bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Mo addition on interfacial microstructure and mechanical property of SiC joint brazed by an Ni–Si filler
Authors: Kamal Anurag , Shukla Anoop Kumar , Shinde Vijay M. , Yadav Surya D.
Published: January 2024

Ni‐based alloys provide good brazing filler characteristics for the many applications of SiC ceramics. Nevertheless, the presence of graphite is unavoidable in the reaction between Ni and SiC, leading to a significant degradation of the mechanical properties of the joint. This study investigates the effect of Mo in Ni–30Si alloy on the brazing of SiC at 1300°C, to regulate interfacial reactions and reduce residual stresses by decreasing overall coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values throughout the brazing process. The addition of Mo up to 8 at.% efficiently suppresses graphite accumulation by converting it into Mo2C + Ni3Mo3C phases and lowering the CTE to 5.4 × 10−6/°C. When the Mo loading exceeds 12 at.%, the interactions between the filler and SiC are reduced as a result of the non‐homogeneous dispersion of Mo. The experimental findings indicate that the joint without graphite has a lap shear strength of 107 MPa, which is nearly three times greater than the joint with graphite. Thermodynamic analyses are performed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the formation of distinct phases in brazed joints.
Electrophysiological correlates of face and object perception: A comparative analysis of 2D laboratory and virtual reality conditions
Authors: Sagehorn Merle , Johnsdorf Marike , Kisker Joanna , Gruber Thomas , Schöne Benjamin
Published: January 2024

Human face perception is a specialized visual process with inherent social significance. The neural mechanisms reflecting this intricate cognitive process have evolved in spatially complex and emotionally rich environments. Previous research using VR to transfer an established face perception paradigm to realistic conditions has shown that the functional properties of face‐sensitive neural correlates typically observed in the laboratory are attenuated outside the original modality. The present study builds on these results by comparing the perception of persons and objects under conventional laboratory (PC) and realistic conditions in VR. Adhering to established paradigms, the PC‐ and VR modalities both featured images of persons and cars alongside standard control images. To investigate the individual stages of realistic face processing, response times, the typical face‐sensitive N170 component, and relevant subsequent components (L1, L2; pre‐, post‐response) were analyzed within and between modalities. The between‐modality comparison of response times and component latencies revealed generally faster processing under realistic conditions. However, the obtained N170 latency and amplitude differences showed reduced discriminative capacity under realistic conditions during this early stage. These findings suggest that the effects commonly observed in the lab are specific to monitor‐based presentations. Analyses of later and response‐locked components showed specific neural mechanisms for identification and evaluation are employed when perceiving the stimuli under realistic conditions, reflected in discernible amplitude differences in response to faces and objects beyond the basic perceptual features. Conversely, the results do not provide evidence for comparable stimulus‐specific perceptual processing pathways when viewing pictures of the stimuli under conventional laboratory conditions.
Lung function changes in children exposed to mine fire smoke in infancy
Authors: Hemstock Emily J. , Foong Rachel E. , Hall Graham L. , Wheeler Amanda J. , Dharmage Shyamali C. , Dalton Marita , Williamson Grant J. , Gao Caroline , Abramson Michael J. , Johnston Fay H. , Zosky Graeme R.
Published: January 2024

Background and Objective

Chronic, low‐intensity air pollution exposure has been consistently associated with reduced lung function throughout childhood. However, there is limited research regarding the implications of acute, high‐intensity air pollution exposure. We aimed to determine whether there were any associations between early life exposure to such an episode and lung growth trajectories.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study of children who lived in the vicinity of the Hazelwood coalmine fire. Lung function was measured using respiratory oscillometry. Z‐scores were calculated for resistance (R5) and reactance at 5 Hz (X5) and area under the reactance curve (AX). Two sets of analyses were conducted: (i) linear regression to assess the cross‐sectional relationship between post‐natal exposure to mine fire‐related particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) and lung function at the 7‐year follow‐up and (ii) linear mixed‐effects models to determine whether there was any association between exposure and changes in lung function between the 3‐ and 7‐year follow‐ups.

Results

There were no associations between mine fire‐related PM2.5and any of the lung function measures, 7‐years later. There were moderate improvements in X5(β: −0.37 [−0.64, −0.10]p = 0.009) and AX (β: −0.40 [−0.72, −0.08]p = 0.014), between the 3‐ and 7‐year follow‐ups that were associated with mean PM2.5, in the unadjusted and covariance‐adjusted models. Similar trends were observed with maximum PM2.5.

Conclusion

There was a moderate improvement in lung stiffness of children exposed to PM2.5from a local coalmine fire in infancy, consistent with an early deficit in lung function at 3‐years after the fire that had resolved by 7‐years.
Differential effects of digital media platforms on climate change risk information‐sharing intention: A moderated mediation model
Authors: Paek Hye‐Jin , Oh Hyun Jung , Hove Thomas
Published: January 2024

