bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Prospective Comparison Between Soft Tissue Dissection Techniques in Pterional Craniotomy: Functional, Radiological, and Aesthetic Outcomes
Authors: Ajlan Abdulrazag , Basindwah Sarah , Hawsawi Aysha , Alsabbagh Badriah , Alwadee Rawan , Abdulqader Sarah Bin , Alzhrani Gmaan , Orz Yasser , Bafaqeeh Mohammed , Alobaid Abdullah , Alyamany Mahmoud , Farrash Faisal , Alaskar Abdulaziz , Alkhathlan Malak , Alqurashi Ashwag , Elwatidy Sherif
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Given the complex anatomy of the operative region and individual surgeon preferences, some techniques for soft tissue dissection before pterional craniotomy have gained more popularity than others. This prospective study used subjective and objective measurements to compare the functional, radiological, and aesthetic outcomes of 3 such dissection techniques.

METHODS:

This multicenter prospective cohort study included all patients who underwent elective pterional craniotomy between 2018 and 2020 at 3 centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All patients underwent 1 of 3 soft tissue dissection techniques: myocutaneous flap, interfascial, and subfascial dissection techniques. Clinical and radiological assessments were performed upon discharge and at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

Results:

We included 78 patients, with a mean age of 44.9 ± 16.3 years. Myocutaneous flap, interfascial, and subfascial dissections were performed in 34 (43%), 24 (30%), and 20 patients (25%), respectively. The myocutaneous flap method had the shortest opening (P = .001) and closure (P = .005) times; tenderness was more evident in this group than in the others (P = .05). The frontalis muscle was most affected in the interfascial dissection group (P = .05). The frontalis nerve function was similar in all groups after 6 months (P = .54). The incidence of temporomandibular joint dysfunction was highest in the myocutaneous flap group (29%). Decreased temporalis muscle thickness at the 6-month postoperative follow-up was most severe in the subfascial dissection group (12.6%), followed by the myocutaneous flap (11.9%) and interfascial dissection (9.9%) groups, with no significant difference (P = .85). Temporal hollowing was more prominent in the myocutaneous flap group (P = .03). Cosmetic satisfaction was highest in the interfascial dissection group, with no significant difference (P = .4).

CONCLUSION:

This study provides important information for neurosurgeons in weighing the benefits and risks of each technique for their patients.
Transorbital Surgical Corridor: An Anatomic Analysis of Ocular Globe Retraction and the Associated Exposure for the Transpalpebral Orbital Rim Preserving Endoscopic Orbitotomy (TORPEDO) Approach
Authors: Piper Keaton , Saez-Alegre Miguel , George Zeegan , Srivastava Aneil , Felbaum Daniel R. , Jean Walter C.
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

The transorbital approach varies by the extent of bony removal and the target. Orbital rim-sparing transorbital approach with removal of only the orbit's posterior wall provides optimal cosmetic results, without the need for reconstruction. The size of this corridor, limited by the medial globe retraction, has not yet been defined and is difficult to determine in cadavers because of postmortem tissue desiccation. By using patient-specific models in virtual reality, precise areas and degrees of surgical freedom (AOF and DOF, respectively) provided by globe retraction were calculated. These measurements define a potential maximum safe AOF and DOF, as well as the globe retraction, needed to achieve a sufficient surgical corridor.

METHODS:

Using a virtual reality system, transorbital rim-preserving craniectomies were performed. The axial and sagittal DOF as well as AOF were calculated lateral to the globe, limited by the orbital rim and globe, with an anterior clinoid target. The DOFs and AOFs were calculated for each degree of medial globe retraction and analyzed using paired t tests.

RESULTS:

With only 5 mm of retraction, the AOF was 886 mm2, while at 10 mm, the AOF was 1546 mm2. This increase between 5 and 10 mm allowed for the largest increase in surgical working corridor (P = .02). At 15 mm of retraction (previously studied point at which intraocular pressure raises), the AOF averaged 2189 mm2 and axial DOF averaged 23.1°. Eighteen DOF (a previously studied point needed to achieve sufficient working space for 2 instruments) was achieved at 11 mm on average, generating 1675 mm2 AOF.

CONCLUSION:

Globe retraction of 11 mm is needed to achieve sufficient DOF for 2 surgical instruments, and 15 mm of retraction is a conservative limit that provides comparable AOFs with similar cranial approaches.
The cost of movement: assessing energy expenditure in a long-distant ectothermic migrant under climate change
Authors: Parlin Adam F. , Kendzel Mitchell J. , Taylor Orley R. , Culley Theresa M. , Matter Stephen F. , Guerra Patrick A.
Published: October 2023

