bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Word Formation as a Naming Device
Authors: ten Hacken Pius , Panocová Renáta
Published: October 2024

Naming is an essential preliminary for the effective use of language. Word formation is the only rule-based naming device. This monograph explores how the naming function of word formation can be dealt with in eight current theoretical frameworks. After an introduction to the nature of naming and a historical overview motivating the selection of theories, a set of data is presented that illustrates the issues involved in naming. For each framework, it is investigated how these data can be accounted for. In the final chapter, the properties that a theory needs in order to cover the naming function of word formation are summarized. It is found that two crucial properties of the application of word formation are onomasiological coercion and onomasiological motivation. Onomasiological coercion means that the meaning of a new word is determined by the concept to be named rather than by word formation rules. The semantic constraints of word formation rules only determine which rule will be used, not what the resulting word means. Onomasiological motivation means that new words are only formed when there is a need for them. This naming need must be perceived by the speaker forming the word. Notions such as productivity, semantic specialization and blocking are argued to be epiphenomena reflecting aspects of onomasiological coercion and onomasiological motivation.
Naming concepts
Authors: Hacken Pius Ten , Panocová Renáta
Published: October 2024

This chapter introduces some general theoretical background to naming. Naming is the creation of a new association between a concept and a name. Concepts are units of meaning. They are perceived as a unit to be named by a particular speaker. Names are linguistic expressions. They can be manifested as words in a signal, words in the mental lexicon and words in a dictionary. Naming links a concept and a name. It stands in opposition to description. The three main naming mechanisms are word formation, sense extension and borrowing. Of these, only word formation is rule-based. Lexicalization is the storage of a name in the mental lexicon. The mental lexicon is used first to form intended performance, i.e. a linguistic expression which is formed in the speaker’s mind and has a meaning. The signal is the realization of the intended performance. It consists of a form only and needs to be interpreted in order to be associated with a meaning.
Historical relationships between current theories of morphology
Authors: Hacken Pius Ten , Panocová Renáta
Published: October 2024

This chapter gives an overview of how word formation has been studied from the mid 20th century. The overview serves as a background for the selection of theories and frameworks in chapters 5-12. Both generative and functionalist approaches are covered. In generative linguistics, the Lexicalist Hypothesis is a central reference point. Chomsky formulated it in opposition to Generative Semantics. The Lexicalist Hypothesis was elaborated in different directions by Morris Halle and Ray Jackendoff. In functionalist morphology, the discussion of foundation and motivation by Miloš Dokulil and Ján Horecký serves as a background for the development of later theories. The selection of theories and frameworks for the discussion in chapters 5-12 is motivated by the criteria that their scope includes word formation and they are used and further developed by their originator or by a substantial research community.
Lexical Morphology
Authors: Hacken Pius Ten , Panocová Renáta
Published: October 2024

Lexical Morphology and Phonology (LMP) is a theory developed by Paul Kiparsky in the 1980s. A central organizing principle of the lexicon in this theory is level-ordering. This principle has been used in much of the work on morphological analysis in generative linguistics that is not within the framework of DM. A more recent development in LMP is the integration of Optimality Theory, leading to Stratal Optimality Theory (SOT). This chapter outlines how the data presented in chapter 4 can be accounted for in LMP and SOT. The distinction between the lexical component and the syntactic component yields a straightforward mechanism for distinguishing naming expressions from syntactic structures with a descriptive function. However, specialized meanings must be listed and are not explained.
The Lexical Semantic Framework
Authors: Hacken Pius Ten , Panocová Renáta
Published: October 2024

The Lexical Semantic Framework (LSF) is a theory of the lexicon developed by Rochelle Lieber from the start of the 21st century. It assumes that lexical entries describe morphemes as consisting of a skeleton and a body. Word formation takes place in the lexicon and involves the coindexation of arguments in the skeleton of the morphemes that are combined. This chapter describes how LSF can account for the data presented in chapter 4. The mechanisms in LSF make it possible to distinguish naming expressions from syntactic descriptions. For the specific meaning of compounds, LSF relies on contextual coercion, pragmatic predisposition and lexicalization. In most cases, the latter is the only plausible option, but it is not further developed theoretically. The idea that some nominalizations have an overlapping but more restricted meaning with competing ones is not explained.
Construction Morphology
Authors: Hacken Pius Ten , Panocová Renáta
Published: October 2024

Construction Morphology (CxM) is a theory of morphology developed by Geert Booij from the start of the 21st century. It draws inspiration from Adele Goldberg’s Construction Grammar and Ray Jackendoff’s Parallel Architecture. The central idea is that the lexicon is a contructicon, in which lexical entries represent constructions that are organized in an inheritance hierarchy. This chapter discusses how the data presented in chapter 4 can be accounted for in CxM. The possibility of assigning a semantic feature sem to an expression means that CxM can be used to identify the set of naming expressions adequately. However, the question how meanings are assigned to these expressions is not discussed in CxM.
Cognitive Grammar
Authors: Hacken Pius Ten , Panocová Renáta
Published: October 2024

