bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric properties of the BALCI Turkish version
Authors: Mercan Oğuz , Kabadayı Fedai
Published: March 2023

The present study aimed to adapt and validate the Beliefs About Losing Control Inventory (BALCI) in the non-clinical Turkish emerging adults sample. The study group consisted of 549 participants from three study phases and aged between 18 and 28 years and mainly women. According to the results of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the BALCI Turkish Version (BALCI-TV) confirmed 21 items in three factors. The network analysis findings showed that the items including the factors were together. The results indicated that configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across the gender. Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω of the total BALCI-TV were .90. Test–retest correlation result was .89. All results indicated that the BALCI-TV had good psychometric properties. The BALCI-TV can be provided to measure control and beliefs related to control within obsessive–compulsive disorder for Turkish academics and mental health practitioners.
Anatomical feasibility of an endovascular aortic arch repair with the NEXUS endograft in patients treated with a frozen elephant trunk procedure for aortic arch pathology
Authors: Exelmans Ward , Mufty Hozan , Maleux Geert , Verbrugghe Peter , Fourneau Inge
Published: March 2023

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an endovascular repair, using the NEXUS™ Aortic Arch Stent Graft System, in a real-world cohort of patients, treated with a Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) procedure for pathology involving the aortic arch.

Results

The preoperative computed tomography angiography scans of 37 patients were retrospectively analyzed using a dedicated workstation. In total, seven patients (N = 7/37; 18.9%) were eligible for endovascular repair. This number increased to eleven patients (N = 11/37; 29.7%) if an additional relining of the distal aorta would be performed. Device suitability was 47.1% in patients (N = 8/17; 47.1%) with aortic arch aneurysm, 12.5% (N = 1/8; 12.5%) in patients with an acute Stanford type A dissection and 50% (N = 2/4; 50%) in patients with Crawford type II thoraco-abdominal aneurysm. The stent graft was not suitable for any of the two patients with chronic type B dissection (N = 0/2; 0%). In 22 patients (N = 22/37; 59.5%) an endovascular repair with this type of stent graft was not feasible due to an inadequate proximal sealing zone. There was no suitable brachiocephalic trunk landing zone in 13 patients (N = 13/37; 35.1%). There was no suitable distal landing zone distal in 14 patients (N = 14/37; 36.8%). This number decreased to ten patients (N = 10/37; 27.0%) when considering an additional relining of the distal aorta.

Conclusions

Endovascular repair with the NEXUS single branch stent graft is feasible in a minority of this real-world cohort that underwent a Frozen Elephant Trunk procedure. However, the applicability of this device probably improves in cases with isolated aortic arch aneurysms.
Genome editing in cotton: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Khan Zulqurnain , Khan Sultan Habibullah , Ahmed Aftab , Iqbal Muhammad Umar , Mubarik Muhammad Salman , Ghouri Muhammad Zubair , Ahmad Furqan , Yaseen Saba , Ali Zulfiqar , Khan Asif Ali , Azhar Muhammad Tehseen
Published: March 2023

Cotton has enormous economic potential providing high-quality protein, oil, and fibre. A large increase in cotton output is necessary due to the world's changing climate and constantly expanding human population. In the past, conventional breeding techniques were used to introduce genes into superior cotton cultivars to increase production and to improve quality. The disadvantages of traditional breeding techniques are their time-consuming, reliance on genetic differences that are already present, and considerable backcrossing. To accomplish goals in a short amount of time, contemporary plant breeding techniques, in particular modern genome editing technologies (GETs), can be used. Numerous crop improvement initiatives have made use of GETs, such as zinc-finger nucleases, transcription-activator-like effector nucleases, clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and CRISPR-associated proteins systems (CRISPR/Cas)-based technologies. The CRISPR/Cas system has a lot of potential because it combines three qualities that other GETs lack: simplicity, competence, and adaptability. The CRISPR/Cas mechanism can be used to improve cotton tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, alter gene expression, and stack genes for critical features with little possibility of segregation. The transgene clean strategy improves CRISPR acceptability addressing regulatory issues associated with the genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The research opportunities for using the CRISPR/Cas system to address biotic and abiotic stresses, fibre quality, plant architecture and blooming, epigenetic changes, and gene stacking for commercially significant traits are highlighted in this article. Furthermore, challenges to use of CRISPR technology in cotton and its potential for the future are covered in detail.
Cross-cultural study the macro variables and its impact on exchange rate regimes
Authors: Jamil Muhammad Naveed , Rasheed Abdul , Maqbool Adnan , Mukhtar Zeeshan
Published: March 2023