This study analyzes the mechanisms through which risk messages about climate change lead to people's risk information‐sharing intention, and how digital media platform type serves as a context that moderates those mechanisms. Our analysis is informed by the influence of presumed influence (IPI) model, and we adapt and expand that model in three ways. First, we apply the concept of perceived media reach to the context of digital media platforms, specifically news aggregators and social networking sites. Second, we integrate the two mediators of risk perception and presumed influence. Third, we examine potential moderating roles of digital media platforms in the IPI model. An online survey was conducted among 1000 South Korean adults, and a moderated mediation model (PROCESS Macro Model 59) generated the following results. (1) Perceived media reach was positively related to both mediators—risk perception and presumed influence. (2) By way of those two mediators, perceived reach significantly led to information‐sharing intention. (3) Presumed influence, but not risk perception, was significantly related to information‐sharing intention. (4) Digital media platforms moderated the relation between perceived reach and risk perception: the role of content‐related risk perception was more pronounced in news aggregators, while the role of context‐related presumed influence was greater in social networking sites. Theoretical and practical implications for risk communication are discussed.
Why did US urban homicide spike in 2020? A cross‐sectional data analysis for the largest American cities
Authors: Fazel‐Zarandi Mohammad M. , Barnett Arnold
Published: January 2024

Working with data about homicide victims and perpetrators from 50 of America's largest cities, we investigate the explanatory power of some familiar explanations for why murder in those cities rose sharply in 2020. The analysis reveals that the distribution of risk by race was essentially the same in 2020 as in 2019. That empirical finding challenges some theories of how racial tensions after the death of George Floyd may have driven homicide increases. Similarly, homicide growth was not concentrated in those cities with the greatest availability in 2020 of new and older guns, or among the cities that suffered the most from the COVID‐19 pandemic. At a minimum, the cross‐city outcomes should reduce confidence that some combination of “race, guns, and COVID‐19” explains all of the most important aspects of what happened in 2020.
Digital chemical test impresses
Authors: Zainzinger Vanessa
Published: January 2024

Giant database shows promise for replacing animal studies.
A ‘gene drive’ makes its debut in mammals
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: January 2024

CRISPR-based gene-spreading strategy promises to speed development of engineered mice.
Molecular ‘barcodes’ reveal lost whale hunts
Authors: Pennisi Elizabeth , Price Michael
Published: January 2024

DNA method can rapidly identify species, shows toll of ancient cultures on biodiversity.
Age, crash type and the changing patterns of cycling fatalities in Australia between 1991 and 2022
Authors: Boufous Soufiane , Olivier Jake
Published: January 2024

Background

Australia has made significant efforts in recent years to promote cycling.

Methods

Trends in cyclist fatalities in Australia between 1991 and 2022, particularly in those aged 60 years and over, were examined using Poisson regression modelling.

Results

Overall, cyclist fatalities decreased by 1.1% annually. However, while there was an annual decline of 2.5% in those aged <60 years, fatalities in the 60+ age group increased by 3.3% annually. Mortality rates also showed an annual decrease of 3.5% for cyclists aged <60 years but remained almost stable in the 60+ age group over the study period. Single vehicle fatalities increased markedly, particularly among the 60+ age group (4.4% annually).

Discussion

The observed increase in 60+ fatalities is due to the ageing of the population rather than a rise in cycling popularity as previously thought. The rise in single vehicle fatalities is likely to be related to the increase in the availability and use of dedicated cycling infrastructure.
An improved limit on the neutrinoless double-electron capture of $$^{36}$$Ar with GERDA
Authors:   GERDA Collaboration, Agostini M. , Alexander A. , Araujo G. R. , Bakalyarov A. M. , Balata M. , Barabanov I. , Baudis L. , Bauer C. , Belogurov S. , Bettini A. , Bezrukov L. , Biancacci V. , Bossio E. , Bothe V. , Brudanin V. , Brugnera R. , Caldwell A. , Cattadori C. , Chernogorov A. , Comellato T. , D’Andrea V. , Demidova E. V. , Marco N. Di , Doroshkevich E. , Fischer F. , Fomina M. , Gangapshev A. , Garfagnini A. , Gooch C. , Grabmayr P. , Gurentsov V. , Gusev K. , Hakenmüller J. , Hemmer S. , Hofmann W. , Huang J. , Hult M. , Inzhechik L. V. , Csáthy J. Janicskó , Jochum J. , Junker M. , Kazalov V. , Kermaïdic Y. , Khushbakht H. , Kihm T. , Kilgus K. , Kirpichnikov I. V. , Klimenko A. , Kneißl R. , Knöpfle K. T. , Kochetov O. , Kornoukhov V. N. , Korošec M. , Krause P. , Kuzminov V. V. , Laubenstein M. , Lindner M. , Lippi I. , Lubashevskiy A. , Lubsandorzhiev B. , Lutter G. , Macolino C. , Majorovits B. , Maneschg W. , Manzanillas L. , Marshall G. , Misiaszek M. , Morella M. , Müller Y. , Nemchenok I. , Pandola L. , Pelczar K. , Pertoldi L. , Piseri P. , Pullia A. , Ransom C. , Rauscher L. , Redchuk M. , Riboldi S. , Rumyantseva N. , Sada C. , Salamida F. , Schönert S. , Schreiner J. , Schütt M. , Schütz A.-K. , Schulz O. , Schwarz M. , Schwingenheuer B. , Selivanenko O. , Shevchik E. , Shirchenko M. , Shtembari L. , Simgen H. , Smolnikov A. , Stukov D. , Vasenko A. A. , Veresnikova A. , Vignoli C. , Sturm K. von , Wester T. , Wiesinger C. , Wojcik M. , Yanovich E. , Zatschler B. , Zhitnikov I. , Zhukov S. V. , Zinatulina D. , Zschocke A. , Zsigmond A. J. , Zuber K. , Zuzel G.
Published: January 2024