Cognitive Grammar is a framework developed by Ronald Langacker from the late 1970s. It assumes that language is non-modular and is shaped by its functions, the most important of which are symbolic and communicative. This chapter discusses how the data in chapter 4 can be treated in this framework. The general approach in the framework is to see distinctions as fuzzy, modelling them as marked by a gradual transition rather than a precise borderline. This fuzziness makes it hard to identify naming expressions as opposed to descriptions. The idea of choosing a name for a concept is not easily compatible with the model based on gradual automatization and entrenchment.
New Spirits: Moina MacGregor
Authors: de Mille Charlotte
Published: October 2024

Bergson’s study into the ‘obscure depths of consciousness’, Matter and Memory, has long been recognised as the book in which he comes closest to the contemporary culture of spiritualist investigation at the close of nineteenth century. These more challenging aspects of the text have reinvigorated colour when set beside the life and work of his remarkable sister Mina, later Moina Mathers, for a time his close neighbour in Paris. Mina’s London upbringing, study at the Slade from 1880–6, and centrality to British occultism, brings her brother into a very different domain of British life a generation earlier than the artist groups of my other chapters. The chapter draws comparison from contemporary psychological fiction and occult experimentation on both sides of the channel to consider the centrality of the ‘image’ in both Bergsonian disinterested perception and occultist investigation.
Blasted Devolution: Wyndham Lewis and Henri Bergson
Authors: de Mille Charlotte
Published: October 2024

Wyndham Lewis’ vision for a regressive cultural politics in the period before the First World War runs counter to the vitalist, generative vision commonly associated with Bergsonian philosophy. From the plurality of Bergsons, Lewis (and this chapter) takes for its subject another: the ugly analysis of humanity in Laughter, and the bleak underside of Creative Evolution.
Introduction: Why this Book and What Is its Argument?
Authors: Jung Dietrich
Published: October 2024

Are Islam and modernity compatible? This question still puzzles scholars and media pundits, although a group of Muslim intellectuals gave the answer more than a century ago. The answer of the Islamic reform movement was an emphatic “Yes”. Even more, for these intellectuals, to be an authentically modern Muslim was inevitably linked to Islamic traditions. The introduction starts from this observation that references to Islamic religious traditions became a dominant signifier in defining the authenticity of Muslim modernities. How should we understand this relative hegemony of ideas of specifically Islamic modernities in the Muslim world? The book answers this question with respect to the state of the art in both Islamic studies and the sociology of modernity.
Islam and Modernity: A Brief Discussion of the State of the Art
Authors: Jung Dietrich
Published: October 2024

The first chapter situates the research to this book within a set of pertinent questions of current discussions in Islamic Studies. It first gives a selective look at four introductory volumes on Islam which mirror the broad range of methods and themes that characterize the field today. In addition, they clearly demonstrate the transformation of the discipline from studying Islam as a systemic unity to exploring “lived Islam” in terms of religious practices. Then it zooms in on a specific branch of recent anthropological research which puts its focus on pious activists among Muslim women in the Middle East and Europe. This strand of literature serves an analytical prism for discerning the essential theoretical puzzle in current research on Islam.
The Emergence of World Society: Projects of Modernity in Global Social Contexts
Authors: Jung Dietrich
Published: October 2024

This chapter lays out the theoretical framework for the case studies of the book. Taking up current discussions about multiple modernities, the chapter proposes to conceptualize modernity with reference to two theories of world society: Niklas Luhmann’s Modern Systems Theory and the World Cultural Theory of the Stanford School of Sociological Institutionalism. It suggests reconciling the singular concept of modernity as social structure with the observation of the contingent realization of modern projects by social actors in the historical evolution of multiple modernities. The chapter argues that modernity and multiple modernities are mutually dependent concepts that logically cannot exist apart from each other. The empirical case studies, then, are investigations into the historical varieties of specifically Islamic semantics of modernity.
From Empire to National States: Modernization in the Ottoman Empire
Authors: Jung Dietrich
Published: October 2024

Albert Hourani once questioned the conventional wisdom of a “lifeless and decaying Muslim society” in the Ottoman Empire before the impact of the West. Yet, does the modern history of Muslim peoples only start with the impact of the West? Drawing from classical and revisionist historians of the Middle East this chapter argues decisively no. It shows the indigenous roots of the modern reform projects of the nineteenth century, transforming the political landscape of the Middle East from empire to national states. Instead of the classical narrative of decline, the chapter presents the Ottoman reforms as an indigenously driven process in the context of an emerging global system of national states, thus drawing a line of continuation in the political modernization of the Middle East that goes far beyond the impact of European colonialism.
‘The Health and Welfare of the Republic’: The National Consumers’ League and the Question of Gender in US Protective Labour Legislation, 1895–1920
Authors: Janssen Flore
Published: October 2024