Migration is an energetically taxing phenomenon as animals move across vast, heterogeneous landscapes where the cost of transport is impacted by permissible ambient conditions. In this study, we assessed the energetic demands of long-distance migration in a multigenerational ectothermic migrant, the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). We tested the hypotheses that temperature-dependent physiological processes reduce energy reserves faster during migration than previously estimated, and that increasing climatic temperatures resulting from the climate crisis will intensify baseline daily energy expenditure. First, we reared monarchs under laboratory conditions to assess energy and mass conversion from fifth instar to adult stages, as a baseline for migratory adult mass and ontogenetic shifts in metabolic rate from larvae to adult. Then, using historical tag–recapture data, we estimated the movement propensity and migratory pace of autumn migrants using computer simulations and subsequently calculated energy expenditure. Finally, we estimated the energy use of monarchs based on these tag–recapture data and used this information to estimate daily energy expenditure over a 57 year period. We found support for our two hypotheses, noting that incorporating standard metabolic rate into estimates of migratory energy expenditure shows higher energy demand and that daily energy expenditure has been gradually increasing over time since 1961. Our study shows the deleterious energetic consequences under current climate change trajectories and highlights the importance of incorporating energetic estimates for understanding migration by small, ectothermic migrants.
Extensible benchmarking of methods that identify and quantify polyadenylation sites from RNA-seq data
Authors: Bryce-Smith Sam , Burri Dominik , Gazzara Matthew R. , Herrmann Christina J. , Danecka Weronika , Fitzsimmons Christina M. , Wan Yuk Kei , Zhuang Farica , Fansler Mervin M. , Fernández José M. , Ferret Meritxell , Gonzalez-Uriarte Asier , Haynes Samuel , Herdman Chelsea , Kanitz Alexander , Katsantoni Maria , Marini Federico , McDonnel Euan , Nicolet Ben , Poon Chi-Lam , Rot Gregor , Schärfen Leonard , Wu Pin-Jou , Yoon Yoseop , Barash Yoseph , Zavolan Mihaela
Published: October 2023

The tremendous rate with which data is generated and analysis methods emerge makes it increasingly difficult to keep track of their domain of applicability, assumptions, limitations, and consequently, of the efficacy and precision with which they solve specific tasks. Therefore, there is an increasing need for benchmarks, and for the provision of infrastructure for continuous method evaluation. APAeval is an international community effort, organized by the RNA Society in 2021, to benchmark tools for the identification and quantification of the usage of alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites from short-read, bulk RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data. Here, we reviewed 17 tools and benchmarked eight on their ability to perform APA identification and quantification, using a comprehensive set of RNA-seq experiments comprising real, synthetic, and matched 3′-end sequencing data. To support continuous benchmarking, we have incorporated the results into the OpenEBench online platform, which allows for continuous extension of the set of methods, metrics, and challenges. We envisage that our analyses will assist researchers in selecting the appropriate tools for their studies, while the containers and reproducible workflows could easily be deployed and extended to evaluate new methods or data sets.
Del lino a la lana: el hilado en Cabezo Redondo (Villena, Alicante) y los cambios en la producción textil durante la Edad del Bronce.
Authors: Basso Rial Ricardo E. , García Atiénzar Gabriel , Barciela González Virginia , Hernández Pérez Mauro S.
Published: October 2023

En este trabajo se analiza el importante conjunto de fusayolas procedentes del asentamiento de Cabezo Redondo, recuperadas tanto en las excavaciones antiguas de José María Soler como en las desarrolladas en las últimas décadas. El número elevado de ejemplares, todas ellas correspondientes a contextos del Bronce Tardío (c. 1600-1250 cal BC), y sus características (diversidad en materiales utilizados, tipología y peso) permiten inferir una actividad de hilado intensa distribuida a lo largo del poblado, así como importantes transformaciones en la producción textil con respecto a los momentos previos. Entre los cambios principales se encontrarían la continuidad de la tradición de hilado de fibras vegetales como el lino y, sobre todo, la consolidación de nuevas técnicas de hilado y la generalización del hilado de fibras de origen animal como la lana. En definitiva, a partir del estudio de estos artefactos, sumado al análisis de otros indicadores, se propone el desarrollo de una producción textil amplia y diversa, en sintonía con lo que sucedido en otras áreas de Europa y el Mediterráneo durante la segunda mitad del II milenio cal BC.
A lasting bond: on a transferred death ritual from ancient Cynopolis.
Authors: Arbeloa Borbon Paula
Published: October 2023

This paper seeks to analyse two groups of reddish wax magic figurines discovered in the cemetery of the ancient city of Cynopolis and preserved at the Antiquities Museum of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, with the aim of offering a critical and updated exegesis of these exceptional magical artefacts from Roman Egypt. By analysing features including material, colour, morphology and iconography, and by examining the effigies alongside parallel rituals, I argue that this ensemble should be best understood as a ‘transferred death ritual’, whose aim was to ensure an effective death and the sending of the deceased to the underworld.
Machine Learning for Demand Estimation in Long Tail Markets
Authors: Adam Hammaad , He Pu , Zheng Fanyin
Published: October 2023

Random coefficient multinomial logit models are widely used to estimate customer preferences from sales data. However, these estimation models can only allow for products with positive sales; this selection leads to highly biased estimates in long tail markets, that is, markets where many products have zero or low sales. Such markets are increasingly common in areas such as online retail and other online marketplaces. In this paper, we propose a two-stage estimator that uses machine learning to correct for this bias. Our method first uses deep learning to predict the market shares of all products, where the neural network’s structure mirrors the random coefficient multinomial logit model’s data generating process. In the second stage, we use the predictions of the first stage to reweight the observed shares in a way that corrects for the induced bias and maintains the causal interpretation of the structural model. We show that the estimated parameters are consistent in the number of markets. Our method performs well on simulated and real long tail data, producing accurate estimates of customer behavior. These improved estimates can subsequently be used to provide prescriptive policy recommendations on important managerial decisions such as pricing, assortment, and so on.