This is an empirical analysis of study simultaneously focus on examining the impact of macroeconomic variables, i.e., GDP growth, GDP per capita, inflation, foreign direct investment, exports, imports, interest rates, foreign debt and foreign reserves on the exchange rate regimes, using the sample of five countries from MSCI developed markets index, emerging markets index and frontier markets index each from 1970 to 2020. This study predicts and provides several essential contributions for markets, financial and economic, that fills the gaps in the markets economic and financial literacy of desired countries. The study identifies and evaluates the impact using the most advanced statistical frameworks. This study adopts ML—binary logit (quadratic hill climbing) and investigates the change in the exchange rate regimes due to macroeconomic variables. The empirical results confirm that Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore markets take timely correct exchange rate regimes decisions, which lead to developed markets. As emerging markets and frontier markets never adopt the exchange rate regimes three, four, and six, which is a significant impact factor that affects those markets never growth according develops markets. Foreign debts, inflation and foreign reserves are severe challenges for emerging and frontier markets.
Synthesis, biological activity of newly designed sulfonamide based indole derivative as anti-microbial agent
Authors: Agrawal Khushbu , Patel Tarun , Patel Rajeshree
Published: March 2023

Background

In medicinal chemistry, indole and its derivative play an important role. Indole is gaining a lot of importance in medicinal chemistry due to its physiological activity which includes anticancer, antitubercular, antimicrobial, antiviral, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory activities, antileishmanial agents, anti-cholinesterase, and enzyme inhibitory. The spread of antimicrobial resistance becomes a threat to both humans and animals. Antimicrobial resistance has been declared in the top 10 global major health risks by WHO including reported data of 2020 of AMR with 3,106,002 confirmed infections in humans across 70 countries.

Result

In this present work some new sulfonamide-based indole derivatives were synthesized by using 1H-indole -2 carboxylic acid as a starting material. The structure of all synthesized sulfonamide-based indole derivatives was confirmed by 1H NMR and LCMS Spectroscopy.

Conclusion

All the synthesized compounds were screened for anti-microbial activity against Gram Positive Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus megaterium, and Gram Negative Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Salmonellatyphiae, Shigella sp., Enterobacter aerogenes. Among gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus megaterium. The compound shows activity against Staphylococcus aureus, and among all gram-negative bacteria against Klebsiella pneumonia shows good activity.
Secondary cutaneous aspergillosis in a child with Behçet’s disease: a case-based update
Authors: Nachate Soumia , El Mouhtadi Mouad , Zouine Yousra , Haouane Mohamed Amine , Azami Mohamed Amine , Saiad Mohamed Oulad , Basraoui Dounia , Jalal Hicham , Nassih Houda , Elqadiry Rabiy , Bourrahouat Aicha , Sab Imane Ait , El Hakkouni Awatif
Published: March 2023

Background

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is one of the rarest opportunistic fungal infections and has increased in frequency worldwide in recent years. It is a life-threatening infection associated with high mortality rates. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is the most severe form of the disease. Extrapulmonary forms can develop as a primary infection or occur as part of a disseminated infection from the lung in severely immunocompromised patients. The major limitation in the management of these infections is the challenge of early diagnosis.

Case presentation

Here we report a case of secondary cutaneous aspergillosis that developed from extensive pulmonary aspergillosis in a 3-year-old female who underwent immunosuppressive therapy for a diagnosed Behçet disease (BD). Aspergillus hyphae were identified on skin biopsies. Cultures grew Aspergillus fumigatus. The diagnosis of cutaneous aspergillosis enabled us to diagnose IPA, although there was no mycopathological proof of lung infection. The patient was successfully treated with voriconazole (8 mg/kg/day) and surgical debridement of the skin lesion.

Conclusions

Although cutaneous involvement in aspergillosis is extremely uncommon, it may be the presenting feature in some cases, allowing for an accurate and timely diagnosis of deeply infected sites. Accordingly, when evaluating skin lesions in immunocompromised individuals, especially debilitated children with underlying diseases requiring long-term immunosuppressive agents, cutaneous aspergillosis should be vigilantly considered.
Fatigue life prediction of stud shear connectors under corrosion-fatigue coupling effect
Authors: Xiao Lin , Huang Yaxi , Wei Xing
Published: March 2023