This chapter examines the role of the National Consumers’ League (NCL) in influencing labour legislation in the USA in the early twentieth century. It centres on the case study of the Muller v. Oregon trial, in which the NCL intervened to defend a legal limit on women’s working hours. The chapter explores the impact of this legal judgment in a longer history of labour legislation in the USA and interrogates the campaign rhetoric employed to make the case for gender-specific labour legislation.
Afterlives: Citizen Consumers and the Continued Influence of Consumers’ League Strategies
Authors: Janssen Flore
Published: October 2024

The conclusion to this book considers the afterlives of the movements, campaigns and strategies explored in the preceding chapters. It considers the influence of the connection made by women consumer activists between the identities of consumer and citizen. It also offers a critical reflection on the relative success and impact of the consumers’ league movements in the UK, the USA and other parts of the world and points to different examples of the survival of their campaign rhetoric and strategies.
Protocols for bulk off-line fluid inclusion extraction for the analysis of δ13C-CH4 and δ13C-CO2 using a cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) analyser
Authors: Olivieri Orlando Sébastien , Marassi Valentina , Casolari Sonia , Sissman Olivier , Daniel Isabelle , Fiebig Jens , Vitale Brovarone Alberto
Published: October 2024

Fluid inclusions are a window into deep geological fluids, providing unique access to their nature and composition. The isotopic composition of CO2 and CH4 hosted in fluid inclusions is a powerful proxy to assess the origin and transformation of deep geological fluids, giving insights into carbon sources, fluxes, and degassing in a wide variety of geodynamic settings. Over the last 5 decades, techniques have been developed to extract fluid inclusions from their host minerals and measure their bulk composition. These techniques are often challenged by analytical artifacts including high blank levels of CO2 and CH4, fluid re-speciation, gas adsorption, and diffusion. Since these processes may alter the pristine composition of gases liberated from fluid inclusions, rigorous protocols are needed in order to evaluate the isotopic integrity of the extracted volatile species. In this study, we introduce new protocols for bulk off-line fluid inclusion extraction for the analysis of δ13C-CH4 and δ13C-CO2 using a Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) analyser (Picarro G2201-i). Two mechanical fluid extraction techniques are compared: ball milling in ZrO2 jars and sample crushing in a stainless steel sealed tube under a hydraulic press. Blanks and isotopically labelled tests with the ball milling technique suggest that rotation speed, grinding stock filling degree and filling type alter the CH4 and CO2 concentrations and isotopic compositions measured by the CRDS analyser. In contrast, the crushing technique does not generate measurable quantities of blank CH4 and CO2. The protocols presented in this study allow to extract, detect, and analyse δ13C of CH4 and CO2 for concentrations above 10 and 1,000 ppm respectively. Interlaboratory experiments allowed to replicate previously measured δ13C-CH4 values in natural fluid inclusions within 1‰ with both extraction techniques. This study highlights the potential of combining simple bulk off-line fluid inclusion extraction techniques with a CRDS analyser for δ13C analysis of CO2 and CH4 without gas separation being required.
Evaluation of the water weakening coefficient of sandstones by using non-destructive physical parameters
Authors: Xu Jianbo , Huang Shibing , Yu Shilin , Zhu Songyang , Song Jianjun
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The presence of water significantly reduces the mechanical strength of rocks and induces various engineering geological hazards. The water weakening coefficient Kp is used to quantify this effect, defined as the ratio of wet uniaxial compressive strength to the dry value.

Methods

A comprehensive physico-mechanical test was conducted on fifteen sandstones under dry and saturated conditions to predict the water weakening coefficient using easily obtainable physical parameters. Multiple linear regression was employed to establish the relationship between these parameters and the saturated water weakening coefficient.

Results

The saturated water weakening coefficient decreases with increasing porosity and increases with higher Primary wave velocity (P-wave velocity). Rocks with higher porosity but lower P-wave velocity typically absorb more water. The P-wave velocity and clay mineral content were identified as the best predictors of the saturated water weakening coefficient (R2 = 0.82). Unsaturated water weakening coefficients at any water saturation level were well estimated using a previous exponential function.

Discussion

The roles of different clay minerals and P-wave velocity in the water weakening process of rocks are comprehensively discussed. This study enhances the understanding of the water weakening mechanism and provides an improved evaluation model for the water weakening coefficient of sandstones using physical parameters.
Development of a prognostic model related to homologous recombination deficiency in glioma based on multiple machine learning
Authors: Gong Zhenyu , Zhou Dairan , Shen Haotian , Ma Chao , Wu Dejun , Hou Lijun , Wang Hongxiang , Xu Tao
Published: October 2024

Background

Despite advances in neuro-oncology, treatments of glioma and tools for predicting the outcome of patients remain limited. The objective of this research is to construct a prognostic model for glioma using the Homologous Recombination Deficiency (HRD) score and validate its predictive capability for glioma.