This paper was accepted by Gabriel Weintraub, revenue management and market analytics.

Supplemental Material: The data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4893 .
A–Z of prescribing for children
Authors: Davies Kate
Published: October 2023

This series focuses on aspects of prescribing for neonates, children and young people, from A–Z. Aspects of pharmacokinetics will be considered, alongside legal considerations, consent and medications in schools
Non-Traumatic Bone Marrow Edema of the Knee: Diagnostic Accuracy of Dual-Energy Computed Tomography in Comparison to MRI
Authors: Foti Giovanni , Bassi Enrica , Romano Luigi , Iacono Venanzio , Serra Gerardo , Filippini Roberto , Mantovani William
Published: October 2023

Purpose; To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) to identify non-traumatic bone marrow edema (BME) of the knee.

Methods; This prospective study, approved by the institutional review board, comprised a cohort of 40 consecutive patients (comprising 23 males and 17 females, with a mean age of 52.3 years) who underwent examination using Dual-Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) with settings of 80 kV and a tin filter at 150 kV, in addition to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), all conducted within 5 days. Subsequently, DECT data underwent post-processing and were evaluated by two experienced radiologists, resulting in the visualization of Bone Marrow Edema (BME) on color-coded maps. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of DECT in detecting BME, receiver operator curves and the area under the curve (AUC) were computed, with MRI serving as the reference standard. Interobserver agreement was calculated with k-statistics. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results; At MRI, BME was identified in 30/40 patients, with 106/480 (22,1%) involved partitions. Sensitivity and specificity of Reader 1 were 67,9% (95% CI: 58,2 - 76,7) and 95,99% (95% CI: 93,5 - 97,7), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of Reader 2 were 69,8% (95% CI: 60,1 - 78,3) and 95,99% (95% CI: 93,5 - 97,7), respectively. Similar diagnostic accuracy values were achieved by the 2 readers, with an AUC of 0.82 for R1 and 0.829 for R2 (p=.743). The inter-observer agreement was k=0.68.

Conclusions; DECT is an accurate imaging technique for the evidence of non-traumatic BME of the knee when compared to MRI.
LOW RISK OF DELAYED TALAR SHIFT IN STABLE WEBER B FRACTURES MANAGED WITH A FUNCTIONAL BRACING PROTOCOL WITH EARLY WEIGHT BEARING
Authors: Chambers M. , Madeley N.J.
Published: October 2023

Stable Weber B fractures are typically treated non-operatively without complications but require close monitoring due to concerns over potential medial deltoid ligament injuries and the risk of delayed talar shift. Following recent evidence suggesting this is unlikely, a functional protocol with early weight bearing was introduced at Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) following a pilot audit.

This study aims to evaluate the risk of delayed talar shift in isolated Weber B fractures managed with functional bracing and early weight-bearing, particularly if signs of medial ligament injury are present.

We conducted a retrospective review of 148 patients with isolated Weber B fractures without talar shift at presentation that were reviewed at the virtual fracture clinic at our institution between July 2019 and June 2020. The primary outcome was the incidence of delayed talar shift. Secondary outcomes were other complications and adherence to protocol.

48 patients had medial signs present and of these 1 (2%) showed possible talar shift on X-rays at 4 weeks, and was kept under review. This patient had a normal medial clear space at 3 months. No patients with medial signs not documented (n=19) or not present (n=81) had delayed talar shift. 10% of patients (n=15) had at least 1 complication: delayed union (n=2); non-union (n=3); ongoing pain (n=14).

Functional bracing with early weight-bearing is a safe, effective protocol for managing isolated Weber B fractures without initial talar shift. This study concludes that the risk of delayed talar shift is low in all patients, with or without medial signs.
Validation of central peak height method for final adult height predictions on long leg radiographs
Authors: Brenneis Marco , Thewes Niklas , Holder Jana , Stief Felix , Braun Sebastian
Published: October 2023

Aims

Accurate skeletal age and final adult height prediction methods in paediatric orthopaedics are crucial for determining optimal timing of growth-guiding interventions and minimizing complications in treatments of various conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of final adult height predictions using the central peak height (CPH) method with long leg X-rays and four different multiplier tables.

Methods

This study included 31 patients who underwent temporary hemiepiphysiodesis for varus or valgus deformity of the leg between 2014 and 2020. The skeletal age at surgical intervention was evaluated using the CPH method with long leg radiographs. The true final adult height (FHTRUE) was determined when the growth plates were closed. The final height prediction accuracy of four different multiplier tables (1. Bayley and Pinneau; 2. Paley et al; 3. Sanders – Greulich and Pyle (SGP); and 4. Sanders – peak height velocity (PHV)) was then compared using either skeletal age or chronological age.