Based on the three-stage fatigue crack growth model, a corrosion fatigue life prediction method considering the coupling effect of corrosion and fatigue is proposed in this paper. In this case, stress factor amplitude was claimed considering the coupling effect of corrosion and fatigue. Three push-out tests in corrosion conditions were conducted to study the failure mode of studs. The crack propagation of studs, obtained through the push-out tests, was simulated in FRANC 3D to establish a library of adequate stress factor amplitude. According to the corrosion degree of the specimens, the corrosion dissolution rate formula was formed, and the corrosion fatigue life of the specimen was predicted. Results show that the error between the predicted and experimental values is approximately 25%.
Involvement of 2′-5′ oligoadenylate synthetase-like protein in the survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis avirulent strain in macrophages
Authors: Reheman Aikebaier , Cao Xiaojian , Wang Yifan , Nie Xi , Cao Gang , Zhou Wei , Yang Bing , Lei Yingying , Zhang Weipan , Naeem Muhammad Ahsan , Chen Xi
Published: March 2023

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) can replicate in the macrophage by interfering with many host protein functions. While it is far from known these host proteins for controlling M. tuberculosis infection. Herein, we infected macrophages including THP-1 and Raw264.7 cells with M. tuberculosis and identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the interferon signaling pathway. Among them, 2′-5′ oligoadenylate synthetase-like (OASL) underwent the greatest upregulation in M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages. Knockdown of the expression of OASL attenuated M. tuberculosis survival in macrophages. Further, bioinformatics analysis revealed the potential interaction axis of OASL-TAB3- Rv0127, which was further validated by the yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) assay and Co-IP. This interaction axis might regulate the M. tuberculosis survival and proliferation in macrophages. The study reveals a possible role of OASL during M. tuberculosis infection as a target to control its propagation.
“A Simple, Short, and Exact Account of the Facts”?
Authors: Starling Drew
Published: March 2023

This article examines how material constraints thought to stifle political news' production in France actually encouraged a small number of Jansenist priests, their lay defenders, and book-trade workers to develop new printing methods and a sophisticated print distribution system that enabled them to skirt policing in the production and distribution of the Nouvelles ecclésiastiques (1728–1803). The existence of the Nouvelles ecclésiastiques outside the official book trade liberated its authors to include content that no other paper could. The dense religious dispute about which it sought to inform readers, coupled with its uninitiated target audience, encouraged its authors not just to report the news but also to explain it in highly partisan terms. In so doing, the Nouvelles ecclésiastiques provided many readers with an initiation into news reading. While the news reported concerned a religious controversy, it worked to reshape how readers thought about religion and politics in early eighteenth-century France.
Meister and Jupille
Authors: Priest Robert D.
Published: March 2023

In 1885 Louis Pasteur successfully treated two boys from different parts of rural France, Joseph Meister and Jean-Baptiste Jupille, with his experimental rabies vaccine. Arguing that the boys played an important role in shaping images of Pasteur and his vaccine in French culture, this article reconstructs their long relationships with the scientist and then traces their evolving cultural representations during the Third Republic up to 1940. Meister, a young child from Alsace who sought salvation in Paris, was particularly assimilable to nationalist narratives that Pasteur himself encouraged. Jupille, in fighting with a rabid dog to save young children from attack, could provide an exemplar of the selfless yet virile male adolescent whom late nineteenth-century authorities sought to produce. Both boys' stories produced associations that reflected favorably on Pasteur and the Pastorians, yet each also held an independent appeal at particular moments in modern French history.
Radiosurgical Corpus Callosotomy for Intractable Epilepsy: Retrospective Long-Term Safety and Efficacy Assessment in 19 Patients an Review of the Literature
Authors: Hamdi Hussein , Boissonneau Sébastien , Valton Luc , McGonigal Aileen , Bartolomei Fabrice , Regis Jean
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND:

Some patients suffering from intractable epileptic seizures, particularly drop attacks (DAs), are nonremediable by curative techniques. Palliative procedure carries a significant rate of surgical and neurological complications.

OBJECTIVE:

To propose evaluation of safety and efficacy of Gamma Knife corpus callosotomy (GK-CC) as an alternative to microsurgical corpus callosotomy.

METHODS:

This study included retrospective analysis of 19 patients who underwent GK-CC between 2005 and 2017.

RESULTS:

Of the 19 patients, 13 (68%) had improvement in seizure control and 6 had no significant improvement. Of the 13/19 (68%) with improvement in seizures, 3 (16%) became completely seizure-free, 2 (11%) became free of DA and generalized tonic-clonic but with residual other seizures, 3 (16%) became free of DA only, and 5 (26%) had >50% reduction in frequency of all seizure types. In the 6 (31%) patients with no appreciable improvement, there were residual untreated commissural fibers and incomplete callosotomy rather than failure of Gamma Knife to disconnect. Seven patients showed a transient mild complication (37% of patients, 33% of the procedures). No permanent complication or neurological consequence was observed during the clinical and radiological workup with a mean of 89 (42-181) months, except 1 patient who had no improvement of epilepsy and then aggravation of the pre-existing cognitive and walking difficulties (Lennox-Gastaut). The median time of improvement after GK-CC was 3 (1-6) months.