Methods

We consolidated glioma datasets from TCGA, various cancer types for pan-cancer HRD analysis, and two additional glioma RNAseq datasets from GEO and CGGA databases. HRD scores, mutation data, and other genomic indices were calculated. Using machine learning algorithms, we identified signature genes and constructed an HRD-related prognostic risk model. The model’s performance was validated across multiple cohorts. We also assessed immune infiltration and conducted molecular docking to identify potential therapeutic agents.

Results

Our analysis established a correlation between higher HRD scores and genomic instability in gliomas. The model, based on machine learning algorithms, identified seven key genes, significantly predicting patient prognosis. Moreover, the HRD score prognostic model surpassed other models in terms of prediction efficacy across different cancers. Differential immune cell infiltration patterns were observed between HRD risk groups, with potential implications for immunotherapy. Molecular docking highlighted several compounds, notably Panobinostat, as promising for high-risk patients.

Conclusions

The prognostic model based on the HRD score threshold and associated genes in glioma offers new insights into the genomic and immunological landscapes, potentially guiding therapeutic strategies. The differential immune profiles associated with HRD-risk groups could inform immunotherapeutic interventions, with our findings paving the way for personalized medicine in glioma treatment.
Curve-centered plaques raise the risk of peri-operative neurological and cardiovascular complications during angioplasty and stenting for severe carotid stenosis
Authors: Kang Chul-Hoo , Rhim Jong-Kook , Kim Hong Jun , Choi Jay Chol , Kim Joong-Goo
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Carotid artery stenting is an alternative interventional treatment to carotid endarterectomy. However, preprocedural considerations and anatomical risk factor analyses for carotid artery stenting are currently insufficient. Therefore, we investigated the high-risk anatomical appearance of carotid artery stenting from the neurointerventionist perspective to predict periprocedural complications.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients with carotid stenosis who underwent carotid artery stenting at a comprehensive stroke center between January 2012 and December 2021. We compared the demographic characteristics, medical history, and anatomical appearance of the stenotic segment in patients with and without complications.

Results

We analyzed a total of 148 patients (64 women [43.2%]; median age, 73.0 [interquartile range, 65.5–79.0]). Complications occurred in 39 of the 148 patients, primarily minor and transient. Of baseline or procedural characteristics, a high initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (p = 0.04), symptomatic stenosis (p = 0.01), and curve-centered plaque of the proximal ICA (p = 0.01) were significantly associated with carotid artery stenting complications in unadjusted analysis. Curve-centered plaque remained an independent risk factor for carotid artery stenting complications after adjustment (odds ratio 2.23[1.02–4.88], p = 0.04).

Conclusion

High-risk vascular anatomical features, such as curve-centered plaque, are associated with a high frequency of periprocedural complications of carotid artery stenting. Tailored patient selection for carotid stenosis is crucial to prevent complications. Patients with curve-centered plaque should consider alternative treatment options such as carotid endarterectomy to achieve optimal clinical results.
Voltage-gated potassium channels and genetic epilepsy
Authors: Zheng Yiting , Chen Jing
Published: October 2024

Recent advances in exome and targeted sequencing have significantly improved the aetiological diagnosis of epilepsy, revealing an increasing number of epilepsy-related pathogenic genes. As a result, the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy have become more accessible and more traceable. Voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv) regulate electrical excitability in neuron systems. Mutate Kv channels have been implicated in epilepsy as demonstrated in case reports and researches using gene-knockout mouse models. Both gain and loss-of-function of Kv channels lead to epilepsy with similar phenotypes through different mechanisms, bringing new challenges to the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Research on genetic epilepsy is progressing rapidly, with several drug candidates targeting mutated genes or channels emerging. This article provides a brief overview of the symptoms and pathogenesis of epilepsy associated with voltage-gated potassium ion channels dysfunction and highlights recent progress in treatments. Here, we reviewed case reports of gene mutations related to epilepsy in recent years and summarized the proportion of Kv genes. Our focus is on the progress in precise treatments for specific voltage-gated potassium channel genes linked to epilepsy, including KCNA1, KCNA2, KCNB1, KCNC1, KCND2, KCNQ2, KCNQ3, KCNH1, and KCNH5.
Associations of composite dietary antioxidant index with suicidal ideation incidence and mortality among the U.S. population
Authors: Huang Shaoqun , Zhao Weimin , Choi Seok , Gong Hongyang
Published: October 2024

Background

The relationship between CDAI and suicidal ideation is unclear. This study investigates the relationship between CDAI and suicidal ideation and examines the association between CDAI and all-cause mortality (ACM) or cardiovascular disease mortality (CVM) among participants with and without suicidal ideation.

Methods

Data from seven NHANES cycles (2005–2018) were analyzed using cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies. Weighted multivariable logistic regression models, restricted cubic spline (RCS) plots, and subgroup analyses explored the association between CDAI and suicidal ideation. Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves, weighted multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, and RCS assessed the relationship between CDAI and CVM or ACM.