The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment operated enriched high-purity germanium detectors in a liquid argon cryostat, which contains 0.33% of $$^{36}$$

36

Ar, a candidate isotope for the two-neutrino double-electron capture (2$$\nu $$
ν
ECEC) and therefore for the neutrinoless double-electron capture (0$$\nu $$
ν
ECEC). If detected, this process would give evidence of lepton number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. In the radiative 0$$\nu $$
ν
ECEC of $$^{36}$$

36

Ar, a monochromatic photon is emitted with an energy of 429.88 keV, which may be detected by the Gerda germanium detectors. We searched for the $$^{36}$$

36

Ar 0$$\nu $$
ν
ECEC with Gerda data, with a total live time of 4.34 year (3.08 year accumulated during Gerda Phase II and 1.26 year during Gerda Phase I). No signal was found and a 90% CL lower limit on the half-life of this process was established $$T_{1/2} >1.5\cdot 10^{22} $$

T

1
/
2

>
1.5
·

10
22

 year.
Bifurcation diagrams for spacetime singularities and black holes
Authors: Cotsakis Spiros
Published: January 2024

We reexamine the focusing effect crucial to the theorems that predict the emergence of spacetime singularities and various results in the general theory of black holes in general relativity. Our investigation incorporates the fully nonlinear and dispersive nature of the underlying equations. We introduce and thoroughly explore the concept of versal unfolding (topological normal form) within the framework of the Newman–Penrose–Raychaudhuri system, the convergence-vorticity equations (notably the first and third Sachs optical equations), and the Oppenheimer–Snyder equation governing exactly spherical collapse. The findings lead to a novel dynamical depiction of spacetime singularities and black holes, exposing their continuous transformations into new topological configurations guided by the bifurcation diagrams associated with these problems.
Global Games Education Now
Authors: Grace Lindsay D.
Published: January 2024

The Global Games Education Now reports aim to provide direct observations about the state of games focused education and training within a global context. The goal is to collect reflections on the ever-changing state of education across the globe.
DevEx in Action
Authors: Forsgren Nicole , Kalliamvakou Eirini , Noda Abi , Greiler Michaela , Houck Brian , Storey Margaret-Anne
Published: January 2024

DevEx (developer experience) is garnering increased attention at many software organizations as leaders seek to optimize software delivery amid the backdrop of fiscal tightening and transformational technologies such as AI. Intuitively, there is acceptance among technical leaders that good developer experience enables more effective software delivery and developer happiness. Yet, at many organizations, proposed initiatives and investments to improve DevEx struggle to get buy-in as business stakeholders question the value proposition of improvements.
Resolving the Human-subjects Status of Machine Learning's Crowdworkers
Authors: Kaushik Divyansh , Lipton Zachary C. , London Alex John
Published: January 2024

In recent years, machine learning (ML) has relied heavily on crowdworkers both for building datasets and for addressing research questions requiring human interaction or judgment. The diversity of both the tasks performed and the uses of the resulting data render it difficult to determine when crowdworkers are best thought of as workers versus human subjects. These difficulties are compounded by conflicting policies, with some institutions and researchers regarding all ML crowdworkers as human subjects and others holding that they rarely constitute human subjects. Notably few ML papers involving crowdwork mention IRB oversight, raising the prospect of non-compliance with ethical and regulatory requirements. We investigate the appropriate designation of ML crowdsourcing studies, focusing our inquiry on natural language processing to expose unique challenges for research oversight. Crucially, under the U.S. Common Rule, these judgments hinge on determinations of
aboutness
, concerning both whom (or what) the collected data is about and whom (or what) the analysis is about. We highlight two challenges posed by ML: the same set of workers can serve multiple roles and provide many sorts of information; and ML research tends to embrace a dynamic workflow, where research questions are seldom stated ex ante and data sharing opens the door for future studies to aim questions at different targets. Our analysis exposes a potential loophole in the Common Rule, where researchers can elude research ethics oversight by splitting data collection and analysis into distinct studies. Finally, we offer several policy recommendations to address these concerns.
Identification of Genetic Variants for Diabetic Retinopathy Risk Applying Exome Sequencing in Extreme Phenotypes
Authors: Zenteno Juan C. , Chacón-Camacho Oscar F. , Ordoñez-Labastida Vianey , Miranda-Duarte Antonio , Del Castillo Camila , Nava Jessica , Mendoza Fatima , Montes-Almanza Luis , Mora-Roldán Germán , Gazarian Karlen
Published: January 2024