CONCLUSION:

Gamma Knife callosotomy is safe and accurate with comparable efficacy to open callosotomy in this cohort of patients with intractable epilepsy suffering from severe drop attacks.
A Comparison of Outcomes Between Transfemoral Versus Transradial Access for Carotid Stenting
Authors: El Naamani Kareem , Khanna Omaditya , Syal Amit , Momin Arbaz A. , Abbas Rawad , Amllay Abdelaziz , Sambangi Abhijeet , Hunt Adam , Dougherty Jaime , Lawall Charles L. , Tjoumakaris Stavropoula I , Gooch M. Reid , Herial Nabeel A , Rosenwasser Robert H , Zarzour Hekmat , Schmidt Richard F , Jabbour Pascal M
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND:

The transradial (TR) approach has emerged as an alternative to the transfemoral (TF) approach in carotid artery stenting (CAS) because of its perceived benefits in access site complications and overall patient experience.

OBJECTIVE:

To assess outcomes of TF vs TR approach for CAS.

METHODS:

This is a retrospective single-center review of patients receiving CAS through the TR or TF route between 2017 and 2022. All patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid disease who underwent attempted CAS were included in our study.

RESULTS:

A total of 342 patients were included in this study: 232 underwent CAS through TF approach vs 110 through the TR route. On univariate analysis, the rate of overall complications was more than double for the TF vs TR cohort; however, this did not achieve statistical significance (6.5% vs 2.7%, odds ratio [OR] = 0.59 P = .36). The rate of cross-over from TR to TF was significantly higher on univariate analysis (14.6 % vs 2.6%, OR = 4.77, P = .005) and on inverse probability treatment weighting analysis (OR = 6.11, P < .001). The rate of in-stent stenosis (TR: 3.6% vs TF: 2.2%, OR = 1.71, P = .43) and strokes at follow-up (TF: 2.2% vs TR: 1.8%, OR = 0.84, P = .84) was not significantly different. Finally, median length of stay was comparable between both cohorts.

CONCLUSION:

The TR approach is safe, feasible, and provides similar rates of complications and high rates of successful stent deployment compared with the TF route. Neurointerventionalists adopting the radial first approach should carefully assess the preprocedural computed tomography angiography to identify patients amenable to TR approach for carotid stenting.
Dynein at the kinetochore
Authors: Gassmann Reto
Published: March 2023

The microtubule minus-end-directed motility of cytoplasmic dynein 1 (dynein), arguably the most complex and versatile cytoskeletal motor, is harnessed for diverse functions, such as long-range organelle transport in neuronal axons and spindle assembly in dividing cells. The versatility of dynein raises a number of intriguing questions, including how is dynein recruited to its diverse cargo, how is recruitment coupled to activation of the motor, how is motility regulated to meet different requirements for force production and how does dynein coordinate its activity with that of other microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) present on the same cargo. Here, these questions will be discussed in the context of dynein at the kinetochore, the supramolecular protein structure that connects segregating chromosomes to spindle microtubules in dividing cells. As the first kinetochore-localized MAP described, dynein has intrigued cell biologists for more than three decades. The first part of this Review summarizes current knowledge about how kinetochore dynein contributes to efficient and accurate spindle assembly, and the second part describes the underlying molecular mechanisms and highlights emerging commonalities with dynein regulation at other subcellular sites.
Characterization of the nuclear import of the human CHD4–NuRD complex
Authors: Hoffmeister Helen , Holzinger Simon , Dürr Marie-Sofie , Bruckmann Astrid , Schindler Susanne , Gröbner-Ferreira Regina , Depping Reinhard , Längst Gernot
Published: March 2023

Chromatin remodeling enzymes form large multiprotein complexes that play central roles in regulating access to the genome. Here, we characterize the nuclear import of the human CHD4 protein. We show that CHD4 enters the nucleus by means of several importin-α proteins (1, 5, 6 and 7), but independently of importin β1. Importin α1 directly interacts with a monopartite ‘KRKR’-motif in the N-terminus of CHD4 (amino acids 304–307). However, alanine mutagenesis of this motif only leads to an ∼50% reduction in nuclear localization of CHD4, implying that there are additional import mechanisms. Interestingly, we could show that CHD4 was already associated with the nucleosome remodeling deacetylase (NuRD) core subunits, such as MTA2, HDAC1 and RbAp46 (also known as RBBP7), in the cytoplasm, suggesting an assembly of the NuRD core complex before nuclear import. We propose that, in addition to the importin-α-dependent nuclear localization signal, CHD4 is dragged into the nucleus by a ‘piggyback’ mechanism using the import signals of the associated NuRD subunits.
Endosomal sorting sorted – motors, adaptors and lessons fromin vitroand cellular studies
Authors: Redpath Gregory M. I , Ananthanarayanan Vaishnavi
Published: March 2023