Results

All final adult height predictions overestimated the FHTRUE, with the SGP multiplier table having the lowest overestimation and lowest absolute deviation when using both chronological age and skeletal age. There were no significant differences in final height prediction accuracy between using skeletal age and chronological age with PHV (p = 0.652) or SGP multiplier tables (p = 0.969). Adult height predictions with chronological age and SGP (r = 0.769; p ≤ 0.001), as well as chronological age and PHV (r = 0.822; p ≤ 0.001), showed higher correlations with FHTRUE than predictions with skeletal age and SGP (r = 0.657; p ≤ 0.001) or skeletal age and PHV (r = 0.707; p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

There was no significant improvement in adult height prediction accuracy when using the CPH method compared to chronological age alone. The study concludes that there is no advantage in routinely using the CPH method for skeletal age determination over the simple use of chronological age. The findings highlight the need for more accurate methods to predict final adult height in contemporary patient populations.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(10):750–757.
Hawthorne and the Problem of Immigrant Fiction in Jhumpa Lahiri's Hema and Kaushik
Authors: Naydan Liliana M.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: This article considers Jhumpa Lahiri's exploration of the tensions that manifest within the category of immigrant fiction through a reading of Hema and Kaushik , a short story cycle that functions as a hybrid parody of the form and content of two of Nathaniel Hawthorne's works: The Scarlet Letter and The Marble Faun . It argues that Lahiri challenges reductive conceptualizations of immigrant identity while spotlighting key differences between Hawthorne's fictionalized Anglo-Saxon immigrants and her fictionalized South Asian ones. She tacitly comments on Hawthorne's politics and on the politics of art and literature as lenses into the South Asian immigrant experience in what Edoardo Campanella and Marta Dassù characterize as Anglo-nostalgic times. Ultimately, Lahiri mourns her fictionalized immigrants' disempowerment while inviting her readers to persevere where her protagonists fail: through furthering conversations about the politics of immigrant identity, hybridity in its different forms, and Anglo-nostalgic impulses that threaten to subvert the agency of hybrid and marginalized individuals in and beyond the United States.
Un Llanto Colectivo: A PerformaProtesta
Authors: Power-Sotomayo Jade
Published: October 2023

Abstracts: This essay is an examination of the llanto (wail) as political performance praxis through documenting and reflecting on the collective work of Cherríe Moraga, Celia Herrera Rodríguez and approximately twenty-five artists to stage a PerformaProtesta," Un llanto colectivo , at San Diego immigrant detention centers following the separation of migrant families during the summer of 2018. As such, it looks to the llanto —here collectivity produced—as a powerful act of refusal that, in addition to asserting dissent and iterating a contestation of centuries of sedimented violence, hollows out and routes time-bending pathways to ancestral alter-knowledges. The essay examines this " llanto space" as an alternative to the politics of recognition and representation, and the different ways via which it instantiates a refusal of these modalities. Furthermore, it reflects on the history of affect-generating crying through professional criers and the figure of La Llorona as inspirations for the 2018 PerformaProtesta; it also engages with transnational feminist movements that activate collective wails and screams to demand an end to gendered violence. The essay then turns to a close-reading of the three day event, reflecting on the unique politics of the llanto in relation to the other narrative and theatrical elements of the performance.
Energy transport induced by transition from the weak to the strong coupling regime between non-Hermitian optical systems
Authors: Vovcenko I. V. , Zyablovsky A. A. , Pukhov A. A. , Andrianov E. S.
Published: October 2023

The strong coupling between non-Hermitian physical systems of different natures has been widely investigated recently since it endows them with new properties. In this work, we consider energy transport through an open quantum optical system consisting of strongly coupled subsystems. We use a partial-secular approach for the description of an open quantum system to investigate the system dynamics during the transition from a weak to a strong coupling regime with an increase of coupling between subsystems. On the example of strongly coupled two-level atoms, we show that during the transition to the strong coupling regime, the enhancement of energy transport through the open quantum system takes place. Namely, starting from zero value, when the coupling constant equals zero, the stationary energy flow increases and tends to an approximately constant value at the high values of the coupling constant. As a result, the specific energy flow—the stationary energy flow normalized to the coupling constant—reaches the maximum at some value of the coupling constant. This behavior takes place even in the case of the non-zero frequency detuning when there is no clear transition point from the weak to the strong coupling regime in the spectrum of system eigenvalues. Thus, to achieve significant energy flow through the compound open quantum system, it is sufficient to restrict the value of the coupling constant at which the specific energy flow is maximized. Also, we demonstrate the suppression of the stationary energy flow at high dissipation rates. The obtained results can be used in the design of quantum thermal devices.
Generation and periodic evolution of third harmonics carrying transverse orbital angular momentum in air-plasma filaments
Authors: Wang Honggeng , Chen Yue-Yue , Zhang Xiaomei , Shen Baifei
Published: October 2023