Background. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) risk has been shown to vary depending on ethnic backgrounds, and thus, it is worthy that underrepresented populations are analyzed for the potential identification of DR-associated genetic variants. We conducted a case-control study for the identification of DR-risk variants in Mexican population. Methods. We ascertained 60 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Cases (n=30) were patients with advanced proliferative DR (PDR) with less than 15 years after a T2DM diagnosis while controls (n=30) were patients with no DR 15 years after the diagnosis of T2DM. Exome sequencing was performed in all patients, and the frequency of rare variants was compared. In addition, the frequency of variants occurring in a set of 169 DR-associated genes were compared. Results. Statistically significant differences were identified for rare missense and splice variants and for rare splice variants occurring more than once in either group. A strong statistical difference was observed when the number of rare missense variants with an aggregated prediction of pathogenicity and occurring more than once in either group was compared (p=0.0035). Moreover, 8 variants identified more than once in either group, occurring in previously identified DR-associated genes were recognized. The p.Pro234Ser KIR2DS4 variant showed a strong protective effect (OR=0.04 [0.001–0.36]; p=0.04). Conclusions. Our study showed an enrichment of rare splice acceptor/donor variants in patients with PDR and identified a potential protective variant in KIR2DS4. Although statistical significance was not reached, our results support the replication of 8 previously identified DR-associated genes.
The COVID-19 Severity and Its Association with Intestinal Parasite Coinfection and Urine Biochemical Parameters among COVID-19-Confirmed Patients Admitted to Debre Markos University COVID-19 Center, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Toru Milkiyas , Atnaf Aytenew , Mengist Hylemariam Mihiretie , Reta Alemayehu
Published: January 2024

Background. Though most people with COVID-19 disease show asymptomatic to mild illness, a substantial number of patients are at high risk of developing severe disease and adverse outcomes with long COVID-19 and death. Even though some studies showed that previously existing infections with parasites amend the host’s body defenses to increase resistance to infection with SARS-CoV-2, there is limited data in Ethiopia. Objectives. This study is aimed at determining the COVID-19 disease severity and its association with intestinal parasite coinfection and urine biochemical parameters among COVID-19-confirmed patients admitted at Debre Markos University COVID-19 Center, 2021. Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted on 136 RT-qPCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted at Debre Markos University COVID-19 Center from January 1 to March 30, 2021. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected by using standardized data collection forms. A urine biochemical test was performed using a dry urine dipstick kit and stool examination using direct wet mount microscopic examination and formalin-ether concentration method. The chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and ordinal logistic regression analysis were computed to assess association with outcome variables using Statistical Package for Social Science software (version 24). Result. A total of 136 COVID-19-confirmed patients participated in this study. The median age of the participants was 48 years. The majority (86 (62.5%)) of them were male in sex. Of the 136 cases, 39 (28.7%) had died. Among the 136 patients, 22 (16.2%) were coinfected with intestinal parasites. COVID-19 patients who have intestinal parasite coinfection had lower odds of developing clinically severe COVID-19 compared to noninfected (AOR=0.37; 95% CI=0.147‐0.944; P=0.037). The majority (104 (76.5%)) of them have abnormal urine biochemical results. From the abnormal urine biochemical tests observed, the urine blood, glucose, and ketone tests were positive for 54 (39.7%), 36 (26.5%), and 30 (21.1%) patients, respectively. Among the 31 critical COVID-19 patients, 25 (80.6%) showed abnormal urine biochemical parameters. Age and comorbidity were significantly associated with COVID-19 severity (P<0.05). Conclusion. Patients with old age and comorbidity had an increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease. Patients having SARS-CoV-2 and intestinal parasitic coinfections demonstrated mild COVID-19 disease severity. Abnormal urine biochemical results were common among critical COVID-19 patients. Thus, advanced study on the effect of the interaction among intestinal parasites on COVID-19 clinical severity and its mechanisms is essential.
The “Weekday Effect”: A Decrease in Occupational Accidents from Monday to Friday—An Extension of the “Monday Effect”
Authors: Fontaneda Ignacio , Camino López Miguel A. , González Alcántara Oscar J. , Greiner Birgit A.
Published: January 2024

Objective. Study the variation in the number of accidents across days of the workweek, from Monday to Friday. Data and Method. All occupational accidents of full-time workers in Spain from 2011 to 2018 are analyzed. A total amount of 2,873,872 accidents are representative and not heavily affected by underreporting bias. Chi-squared test (χ2) and z-value determine statistically significant differences in accident percentages from Monday to Friday, controlling personal (sex, age, nationality, and seniority), company (activity, size, and region), temporal (hour of the day and working hour) variables, and consequences (severity, injury type, and injured body part). Results. “Weekday effect” with a decrease in accidents of 29.4% from Monday to Friday, a decrease of 14.3% from Monday to Tuesday (“Monday effect”), 3.9% from Tuesday to Wednesday, 7.9% from Wednesday to Thursday, and 7% from Thursday to Friday. The “weekday effect” and the “Monday effect” occur across industries, for all company sizes, for all types of workers (both genders, different ages and seniority), for different types of injury, and across the day and the shift. “Monday effect” increases with age and seniority, for men, in small companies (10 to 49 workers), in the morning, at the beginning of the work shift hours, and for back injuries. “Weekday effect” decreases with age and increases with seniority, for men, in companies between 20 and 249 workers, in the morning and at the beginning of the work shift hours, and for back injuries.
The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of Uruguay with a key to known species and comments on species of the genus Acanthoventris Ruschel including the resurrection of a previously synonymized species
Authors: SANBORN ALLEN F.
Published: January 2024