Results

Among 30,976 participants aged over 20, 1,154 (3.72%) had suicidal ideation. Higher CDAI levels (Quartile 4) were associated with a 28% reduction in suicidal ideation compared to lower levels (Quartile 1). Over an average follow-up of 89 months, 3,267 participants (7.6%) died, including 808 (1.8%) from cardiovascular causes. Higher CDAI levels were linked to a 30, 68, and 28% reduction in ACM in the total population, those with suicidal ideation, and those without, respectively. CVM was reduced by 40% in the total population and by 41% in those without suicidal ideation.

Conclusion

CDAI is negatively associated with suicidal ideation and correlated with reduced ACM and CVM among participants with and without suicidal ideation.
Case report: Synchronous prostate cancer and renal cell carcinoma with prostate cancer-origin metastases to adrenal and renal hilar lymph nodes
Authors: Zhang Yaowen , Chen Junru , Xu Lijing , Hu Xu , Zeng Hao , Liu Zhenhua
Published: October 2024

Background

Synchronous occurrence of prostate cancer (PCa) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is uncommon. RCC has a higher tendency to metastasize to the adrenal glands, renal hilar, and retroperitoneal lymph nodes compared to PCa. To date, there are no documented cases existing where metastatic tumors in these regions, observed in patients concurrently with PCa and RCC, have originated from the PCa rather than the RCC.

Case presentation

In this case report, we described a 67-year-old male presented with dysuria for two months and left lower extremity edema for three days. Percutaneous biopsies revealed synchronous primary RCC and PCa. However, the origin of the metastatic tumors, especially those involving the adrenal glands, renal hilum, and retroperitoneal regions, remained undetermined. Subsequent surgical procedures identified that the metastatic lesions originated from the PCa, while the RCC was localized. Ultimately, the patient with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) received combination therapy with rezvilutamide and goserelin, which resulted in a satisfactory treatment response.

Conclusion

In patients with concurrent PCa and RCC, metastatic lesions in the adrenal glands, renal hilar, and retroperitoneal lymph nodes may also originate from the PCa. Accurate identification of the primary tumor and proper staging are critical for the appropriate management of patients with multiple primary malignancies with concurrent metastases.
Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of radiomics parameter maps and standard reconstruction for the detection of liver lesions in computed tomography
Authors: Hertel Alexander , Kuru Mustafa , Tollens Fabian , Tharmaseelan Hishan , Nörenberg Dominik , Rathmann Nils , Schoenberg Stefan O. , Froelich Matthias F.
Published: October 2024

Background

The liver is a frequent location of metastatic disease in various malignant tumor entities. Computed tomography (CT) is the most frequently employed modality for initial diagnosis. However, liver metastases may only be delineated vaguely on CT. Calculating radiomics features in feature maps can unravel textures not visible to the human eye on a standard CT reconstruction (SCTR). This study aimed to investigate the comparative diagnostic accuracy of radiomics feature maps and SCTR for liver metastases.

Materials and methods

Forty-seven patients with hepatic metastatic colorectal cancer were retrospectively enrolled. Whole-liver maps of original radiomics features were generated. A representative feature was selected for each feature class based on the visualization of example lesions from five patients. These maps and the conventional CT image data were viewed and evaluated by four readers in terms of liver parenchyma, number of lesions, visual contrast of lesions and diagnostic confidence. T-tests and chi²-tests were performed with a significance cut off of p<0.05 to compare the feature maps with SCRT, and the data were visualized as boxplots.

Results

Regarding the number of lesions detected, SCTR showed superior performance compared to radiomics maps. However, the feature map for firstorder RootMeanSquared was ranked superior in terms of very high visual contrast in 57.4% of cases, compared to 41.0% in standard reconstructions (p < 0.001). All other radiomics maps ranked significantly lower in visual contrast when compared to SCTR. For diagnostic confidence, firstorder RootMeanSquared reached very high ratings in 47.9% of cases, compared to 62.8% for SCTR (p < 0.001). The conventional CT images showed superior results in all categories for the other features investigated.

Conclusion

The application of firstorder RootMeanSquared feature maps may help visualize faintly demarcated liver lesions by increasing visual contrast. However, reading of SCTR remains necessary for diagnostic confidence.
Diacerein reduces inflammasome activation and SARS-CoV-2 virus replication: a proof-of-concept translational study
Authors: Carmo Helison R. P. , Castillo Alejandro Rossel , Bonilha Isabella , Gomes Erica I. L. , Barreto Joaquim , Moura Filipe A. , Davanzo Gustavo Gastão , de Brito Monteiro Lauar , Muraro Stéfanie Primon , Fabiano de Souza Gabriela , Morari Joseane , Galdino Flávia Elisa , Brunetti Natália S. , Reis-de-Oliveira Guilherme , Carregari Victor Corasolla , Nadruz Wilson , Martins-de-Souza Daniel , Farias Alessandro S. , Velloso Licio A. , Proenca-Modena José Luiz , Mori Marcelo A. , Loh Watson , Bhatt Deepak L. , Yellon Derek M. , Davidson Sean M. , De Oliveira Pedro G. , Moraes-Vieira Pedro M. , Sposito Andrei C.
Published: October 2024