Spatiotemporal optical vortex (STOV) pulses, possessing inherent transverse orbital angular momentum (OAM) and exhibiting phase singularity and intensity null in the spatiotemporal (ST) domain, have received increasing attention in recent years. Here, we investigate theoretically the third harmonic generation and evolution properties of STOV pulses via the interaction of 800-nm-STOV pulses with air-plasma filaments. We show that beautiful third harmonic STOV pulses are generated at a propagation distance of several millimeters. During further propagation, the ST intensity profiles of the third harmonics undergo variations in a periodic way, leading to the distortion and subsequent restoration to the initial ring pattern. The periodic evolution is a result of the interference effects between the third harmonics generated with different phases. Consequently, the evolution period is roughly twice the dephasing length of the third harmonics. Meanwhile, additional singularities emerge in the intensity patterns due to destructive interference occurring at specific dephasing lengths for the specific frequency components. The high-frequency components experience destructive interference earlier than the low-frequency components during each evolution period because the dephasing length decreases with frequency. This results in the sequentially appearance of the additional singularities from top to bottom in the ST intensity patterns. The proposed scheme demonstrates a way for higher-order STOV generation and manipulation in air-plasma filaments, which can be of interest for experiments related to vortex light science.
Abstract perceptual choice signals during action-linked decisions in the human brain
Authors: Sandhaeger Florian , Omejc Nina , Pape Anna-Antonia , Siegel Markus
Published: October 2023

Humans can make abstract choices independent of motor actions. However, in laboratory tasks, choices are typically reported with an associated action. Consequentially, knowledge about the neural representation of abstract choices is sparse, and choices are often thought to evolve as motor intentions. Here, we show that in the human brain, perceptual choices are represented in an abstract, motor-independent manner, even when they are directly linked to an action. We measured MEG signals while participants made choices with known or unknown motor response mapping. Using multivariate decoding, we quantified stimulus, perceptual choice, and motor response information with distinct cortical distributions. Choice representations were invariant to whether the response mapping was known during stimulus presentation, and they occupied a distinct representational space from motor signals. As expected from an internal decision variable, they were informed by the stimuli, and their strength predicted decision confidence and accuracy. Our results demonstrate abstract neural choice signals that generalize to action-linked decisions, suggesting a general role of an abstract choice stage in human decision-making.
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ialB, gltA and rpoB genes of Bartonella bacilliformis isolated from patients in endemic Peruvian regions
Authors: Zarate-Sulca Yanina , Calvay-Sanchez Karen Daphne , Jimenez-Vasquez Víctor , Ruiz Joaquim , Acosta-Conchucos Oscar , Mendoza-Mujica Giovanna
Published: October 2023

Bartonella bacilliformis is a Gram-negative, aerobic bacterium and the known causal agent of Carrion’s disease, still considered a neglected disease. There is limited information about the nucleotide sequences of this bacterium in international databases, and few studies have addressed the genetic diversity of B. bacilliformis. We analyzed a total of 20 isolates of B. bacilliformis from the Peruvian regions of Ancash and Cajamarca. Three genes (ialB, gltA, and rpoB) were sequenced in each isolate and nucleotide sequences retrieved from GenBank (16 B. bacilliformis genomes) were also included in the study. All this information was merged in order to obtain clearer evidence of the phylogenetic relationships of B. bacilliformis. In the phylogenetic analysis conducted with the concatenated markers, four isolates (B.b-1, B. b-3, B. b- 7, B.b-8) from the Ancash region were observed to form a subgroup different from B. bacilliformis type strain KC583, showing dissimilarity levels of 5.96% (ialB), 3.69% (gltA) and 3.04% (rpoB). Our results suggest that B. bacilliformis consists of two different subgroups. Future investigations are needed to establish the taxonomic status of these subgroups.
Sexual risk-taking behavior amongst emerging adults in a tertiary institution of learning in Coastal Kenya: A qualitative study of stakeholders’ perspectives using causal loop mapping
Authors: Chea Stevenson K. , Kagonya Vincent A. , Oyugi Eunice A. , Nasambu Carophine , Menza Isaac , Ibrahim Fauz , Abdullahi Osman , Anika Alice , Hassan Amin S. , Abbeddou Souheila , Michielsen Kristien , Abubakar Amina
Published: October 2023

Background

It is known from previous studies that university students in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) engage in sexual risk-taking behaviour (SRTB). However, there is paucity of data on factors contributing to SRTB among university students (emerging adults) at the Kenyan Coast thus hindering intervention planning. This study seeks to provide an in-depth qualitative understanding of the factors contributing to SRTB and their interconnectedness among university students at the Kenyan Coast combining qualitative research with a systems thinking approach.

Methods

Using the ecological model, and employing in-depth interviews, we explored the perceptions of twenty-six key informants (twenty-one emerging adults and five other stakeholders) on what constitutes and influences SRTB among emerging adults at a tertiary institution of learning in Coastal Kenya. Data were analysed using a thematic framework approach. A causal loop diagram (CLD) was developed to map the interconnectedness of the correlates of SRTB.

Results

Our findings show that unprotected sex, transactional sex, cross-generational sex, multiple sex partnerships, gender-based violence, sex under influence of alcohol/drugs, early sex debut, and sharing sex toys were common SRTBs. Based on the ecological model and CLD, most of the reported risk factors were interconnected and operated at the individual level.

