating Room During Emergency Cesarean Section: A Scoping Review
Authors: Nedergaard H.K. , Balaganeshan T. , Weitling E.E. , Petersen H.S. , Brøchner A.C.
Published: November 2023

(Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2022;39:939–952)

Having a partner as a support person during vaginal delivery and elective cesarean delivery (CD) is common in many countries worldwide and has well-documented benefits. In emergent CD the decision of having a partner in the operating room (OR) is not as clear given the complex, fast-paced, and high-risk nature of the situation. The aim of this review is to describe available published opinions and evidence regarding the partner’s presence in the OR during emergency CD.
Designing Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols in Neurosurgery: A Contemporary Narrative Review
Authors: Jolly Sagar , Paliwal Shashank , Gadepalli Aditya , Chaudhary Sheena , Bhagat Hemant , Avitsian Rafi
Published: November 2023

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have revolutionized the approach to perioperative care in various surgical specialties. They reduce complications, improve patient outcomes, and shorten hospital lengths of stay. Implementation of ERAS protocols for neurosurgical procedures has been relatively underexplored and underutilized due to the unique challenges and complexities of neurosurgery. This narrative review explores the barriers to, and pioneering strategies of, standardized procedure-specific ERAS protocols, and the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in neurosurgery and neuroanesthsia, patient-centered approaches, and continuous quality improvement initiatives, to achieve better patient outcomes. It also discusses initiatives to guide future clinical practice, research, and guideline creation, to foster the development of tailored ERAS protocols in neurosurgery.