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is linked to high mortality, primarily through an intense inflammatory response. Diacerein has emerged as a potential therapy for COVID-19 due to its potential impact in decreasing the inflammasome activation and coronavirus replication. This study aims to explore diacerein’s influence in inhibiting both viral replication and the inflammatory response after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from healthy volunteers and infected in vitro with SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, we carried out a pilot randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 14 participants allocated to diacerein (n = 7) or placebo (n = 7) therapies every 12 h for 10 days. The primary endpoint was change in plasma markers of inflammasome activation (NLRP3, caspase-1, and gasdermin-D).

Results

In vitro protocols have shown that rhein, diacerein’s primary metabolite, decreased IL-1β secretion caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in human PBMCs (p < 0.05), and suppressed viral replication when administered either before or after the virus incubation (p < 0.05). This later effect was, at least partially, attributed to its inhibitory effect on 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro) and papain-like protease in the SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2 PLpro) virus and in the phosphorylation of proteins related cytoskeleton network (p < 0.05). Diacerein-treated COVID-19 patients presented a smaller area under the curve for NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDM-D measured on days 2, 5, and 10 after hospitalization compared to those receiving a placebo (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The indicated mechanisms of action of diacerein/rhein can reduce viral replication and mitigate the inflammatory response related to SARS-CoV-2. These findings are preliminary and require confirmation in clinical trials.
Dynamics of flavonoid metabolites in coconut water based on metabolomics perspective
Authors: Hou Mingming , John Martin Jerome Jeyakumar , Song Yuqiao , Wang Qi , Cao Hongxing , Li Wenrao , Sun Chengxu
Published: October 2024

Coconut meat and coconut water have garnered significant attention for their richness in healthful flavonoids. However, the dynamics of flavonoid metabolites in coconut water during different developmental stages remain poorly understood. This study employed the metabolomics approach using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to investigate the changes in flavonoid metabolite profiles in coconut water from two varieties, ‘Wenye No.5’(W5) and Hainan local coconut (CK), across six developmental stages. The results showed that a total of 123 flavonoid metabolites including chalcones, dihydroflavonoids, dihydroflavonols, flavonoids, flavonols, flavonoid carboglycosides, and flavanols were identified in the coconut water as compared to the control. The total flavonoid content in both types of coconut water exhibited a decreasing trend with developmental progression, but the total flavonoid content in CK was significantly higher than that in W5. The number of flavonoid metabolites that differed significantly between the W5 and CK groups at different developmental stages were 74, 74, 60, 92, 40 and 54, respectively. KEGG pathway analysis revealed 38 differential metabolites involved in key pathways for flavonoid biosynthesis and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. This study provides new insights into the dynamics of flavonoid metabolites in coconut water and highlights the potential for selecting and breeding high-quality coconuts with enhanced flavonoid content. The findings have implications for the development of coconut-based products with improved nutritional and functional properties.
Subjective experiences of an acceptance and mindfulness-based group intervention (Feel-Good-Group) in young people with early psychosis
Authors: von Hardenberg Laura , Leopold Karolina , Pfennig Andrea , Kuhn Céline , Kallenbach Michèle , Aliakbari Navid , Mehl Stephanie , Bechdolf Andreas
Published: October 2024

Background

Mindfulness-based interventions are promising psychological treatment approaches that may have more substantial long-lasting intervention effects than cognitive behavioral therapy when treating individuals with early psychosis. A pilot study analyzed mindfulness-based inpatient group therapy’s feasibility and potential efficacy (Feel-Good).

Objective

This paper explores the subjective experiences of participants in the Feel-Good inpatient therapy group to gain insight into the possible changes brought about by the mindfulness-based intervention.

Methods

A semi-structured change interview was used to examine the experience of ten participants who participated in the Feel-Good intervention and the additional qualitative assessment. The interviews were conducted 16 weeks after the Feel-Good group ended (16-week Follow-Up). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

The analysis generated five themes—one about personal changes brought about by the Feel-Good group, three about the group therapy experience, and one about wishes/modification suggestions to change and improve the Feel-Good group. The findings suggested that the Feel-Good group was perceived as very helpful, leading to numerous changes in one’s overall well-being and relation to emotions. However, patients recommended a more directive therapeutic style and reduced time required for study assessments.