Conclusion

Our study shows that emerging adults are frequently engaging in unprotected sex. Enhancing sexuality education programs for students in Kenyan universities and strengthening support systems including counselling for those using alcohol/drugs may help reduce SRTB among emerging adults in Kenyan universities.
Attraction of female house mice to male ultrasonic courtship vocalizations depends on their social experience and estrous stage
Authors: Beck Jakob , Wernisch Bettina , Klaus Teresa , Penn Dustin J. , Zala Sarah M.
Published: October 2023

Male house mice (Mus musculus) produce complex ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), especially during courtship and mating. Playback experiments suggest that female attraction towards recordings of male USVs depends on their social experience, paternal exposure, and estrous stage. We conducted a playback experiment with wild-derived female house mice (M. musculus musculus) and compared their attraction to male USVs versus the same recording without USVs (background noise). We tested whether female attraction to USVs is influenced by the following factors: (1) social housing (two versus one female per cage); (2) neonatal paternal exposure (rearing females with versus without father); and (3) estrous stage. We found that females showed a significant attraction to male USVs but only when they were housed socially with another female. Individually housed females showed the opposite response. We found no evidence that pre-weaning exposure to a father influenced females’ preferences, whereas estrous stage influenced females’ attraction to male USVs: females not in estrus showed preferences towards male USVs, whereas estrous females did not. Finally, we found that individually housed females were more likely to be in sexually receptive estrous stages than those housed socially, and that attraction to male USVs was most pronounced amongst non-receptive females that were socially housed. Our findings indicate that the attraction of female mice to male USVs depends upon their social experience and estrous stage, though not paternal exposure. They contribute to the growing number of studies showing that social housing and estrous stage can influence the behavior of house mice and we show how such unreported variables can contribute to the replication crisis.
Tracking gut microbiome and bloodstream infection in critically ill adults
Authors: Gu Christopher H. , Khatib Layla A. , Fitzgerald Ayannah S. , Graham-Wooten Jevon , Ittner Caroline A. , Sherrill-Mix Scott , Chuang YuChung , Glaser Laurel J. , Meyer Nuala J. , Bushman Frederic D. , Collman Ronald G.
Published: October 2023

Background

The gut microbiome is believed to contribute to bloodstream infection (BSI) via translocation of dominant gut bacteria in vulnerable patient populations. However, conclusively linking gut and blood organisms requires stringent approaches to establish strain-level identity.

Methods

We enrolled a convenience cohort of critically ill patients and investigated 86 bloodstream infection episodes that occurred in 57 patients. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to define constituents of their gut microbiomes, and whole genome sequencing and assembly was done on 23 unique bloodstream isolates that were available from 21 patients. Whole genome sequences were downloaded from public databases and used to establish sequence-identity distribution and define thresholds for unrelated genomes of BSI species. Gut microbiome reads were then aligned to whole genome sequences of the cognate bloodstream isolate and unrelated database isolates to assess identity.

Results

Gut microbiome constituents matching the bloodstream infection species were present in half of BSI episodes, and represented >30% relative abundance of gut sequences in 10% of episodes. Among the 23 unique bloodstream organisms that were available for whole genome sequencing, 14 were present in gut at the species level. Sequence alignment applying defined thresholds for identity revealed that 6 met criteria for identical strains in blood and gut, but 8 did not. Sequence identity between BSI isolates and gut microbiome reads was more likely when the species was present at higher relative abundance in gut.

Conclusion

In assessing potential gut source for BSI, stringent sequence-based approaches are essential to determine if organisms responsible for BSI are identical to those in gut: of 14 evaluable patients in which the same species was present in both sites, they were identical in 6/14, but were non-identical in 8/14 and thus inconsistent with gut source. This report demonstrates application of sequencing as a key tool to investigate infection tracking within patients.
The complete chloroplast genome sequences of six Hylotelephium species: Comparative genomic analysis and phylogenetic relationships
Authors: An Sung-Mo , Kim Bo-Yun , Kang Halam , Lee Ha-Rim , Lee Yoo-Bin , Park Yoo-Jung , Cheon Kyeong-Sik , Kim Kyung-Ah
Published: October 2023

To evaluate the phylogenetic relationships between Hylotelephium and Orostachys, and to provide important information for further studies, we analyzed the complete chloroplast genomes of six Hylotelephium species and compared the sequences to those of published chloroplast genomes of congeneric species and species of the closely related genus, Orostachys. The total chloroplast genome length of nineteen species, including the six Hylotelephium species analyzed in this study and the thirteen Hylotelephium and Orostachys species analyzed in previous studies, ranged from 150,369 bp (O. minuta) to 151,739 bp (H. spectabile). Their overall GC contents were almost identical (37.7–37.8%). The chloroplast genomes of the nineteen species contained 113 unique genes comprising 79 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and four ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). Among the annotated genes, fourteen genes contained one intron, and two genes contained two introns. The chloroplast genomes of the nineteen Hylotelephium and Orostachys species had identical structures. Additionally, the large single copy (LSC), inverted repeat (IR), and small single copy (SSC) junction regions were conserved in the Hylotelephium and Orostachys species. The nucleotide diversity between the Hylotelephium chloroplast genomes was extremely low in all regions, and only one region showed a high Pi value (>0.03). In all nineteen chloroplast genomes, six regions had a high Pi value (>0.03). The phylogenetic analysis showed that the genus delimitation could not be clearly observed even in this study because Hylotelephium formed a paraphyly with subsect. Orostachys of the genus Orostachys. Additionally, the data supported the taxonomic position of Sedum taqeutii, which was treated as a synonym for H. viridescens in previous studies, as an independent taxon.
Immunomodulatory and pro-oncologic effects of ketamine and isoflurane anesthetics in a murine model
Authors: Abrahams Dominique , Ibrahim-Hashim Arig , Ackerman Robert S. , Brown Joel S. , Whelan Christopher J. , Garfinkel Megan B. , Gatenby Robert A. , Muncey Aaron R.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Volatile and intravenous anesthetics may worsen oncologic outcomes in basic science animal models. These effects may be related to suppressed innate and adaptive immunity, decreased immunosurveillance, and disrupted cellular signaling. We hypothesized that anesthetics would promote lung tumor growth via altered immune function in a murine model and tested this using an immunological control group of immunodeficient mice.