A synoptic list and key of the cicadas of Uruguay is provided to complete the country lists of the South American cicada fauna. Fidicina gastracanthophora Berg, 1879 is shown to be a distinct species, is resurrected from junior synonymy, and reassigned to a new genus to become Acanthoventris gastracanthophora (Berg, 1879) revised status, n. comb. The species is redescribed to facilitate differentiating it in its new genus. The female of Acanthventris drewseni (Stål, 1854), the type species of the genus, is described and illustrated. The known ranges of Acanthoventris charrua Ruschel (in Ruschel et al.), 2023, A. drewseni (Stål, 1854), A. iara Ruschel (in Ruschel et al.), 2023, A. igneus Ruschel (in Ruschel et al.), 2023, and A. olivarius Ruschel (in Ruschel et al.), 2023 are expanded. The currently known cicada fauna for Uruguay is determined to be 12 species, 10 genera, four tribes and three subfamilies, the lowest known alpha diversity of any South American country.
Review of the genus Cosmococcus (Hemiptera: Lecanodiaspididae) in China, with two new synonymies and updated descriptions of the wax tests and adult female of C. erythrinae Borchsenius, 1959
Authors: WANG XUBO , WANG KEQING , ZHANG JIANGTAO
Published: January 2024

The Cosmococcus species (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Lecanodiaspididae) found in China are reviewed. Based on morphological and molecular data, C. albizziae Borchsenius, 1960 syn. nov. and C. euphorbiae Borchsenius, 1959 syn. nov. are placed as junior synonyms of C. erythrinae Borchsenius, 1959. The wax tests of both sexes and the slide-mounted adult female of C. erythrinae Borchsenius are redescribed.
Review of the subtribe Spinariina van Achterberg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) from India with description of one new species
Authors: GUPTA ANKITA , ACHTERBERG CORNELIS VAN , REDDY P. MAHESHWARA , SUSHIL S. N.
Published: January 2024

The Indian members of the subtribe Spinariina van Achterberg, 1988 are reviewed and a key to Indian species is provided. Spinaria westwoodi Cameron, 1906 is reported from Great Nicobar island and a new species, Spinaria indica Gupta & van Achterberg, sp. nov. from Nagaland, is described and illustrated. In addition, Batotheca nigriceps (Cameron, 1897) is reported from caterpillars feeding on Psidium guajava L. and S. spinator (Guérin-Méneville, 1830) from slug caterpillar (Limacodidae) on Elaeodendron glaucum (Rottb.) Pers. in southern India.
Revision of the Afrotropical species of Euodynerus Dalla Torre (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae)
Authors: SELIS MARCO
Published: January 2024

A taxonomic revision of the Afrotropical species of the genus Euodynerus Dalla Torre, 1904 is presented. A new species, Euodynerus gaya sp. nov., is described from Niger, new synonymies are proposed for Euodynerus niloticus (de Saussure, 1855) (= Odynerus ebneri von Schulthess, 1921 syn. nov., Odynerus meyeri var. palestinensis von Schulthess, 1928 syn. nov., Pseudepipona nilotica saudita Giordani Soika, 1957 syn. nov.) and Euodynerus semiaethiopicus (Giordani Soika, 1943) (= Euodynerus albomaculatus Gusenleitner, 2000 syn. nov.), and Euodynerus fabulosus Giordani Soika, 1979 is transferred to Knemodynerus Blüthgen, 1940 (Knemodynerus fabulosus comb. nov.). A key to all known species is provided.
Synopsis of the Ptiloneuropsis Roesler, 1940 (Psocodea: ‘Psocoptera’: Ptiloneuridae), with a new cave-dwelling species from Brazil
Authors: REATEGUI NATÁLIA SOARES , FERREIRA RODRIGO LOPES , RAFAEL JOSÉ ALBERTINO , SILVA-NETO ALBERTO MOREIRA DA
Published: January 2024

A new cave-dwelling species of Ptiloneuropsis from southeastern Brazil, is here described based on both sexes, illustrated and named as: Ptiloneuropsis krenaki sp. nov. This new species differs from Ptiloneuropsis immaculata Roesler, 1940 and Ptiloneuropsis diamantina Silva-Neto, García Aldrete & Rafael, 2018 in details of the hypandrium and phallosome. In addition to the third new species of the Ptiloneuropsis, descriptions of variation in the fore and hindwings veins are also given. The diagnosis of Ptiloneuropsis is updated, and P. immaculata is redescribed. Furthermore, the first identification key for Ptiloneuropsis species, based on males, is presented.
Mysidopsis jenseni n. sp. from the Pacific coast of Washington, with first description of female M. intii Holmquist, 1957 (Crustacea: Mysida: Mysidae)
Authors: PRICE W. WAYNE
Published: January 2024

Mysidopsis jenseni n. sp. is described from the Puget Sound area, Washington, USA from sand/rocky bottoms in depths of 8 to 15 m. This new species increases the number of American Pacific species of Mysidopsis to eight. Based on a collection of M. intii Holmquist, 1957 from coastal waters of Chile, a supplementary description of the male is presented and the female is described for the first time. The presence of a mid-dorsal lappet near the posterior margin of the carapace of females only distinguishes the new species from all other Mysidopsis species except M. velifera Brattegard, 1973 from the Caribbean. M. jenseni is further separated from its American Pacific congeners by the following combination of characters: antennal scale 3–4 times as long as wide with a rounded apex and distal suture; uropodal endopod with 8–9 spiniform setae along ventromedial margin; telson with 46–54 spiniform setae along all margins. The presence of lobe-like protuberances on the basis and dactylus of thoracic endopods 3–8 was documented for the new species, M. intii and other species of Mysidopsis as well as species belonging to the other four genera within the Tribe Mysidopsini. A key to the species of Mysidopsis of the Pacific coasts of the Americas is given.
A new cave-dwelling species of Charinus (Amblypygi: Charinidae) from northern Brazil
Authors: SOUZA PRISCILA EMANUELA DE , REIS-VENÂNCIO PAULO CÉSAR , TORRES RICHARD A. , FERREIRA RODRIGO LOPES
Published: January 2024