Conclusion

Gathering qualitative insight from participants on the Feel-Good intervention revealed meaningful insight into patients’ experience of change processes. In addition, participant suggestions help to improve the intervention and study design to increase therapy attendance rates and treatment satisfaction, potentially increasing treatment effectiveness in the future.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04592042.
Exploring the practice and attitudes of psychiatrists and psychologists towards patient-targeted googling in China
Authors: Feng Yunzi , Hu Xinyue , Qiao Yi , Shao Yang
Published: October 2024

Background

Patient-targeted Googling (PTG) is an unavoidable aspect of the internet era, offering both opportunities and risks. However, no PTG studies have been conducted in Asian contexts to date. Additionally, existing research has provided limited exploration of factors influencing PTG practices, particularly regarding the professional differences between psychiatrists and psychologists. This study seeks to address these research gaps.

Method

A total of 943 licensed psychiatrists and psychologists working in China completed an online survey. The survey included their attitudes towards PTG (including general attitude, application situations, reasons for/against PTG) and their actual practice of PTG.

Results

250(26.5%) respondents reported using PTG. Among them, 151(60.4%) respondents sought consent from clients before use, and 142(56.8%) respondents discussed search results with clients after use. Chinese psychiatrists and psychologists have contradictory attitudes, with concerns but also recognition of its possible positive effects, and expressing a need for more guidance. Compared to psychiatrists or those working in public institutions, psychologists and those working in private institutions report greater concerns about PTG but engage in it more frequently.

Conclusions

Although the sample is limited, the study reveals notable differences in attitudes and practice of PTG among Chinese psychiatrists and psychologists, which may be related to their distinct professional roles and workplace environments. These findings suggest the need for further research to better understand the underlying factors contributing to these differences. Moreover, the results highlight the importance of developing tailored ethical guidelines and targeted training programs to address PTG practices for psychiatrists and psychologists in China.
Association between hallucinations and sensory processing difficulties in children and adolescents
Authors: Nishiura Sayaka , Miyawaki Dai , Hirai Kaoru , Sukigara Ayaka , Kakishita Yui , Inoue Koki
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Hallucinations are serious symptoms that can lead to high levels of distress, functional impairment, and increased risk of suicide in both adults and children. However, their etiology and treatment remain unclear. Hallucinations and sensory processing difficulties (SPDs) are associated with various psychiatric disorders, including mood, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between hallucinations and SPDs in a pediatric population.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study with 335 children aged 6–18 years who visited the child psychiatry outpatient clinic at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital between April 2020 and March 2023 and continued treatment for at least three months. After excluding those with intellectual disabilities or uncontrolled epilepsy, 304 participants were included in the analyses. The presence of hallucinations was assessed through interviews with the children and their parents. SPDs were evaluated using the Short Sensory Profile. Binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between hallucinations and SPDs, adjusting for age, sex, autism spectrum disorder, socioeconomic difficulties (low-income, single-parent households), and the presence of mood and anxiety disorders.

Results

Hallucinations were present in 64 children (21%). Logistic regression analysis showed a significant positive association between SPDs and hallucinations, even after adjusting for age, sex, autism spectrum disorder, socioeconomic difficulties, and the presence of mood and anxiety disorders (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.008–1.036; p = 0.002).

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest a potential association between hallucinations and SPDs in pediatric patients. Further prospective studies are needed to explore the causal relationship between these factors and determine whether interventions for SPDs can alleviate hallucinations in children.
Is e-cigarette advertising associated with e-cigarette use among young people? New survey evidence from Poland
Authors: Świątkowska Beata , Zajdel Radosław , Balwicki Łukasz , Kaleta Dorota
Published: October 2024

Objective

Young people are routinely exposed to e-cigarettes advertising. We examined the impact of e-cigarette advertising on e-cigarette use in a large representative sample of adolescents.

Methods

Data came from cross-sectional sample of the nationwide study on the health effects of tobacco products called PolNicoYouth, which included adolescents aged 15–18 years (N = 7,498). Data were collected through a detailed questionnaire recommended by international health organizations for monitoring tobacco use by adolescents. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyzes were conducted, adjusting for sex, age, type of school, place of residence, smoking of traditional cigarettes and parental smoking. Frequencies and proportions for descriptive statistics, and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for logistic regression models were reported.

Results

Approximately, 56% of interviewees had noticed some form of e-cigarettes advertising. Exposure to e-cigarette advertising was significantly associated with ever use of e-cigarettes (OR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.09–1.53). Exposure to e-cigarette advertising via club/pub/disco was significantly associated with current e-cigarette use (OR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.06–2.36). Adolescents who have ever used e-cigarettes were more likely than never users to report exposure to advertisements on club/pub/disco (OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.08–2.30) and internet (OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.01–1.47).