Methods

Lewis lung carcinoma cells were injected via tail vein into C57BL/6 immunocompetent and NSG immunodeficient mice during exposure to isoflurane and ketamine versus controls without anesthesia. Mice were imaged on days 0, 3, 10, and 14 post-tumor cell injection. On day 14, mice were euthanized and organs fixed for metastasis quantification and immunohistochemistry staining. We compared growth of tumors measured from bioluminescent imaging and tumor metastasis inex vivobioluminescent imaging of lung and liver.

Results

Metastases were significantly greater for immunocompromised NSG mice than immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice over the 14-day experiment (partial η2= 0.67, 95% CI = 0.54, 0.76). Among immunocompetent mice, metastases were greatest for mice receiving ketamine, intermediate for those receiving isoflurane, and least for control mice (partial η2= 0.88, 95% CI = 0.82, 0.91). In immunocompetent mice, significantly decreased T lymphocyte (partial η2= 0.83, 95% CI = 0.29, 0.93) and monocyte (partial η2= 0.90, 95% CI = 0.52, 0.96) infiltration was observed in anesthetic-treated mice versus controls.

Conclusions

The immune system appears central to the pro-metastatic effects of isoflurane and ketamine in a murine model, with decreased T lymphocytes and monocytes likely playing a role.
Long-term changes as oil palm plantation age simplify the structure of host-parasitoid food webs
Authors: Rizali Akhmad , Karindah Sri , Ainy Nur , Meiadi Muhamad Luthfie Tri , Tawakkal Muhammad Iqbal , Rahardjo Bambang Tri , Buchori Damayanti
Published: October 2023

Understanding host-parasitoid food webs, as well as the factors affecting species interactions, is important for developing pest management strategies in an agroecosystem. This research aimed to study how the long-term change in oil palm plantations, specifically the tree age, affect the structure of host-parasitoid food webs. The field research was conducted on an oil palm plantation located in Central Kalimantan and Jambi Province, Indonesia. In Central Kalimantan, we conducted observations of lepidopteran larvae and parasitoid wasps at different tree ages, ranging from 3 to 18 years old. For tree ages from 3 to 10 years, observations of host-parasitoid food webs were conducted by collecting the lepidopteran larvae using a hand-collection method in each oil palm tree within a hundred trees and they were later reared in the laboratory for observing the emerging parasitoids. The fogging method was applied for trees aged 12 to 18 years because the tree height was too high, and hand-collection was difficult to perform. To compare host-parasitoid food webs between different regions, we also conducted a hand-collection method in Jambi, but only for trees aged 3 years old. The food-web structure that was analyzed included the species number of lepidopteran larvae and parasitoid wasps, linkage density, and interaction diversity. We found 32 species of lepidopteran pests and 16 species of associated parasitoids in Central Kalimantan and 12 species of lepidopteran pests, and 11 species of parasitoids in Jambi. Based on the GLM analysis, tree age had a negative relationship with the species number of lepidopteran larvae and parasitoids as well as linkage density and interaction diversity. Different geographical regions showed different host-parasitoid food web structures, especially the species number of lepidopteran larvae and interaction diversity, which were higher in Central Kalimantan than in Jambi. However, some parasitoids can be found across different tree ages. For example, Fornicia sp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was recorded in all ages of oil palm sampled. Results of the GLM analysis showed that the abundance of Fornicia sp and its host (lepidopteran larvae abundance) were not affected by the tree age of the oil palm. In conclusion, the long-term change in oil palm plantations simplifies the structure of host-parasitoid food webs. This highlights the importance of long-term studies across geographical regions for a better understanding of the consequences that wide monoculture oil palm plantations have on biological control services.
Estimating the effect of international crude oil prices on RMB exchange rate with two-way fluctuation spillover
Authors: Li Yuan , Chen Jin
Published: October 2023