We present the description and illustration of a new species within the genus Charinus Simon, 1892, discovered in a cave located in the state of Tocantins, situated in the northern region of Brazil. Charinus tocantinensis sp. nov., can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of distinctive characters: pedipalp femur with four dorsal spines and four ventral spines; well-developed median eyes and median ocular tubercle; female gonopods sucker-like, slightly longer than wide, opening rounded and margins with fold with each a small posterior slit; cheliceral claw with ten denticles. In addition to the species description, we have included a key for identifying Charinus species in Brazil, along with a distribution map that highlights the known species in the country. This newly described species marks the first formal documentation of a Charinus species within the state of Tocantins. With the addition of this species, the global tally of recognized Charinus species now stands at 98, and Brazil, in particular, is home to a total of 44 formally described species within this genus.
A new species of Jeremia Redtenbacher (Phasmatodea: Phasmatidae: Cladomorphinae), a stick insect from the northern Brazilian Amazon Basin
Authors: LIMA SHEILA PEREIRA DE , OLIVEIRA ISMAEL BARRETO DE , FILHO FRANCISCO FELIPE XAVIER , HELEODORO RAPHAEL AQUINO
Published: January 2024

A new species of Jeremia Redtenbacher (Phasmatodea: Phasmatidae: Cladomorphinae) is described based on both male and female specimens from the northern Brazilian Amazon Basin and named Jeremia megaplax sp. nov. The new species can be differentiated from other species of this genus by the length of the female subgenital plate, which is two times longer than the length of tergites 8–10. Photos and description from subadult male and not fully developed eggs are also provided. The studied material is deposited at the Invertebrate Collection of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA).
Alarm or emotion? intranasal oxytocin helps determine information conveyed by dog barks for adult male human listeners
Authors: Pongrácz Péter , Lugosi Csenge Anna , Szávai Luca , Gengeliczky Atina , Jégh-Czinege Nikolett , Faragó Tamás
Published: January 2024

Background

Barks play an important role in interspecific communication between dogs and humans, by allowing a reliable perception of the inner state of dogs for human listeners. However, there is growing concern in society regarding the nuisance that barking dogs cause to the surrounding inhabitants. We assumed that at least in part, this nuisance effect can be explained by particular communicative functions of dog barks. In this study we experimentally tested two separate hypotheses concerning how the content of dog barks could affect human listeners. According to the first hypothesis, barks that convey negative inner states, would especially cause stress in human listeners due to the process called interspecific empathy. Based on the second hypothesis, alarm-type dog barks cause particularly strong stress in the listener, by capitalizing on their specific acoustic makeup (high pitch, low tonality) that resembles to the parameters of a baby’s cry. We tested 40 healthy, young adult males in a double-blind placebo controlled experiment, where participants received either intranasal oxytocin or placebo treatment. After an incubation period, they had to evaluate the (1) perceived emotions (happiness, fear and aggression), that specifically created dog bark sequences conveyed to them; and (2) score the annoyance level these dog barks elicited in them.

Results

We found that oxytocin treatment had a sensitizing effect on the participants’ reactions to negative valence emotions conveyed by dog barks, as they evaluated low fundamental frequency barks with higher aggression scores than the placebo-treated participants did. On the other hand, oxytocin treatment attenuated the annoyance that noisy (atonal) barks elicited from the participants.

Conclusions

Based on these results, we provide first-hand evidence that dog barks provide information to humans (which may also cause stress) in a dual way: through specific attention-grabbing functions and through emotional understanding.
Classification of bruxism based on time-frequency and nonlinear features of single channel EEG
Authors: Wang Chunwu , Verma Ajay K. , Guragain Bijay , Xiong Xin , Liu Chunling
Published: January 2024

Background

In the classification of bruxism patients based on electroencephalogram (EEG), feature extraction is essential. The method of using multi-channel EEG fusing electrocardiogram (ECG) and Electromyography (EMG) signal features has been proved to have good performance in bruxism classification, but the classification performance based on single channel EEG signal is still understudied. We investigate the efficacy of single EEG channel in bruxism classification.

Methods

We have extracted time-domain, frequency-domain, and nonlinear features from single EEG channel to classify bruxism. Five common bipolar EEG recordings from 2 bruxism patients and 4 healthy controls during REM sleep were analyzed. The time domain (mean, standard deviation, root mean squared value), frequency domain (absolute, relative and ratios power spectral density (PSD)), and non-linear features (sample entropy) of different EEG frequency bands were analyzed from five EEG channels of each participant. Fine tree algorithm was trained and tested for classifying sleep bruxism with healthy controls using five-fold cross-validation.

Results

Our results demonstrate that the C4P4 EEG channel was most effective for classification of sleep bruxism that yielded 95.59% sensitivity, 98.44% specificity, 97.84% accuracy, and 94.20% positive predictive value (PPV).