Conclusion

Despite the applicable advertising restrictions, the majority of young people declared contact with e-cigarette advertising, which shows the urgent need for more global action. The internet and advertisements in clubs, pubs and discos seem to be the key places of exposure. These forms of exposure need to be urgently addressed given their clear link to e-cigarette use.
Visual augmentation of live-streaming images in virtual reality to enhance teleoperation of unmanned ground vehicles
Authors: Luo Yiming , Wang Jialin , Pan Yushan , Luo Shan , Irani Pourang , Liang Hai-Ning
Published: October 2024

First-person view (FPV) technology in virtual reality (VR) can offer in-situ environments in which teleoperators can manipulate unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). However, non-experts and expert robot teleoperators still have trouble controlling robots remotely in various situations. For example, obstacles are not easy to avoid when teleoperating UGVs in dim, dangerous, and difficult-to-access areas with environmental obstacles, while unstable lighting can cause teleoperators to feel stressed. To support teleoperators’ ability to operate UGVs efficiently, we adopted construction yellow and black lines from our everyday life as a standard design space and customised the Sobel algorithm to develop VR-mediated teleoperations to enhance teleoperators’ performance. Our results show that our approach can improve user performance on avoidance tasks involving static and dynamic obstacles and reduce workload demands and simulator sickness. Our results also demonstrate that with other adjustment combinations (e.g., removing the original image from edge-enhanced images with a blue filter and yellow edges), we can reduce the effect of high-exposure performance in a dark environment on operation accuracy. Our present work can serve as a solid case for using VR to mediate and enhance teleoperation operations with a wider range of applications.
Comparative analysis based on shared amplicon sequence variants reveals that cohabitation influences gut microbiota sharing between humans and dogs
Authors: Ito Yutaro , Nagasawa Miho , Koyama Kahori , Ito Kohei , Kikusui Takefumi
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The One Health concept is a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between humans, animals, and the environment. The cohabitation of humans and pets positively affects their physical, mental, and social well-being. It is recognized as an essential factor from the One Health perspective. Furthermore, a healthy balance in the gut microbiome is essential for good health, and the changes in the gut microbiome associated with cohabitation between humans and pets could potentially affect various aspects of the health of both hosts. Therefore, elucidating the sharing of gut bacteria between humans and pets associated with cohabitation is important for understanding One Health. However, most studies have examined sharing at the taxonomic level, and it remains unclear whether the same bacteria are transferred between humans and pets, and whether they mutually influence each other.

Methods

Here, microbiome analysis and shared 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence variant (ASV) analysis were conducted before the start of cohabitation between humans and dogs, as well as at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after cohabitation.

Results

16S rRNA gene ASVs analysis indicated that gut microbes have been transferred between humans and dogs. The overall structure of the gut microbiota within human–dog pairs remained unchanged after 3 months of adaptation. However, 11ASVs were shared within human–dog pairs. Many shared ASVs were highly abundant within each host, and this high abundance may be considered a factor that influences bacterial transfer between hosts.

Discussion

Our results provide important insights into the potential for the transfer of gut bacteria between humans and dogs. These findings are considered crucial for understanding the impact of human–dog cohabitation on various aspects of health.
Monitoring for PERV Following Xenotransplantation
Authors: Denner Joachim
Published: October 2024

Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) are integrated in the genome of all pigs. PERV-A, PERV-B and PERV-C can be released as infectious virus particles and PERV-A and PERV-B can infect human cells in culture. PERV-C does not infect human cells, but high-titer recombinant PERV-A/C can infect them. Retroviruses are able to induce immunosuppression and/or tumors in the infected host. Numerous methods have been developed to study PERV in donor pigs. No PERV infections were observed in infection experiments as well as in preclinical and clinical xenotransplantation trials. Despite this, several strategies have been developed to prevent PERV infection of the recipient. PCR-based and immunological methods are required to screen xenotransplant recipients. Since the proviruses are integrated into the pig genome, PERV infection has to be distinguished from microchimerism, e.g., the presence of pig cells in the recipient, which is common in xenotransplantation. Sensitive PCR methods using pig short interspersed nuclear elements (SINE) sequences allow to detect pig cells easily. Virus infection can also be detected by an increase of viral genomic or mRNA in human cells. The method of choice, however, is to screen for specific antibodies against PERV using different recombinant PERV proteins, purified viruses or peptides.
Research on AGV Path Planning Based on Improved Directed Weighted Graph Theory and ROS Fusion
Authors: Li Yinping , Liu Li
Published: October 2024

This article addresses the common issues of insufficient computing power and path congestion for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in real-world production environments, as well as the shortcomings of traditional path-planning algorithms that mainly consider the shortest path while ignoring vehicle turning time and stability. We propose a secondary path-planning method based on an improved directed weighted graph theory integrated with an ROS. Firstly, the production environment is modeled in detail to identify the initial position of the AGV. Secondly, the operational area is systematically divided, key nodes are selected and optimized, and a directed weighted graph is constructed with optimized weights. It is integrated with the ROS for path planning, using the Floyd algorithm to find the optimal path. The effectiveness and superiority of this method have been demonstrated through simulation verification and actual AGV operation testing. The path planning strategy and fusion algorithm proposed in this article that comprehensively considers distance and angle steering are simple and practical, effectively reducing production costs for enterprises. This method is suitable for logistics sorting and small transport AGVs with a shorter overall path-planning time, higher stability, and limited computing power, and it has reference significance and practical value.