International crude oil prices has become one of the important factors that affect exchange rate fluctuation. By combining TVP-VAR model and DY time-varying spillover index, this paper measures the two-way fluctuation spillover effect between international crude oil prices and RMB exchange rate from 2011 to 2022. The research results show that: (1) There are obvious time-varying characteristics among international crude oil prices, onshore RMB exchange rate and offshore RMB exchange rate, and they are strengthened when major events occur at home and abroad; (2) The spillover and absorption level among international crude oil prices, onshore RMB exchange rate and offshore RMB exchange rate is relatively limited; (3) After the “exchange rate reform on August 11”, the market participation of RMB exchange rate has increased year by year, and the offshore RMB is mainly net spillover, while the onshore RMB is mainly reflected as a recipient; (4) The offshore RMB exchange rate has a driving effect on the onshore RMB exchange rate. Based on this, it is necessary to orderly promote the development and utilization of new energy, actively promote the market-oriented reform of RMB exchange rate, play the leading role of offshore market, and accelerate the construction of crude oil-RMB settlement system.
Acute repeated cage exchange stress modifies urinary stress and plasma metabolic profiles in male mice
Authors: Fushuku Sayuri , Ushikai Miharu , Arimura Emi , Komaki Yuga , Horiuchi Masahisa
Published: October 2023

Exposure to a novel environment is psychologically and physically stressful for humans and animals. The response has been reported to involve enhanced sympathetic nervous system activity, but changes in nutrient levels under stress are not fully understood. As a form of exposure to a novel environment, repeated cage exchange (CE, four times at 2-h intervals for 8 h from 08:00 h) during the light phase with no restraint on movement was applied to A/J mice, a strain particularly prone to stress. Body temperature was measured with a temperature-sensing microchip implanted in the interscapular region. The stress conditions and anxiety level were evaluated by measuring urinary catecholamines and corticosterone and by performing an anxiety-like behavior test, respectively. Major nutrients such as glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids in the plasma were also examined. CE mice showed a significant increase in body temperature with each CE. They also showed a significantly greater reduction of body weight change, more water intake, and higher levels of urinary catecholamines and corticosterone and anxiety-like behavior score than control mice. The model revealed a significantly lower plasma glucose level and higher levels of several essential amino acids, such as branched-chain amino acids and phenylalanine, than those of control mice. Meanwhile, free fatty acids and several amino acids such as arginine, aspartic acid, proline, threonine, and tryptophan in both sets of mice were significantly decreased from the corresponding levels at 08:00 h, while similar plasma levels were exhibited between mice with and without CE. In conclusion, repeated CE stress was associated with changes in glucose and amino acids in plasma. Although further study is needed to clarify how these changes are specifically linked to anxiety-like behavior, this study suggests the potential for nutritional intervention to counter stress in humans exposed to novel environments.
Micro-doppler radar to evaluate risk for musculoskeletal injury: Protocol for a case-control study with gold standard comparison
Authors: Abou Al Ardat Bilal , Nyland Jennifer , Creath Robert , Murphy Terrence , Narayanan Ram , Onks Cayce
Published: October 2023

Background

Beyond causing significant morbidity and cost, musculoskeletal injuries (MSKI) are among the most common reasons for primary care visits. A validated injury risk assessment tool for MSKI is conspicuously absent from current care. While motion capture (MC) systems are the current gold standard for assessing human motion, their disadvantages include large size, non-portability, high cost, and limited spatial resolution. As an alternative we introduce the Micro Doppler Radar (MDR); in contrast with MC, it is small, portable, inexpensive, and has superior spatial resolution capabilities. While Phase 1 testing has confirmed that MDR can identify individuals at high risk for MSKI, Phase 2 testing is still needed. Our aims are to 1) Use MDR technology and MC to identify individuals at high-risk for MSKI 2) Evaluate whether MDR has diagnostic accuracy superior to MC 3) Develop MDR algorithms that enhance accuracy and enable automation.

Methods and findings

A case control study will compare the movement patterns of 125 ACL reconstruction patients to 125 healthy controls. This study was reviewed and approved by the Pennsylvania State University Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) on May 18, 2022, and the IRB approval number is STUDY00020118. The ACL group is used as a model for a “high risk” population as up to 24% will have a repeat surgery within 2 years. An 8-camera Motion Analysis MC system with Cortex 8 software to collect MC data. Components for the radar technology will be purchased, assembled, and packaged. A micro-doppler signature projection algorithm will determine correct classification of ACL versus healthy control. Our previously tested algorithm for processing the MDR data will be used to identify the two groups. Discrimination, sensitivity and specificity will be calculated to compare the accuracy of MDR to MC in identifying the two groups.

Conclusions

We describe the rationale and methodology of a case-control study using novel MDR technology to detect individuals at high-risk for MSKI. We expect this novel approach to exhibit superior accuracy than the current gold standard. Future translational studies will determine utility in the context of clinical primary care.
Quality journalism and advocacy in raising climate awareness: The case of The Guardian
Authors: Bañon-Castellón Lola , Kucukalic-Ibrahimovic Esma
Published: October 2023

The Anthropocene era describes human activity as the decisive factor in creating environmental imbalance on the planet. This emergency is intensifying the need for journalism to raise readers’ awareness about the climate crisis. This study concentrates on the coverage generated by the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27). Using a mixed quantitative and qualitative method, The Guardian’s international digital version was analysed to find out the scope of journalistic quality on the climate issue, applying the variables accredited with the Journalistic Value Added (JVA) analysis technique to the sample (N = 238). The results show that the editorial policy of commitment to the climate emergency taken on by The Guardian coincides with essential criteria of quality journalism, making the medium a point of reference, although misproportion still persist such as gender representation among the sources.