Conclusions

Our results illustrate the feasibility of sleep bruxism classification using single EEG channel and provides an experimental foundation for the development of a future portable automatic sleep bruxism detection system.
Scaffold-based 3D cell culture models in cancer research
Authors: Abuwatfa Waad H. , Pitt William G. , Husseini Ghaleb A.
Published: January 2024

Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures have emerged as valuable tools in cancer research, offering significant advantages over traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems. In 3D cell cultures, cancer cells are grown in an environment that more closely mimics the 3D architecture and complexity of in vivo tumors. This approach has revolutionized cancer research by providing a more accurate representation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and enabling the study of tumor behavior and response to therapies in a more physiologically relevant context. One of the key benefits of 3D cell culture in cancer research is the ability to recapitulate the complex interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding stroma. Tumors consist not only of cancer cells but also various other cell types, including stromal cells, immune cells, and blood vessels. These models bridge traditional 2D cell cultures and animal models, offering a cost-effective, scalable, and ethical alternative for preclinical research. As the field advances, 3D cell cultures are poised to play a pivotal role in understanding cancer biology and accelerating the development of effective anticancer therapies. This review article highlights the key advantages of 3D cell cultures, progress in the most common scaffold-based culturing techniques, pertinent literature on their applications in cancer research, and the ongoing challenges.

Graphical Abstract
Identification of kynurenine and quinolinic acid as promising serum biomarkers for drug-induced interstitial lung diseases
Authors: Sun Yuchen , Saito Kosuke , Ushiki Atsuhito , Abe Mitsuhiro , Saito Yoshinobu , Kashiwada Takeru , Horimasu Yasushi , Gemma Akihiko , Tatsumi Koichiro , Hattori Noboru , Tsushima Kenji , Takemoto Kazuhisa , Ishikawa Rika , Momiyama Toshiko , Matsuyama Shin-ichiro , Arakawa Noriaki , Akane Hirotoshi , Toyoda Takeshi , Ogawa Kumiko , Sato Motonobu , Takamatsu Kazuhiko , Mori Kazuhiko , Nishiya Takayoshi , Izumi Takashi , Ohno Yasuo , Saito Yoshiro , Hanaoka Masayuki
Published: January 2024

Background

Drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DILD) is a lung injury caused by various types of drugs and is a serious problem in both clinical practice and drug development. Clinical management of the condition would be improved if there were DILD-specific biomarkers available; this study aimed to meet that need.

Methods

Biomarker candidates were identified by non-targeted metabolomics focusing on hydrophilic molecules, and further validated by targeted approaches using the serum of acute DILD patients, DILD recovery patients, DILD-tolerant patients, patients with other related lung diseases, and healthy controls.

Results

Serum levels of kynurenine and quinolinic acid (and kynurenine/tryptophan ratio) were elevated significantly and specifically in acute DILD patients. The diagnostic potentials of these biomarkers were superior to those of conventional lung injury biomarkers, Krebs von den Lungen-6 and surfactant protein-D, in discriminating between acute DILD patients and patients with other lung diseases, including idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and lung diseases associated with connective tissue diseases. In addition to identifying and evaluating the biomarkers, our data showed that kynurenine/tryptophan ratios (an indicator of kynurenine pathway activation) were positively correlated with serum C-reactive protein concentrations in patients with DILD, suggesting the potential association between the generation of these biomarkers and inflammation. Our in vitro experiments demonstrated that macrophage differentiation and inflammatory stimulations typified by interferon gamma could activate the kynurenine pathway, resulting in enhanced kynurenine levels in the extracellular space in macrophage-like cell lines or lung endothelial cells. Extracellular quinolinic acid levels were elevated only in macrophage-like cells but not endothelial cells owing to the lower expression levels of metabolic enzymes converting kynurenine to quinolinic acid. These findings provide clues about the molecular mechanisms behind their specific elevation in the serum of acute DILD patients.

Conclusions

The serum concentrations of kynurenine and quinolinic acid as well as kynurenine/tryptophan ratios are promising and specific biomarkers for detecting and monitoring DILD and its recovery, which could facilitate accurate decisions for appropriate clinical management of patients with DILD.
Microaerobic insights into production of polyhydroxyalkanoates containing 3-hydroxyhexanoate via native reverse β-oxidation from glucose in Ralstonia eutropha H16
Authors: Huong Kai-Hee , Orita Izumi , Fukui Toshiaki
Published: January 2024

Background

Ralstonia eutropha H16, a facultative chemolitoautotroph, is an important workhorse for bioindustrial production of useful compounds such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Despite the extensive studies to date, some of its physiological properties remain not fully understood.

Results

This study demonstrated that the knallgas bacterium exhibited altered PHA production behaviors under slow-shaking condition, as compared to its usual aerobic condition. One of them was a notable increase in PHA accumulation, ranging from 3.0 to 4.5-fold in the mutants lacking of at least two NADPH-acetoacetyl-CoA reductases (PhaB1, PhaB3 and/or phaB2) when compared to their respective aerobic counterpart, suggesting the probable existence of (R)-3HB-CoA-providing route(s) independent on PhaBs. Interestingly, PHA production was still considerably high even with an excess nitrogen source under this regime. The present study further uncovered the conditional activation of native reverse β-oxidation (rBOX) allowing formation of (R)-3HHx-CoA, a crucial precursor for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HHx)], solely from glucose. This native rBOX led to the natural incorporation of 3.9 mol% 3HHx in a triple phaB-deleted mutant (∆phaB1∆phaB1∆phaB2-C2). Gene deletion experiments elucidated that the native rBOX was mediated by previously characterized (S)-3HB-CoA dehydrogenases (PaaH1/Had), β-ketothiolase (BktB), (R)-2-enoyl-CoA hydratase (PhaJ4a), and unknown crotonase(s) and reductase(s) for crotonyl-CoA to butyryl-CoA conversion prior to elongation. The introduction of heterologous enzymes, crotonyl-CoA carboxylase/reductase (Ccr) and ethylmalonyl-CoA decarboxylase (Emd) along with (R)-2-enoyl-CoA hydratase (PhaJ) aided the native rBOX, resulting in remarkably high 3HHx composition (up to 37.9 mol%) in the polyester chains under the low-aerated condition.

Conclusion

These findings shed new light on the robust characteristics of Ralstonia eutropha H16 and have the potential for the development of new strategies for practical P(3HB-co-3HHx) copolyesters production from sugars under low-aerated conditions.

Graphical Abstract
A neural network with a human learning paradigm for breast fibroadenoma segmentation in sonography
Authors: Guo Yongxin , Chen Maoshan , Yang Lei , Yin Heng , Yang Hongwei , Zhou Yufeng
Published: January 2024

Background

Breast fibroadenoma poses a significant health concern, particularly for young women. Computer-aided diagnosis has emerged as an effective and efficient method for the early and accurate detection of various solid tumors. Automatic segmentation of the breast fibroadenoma is important and potentially reduces unnecessary biopsies, but challenging due to the low image quality and presence of various artifacts in sonography.

Methods

Human learning involves modularizing complete information and then integrating it through dense contextual connections in an intuitive and efficient way. Here, a human learning paradigm was introduced to guide the neural network by using two consecutive phases: the feature fragmentation stage and the information aggregation stage. To optimize this paradigm, three fragmentation attention mechanisms and information aggregation mechanisms were adapted according to the characteristics of sonography. The evaluation was conducted using a local dataset comprising 600 breast ultrasound images from 30 patients at Suining Central Hospital in China. Additionally, a public dataset consisting of 246 breast ultrasound images from Dataset_BUSI and DatasetB was used to further validate the robustness of the proposed network. Segmentation performance and inference speed were assessed by Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Hausdorff distance (HD), and training time and then compared with those of the baseline model (TransUNet) and other state-of-the-art methods.

Results

Most models guided by the human learning paradigm demonstrated improved segmentation on the local dataset with the best one (incorporating C3ECA and LogSparse Attention modules) outperforming the baseline model by 0.76% in DSC and 3.14 mm in HD and reducing the training time by 31.25%. Its robustness and efficiency on the public dataset are also confirmed, surpassing TransUNet by 0.42% in DSC and 5.13 mm in HD.

Conclusions

Our proposed human learning paradigm has demonstrated the superiority and efficiency of ultrasound breast fibroadenoma segmentation across both public and local datasets. This intuitive and efficient learning paradigm as the core of neural networks holds immense potential in medical image processing.
Melatonin as an immunomodulator in CD19-targeting CAR-T cell therapy: managing cytokine release syndrome
Authors: Zheng Na , Long Yihao , Bai Zixuan , Li Jianing , Wang Hongyu , Song Dan-Dan , Liu Hong-Lin , Shi Jian-Hong , Zhao Shuli
Published: January 2024

Background

Chimeric antigen receptor CAR-T cell therapies have ushered in a new era of treatment for specific blood cancers, offering unparalleled efficacy in cases of treatment resistance or relapse. However, the emergence of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) as a side effect poses a challenge to the widespread application of CAR-T cell therapies. Melatonin, a natural hormone produced by the pineal gland known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has been explored for its potential immunomodulatory effects. Despite this, its specific role in mitigating CAR-T cell-induced CRS remains poorly understood.

Methods

In this study, our aim was to investigate the potential of melatonin as an immunomodulatory agent in the context of CD19-targeting CAR-T cell therapy and its impact on associated side effects. Using a mouse model, we evaluated the effects of melatonin on CAR-T cell-induced CRS and overall survival. Additionally, we assessed whether melatonin administration had any detrimental effects on the antitumor efficacy and persistence of CD19 CAR-T cells.

Results

Our findings demonstrate that melatonin effectively mitigated the severity of CAR-T cell-induced CRS in the mouse model, leading to improved overall survival outcomes. Remarkably, melatonin administration did not compromise the antitumor effectiveness or persistence of CD19 CAR-T cells, indicating its compatibility with therapeutic goals. These results suggest melatonin's potential as an immunomodulatory compound to alleviate CRS without compromising the therapeutic benefits of CAR-T cell therapy.

Conclusion

The study's outcomes shed light on melatonin's promise as a valuable addition to the existing treatment protocols for CAR-T cell therapies. By attenuating CAR-T cell-induced CRS while preserving the therapeutic impact of CAR-T cells, melatonin offers a potential strategy for optimizing and refining the safety and efficacy profile of CAR-T cell therapy. This research contributes to the evolving understanding of how to harness immunomodulatory agents to enhance the clinical application of innovative cancer treatments.