Motor proteins are key players in exerting spatiotemporal control over the intracellular location of membrane-bound compartments, including endosomes containing cargo. In this Review, we focus on how motors and their cargo adaptors regulate positioning of cargoes from the earliest stages of endocytosis and through the two main intracellular itineraries: (1) degradation at the lysosome or (2) recycling back to the plasma membrane. In vitro and cellular (in vivo) studies on cargo transport thus far have typically focussed independently on either the motor proteins and adaptors, or membrane trafficking. Here, we will discuss recent studies to highlight what is known about the regulation of endosomal vesicle positioning and transport by motors and cargo adaptors. We also emphasise that in vitro and cellular studies are often performed at different scales, from single molecules to whole organelles, with the aim to provide a perspective on the unified principles of motor-driven cargo trafficking in living cells that can be learned from these differing scales.
The potential of myosin and actin in nanobiotechnology
Authors: Månsson Alf
Published: March 2023

Since the late 1990s, efforts have been made to utilize cytoskeletal filaments, propelled by molecular motors, for nanobiotechnological applications, for example, in biosensing and parallel computation. This work has led to in-depth insights into the advantages and challenges of such motor-based systems, and has yielded small-scale, proof-of-principle applications but, to date, no commercially viable devices. Additionally, these studies have also elucidated fundamental motor and filament properties, as well as providing other insights obtained from biophysical assays in which molecular motors and other proteins are immobilized on artificial surfaces. In this Perspective, I discuss the progress towards practically viable applications achieved so far using the myosin II–actin motor–filament system. I also highlight several fundamental pieces of insights derived from the studies. Finally, I consider what may be required to achieve real devices in the future or at least to allow future studies with a satisfactory cost–benefit ratio.
Contrasting effects of fungicide and herbicide active ingredients and their formulations on bumblebee learning and behaviour
Authors: Thompson Linzi J. , Stout Jane C. , Stanley Dara A.
Published: March 2023

Fungicides and herbicides are two of the most heavily applied pesticide classes in the world, but receive little research attention with regards to their potential impacts on bees. As they are not designed to target insects, the mechanisms behind potential impacts of these pesticides are unclear. It is therefore important to understand their influence at a range of levels, including sublethal impacts on behaviours such as learning. We used the proboscis extension reflex (PER) paradigm to assess how the herbicide glyphosate and the fungicide prothioconazole affect bumblebee olfactory learning. We also assessed responsiveness, and compared the impacts of these active ingredients and their respective commercial formulations (Roundup Biactive and Proline). We found that learning was not impaired by either formulation but, of the bees that displayed evidence of learning, exposure to prothioconazole active ingredient increased learning level in some situations, while exposure to glyphosate active ingredient resulted in bumblebees being less likely to respond to antennal stimulation with sucrose. Our data suggest that fungicides and herbicides may not negatively impact olfactory learning ability when bumblebees are exposed orally to field-realistic doses in a lab setting, but that glyphosate has the potential to cause changes in responsiveness in bees. As we found impacts of active ingredients and not commercial formulations, this suggests that co-formulants may modify impacts of active ingredients in the products tested on olfactory learning without being toxic themselves. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind potential impacts of fungicides and herbicides on bees, and to evaluate the implications of behavioural changes caused by glyphosate and prothioconazole for bumblebee fitness.
Incubation temperature alters stripe formation and head colouration in American alligator hatchlings and is unaffected by estradiol-induced sex reversal
Authors: Rogerson Grace , Bock Samantha , Loera Yeraldi , Parrott Benjamin , Mulley John F.
Published: March 2023

Considerations of the impact climate change has on reptiles are typically focused on habitat change or loss, range shifts and skewed sex ratios in species with temperature-dependent sex determination. Here, we show that incubation temperature alters stripe number and head colouration of hatchling American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Animals incubated at higher temperatures (33.5°C) had, on average, one more stripe than those at lower temperatures (29.5°C), and also had significantly lighter heads. These patterns were not affected by estradiol-induced sex reversal, suggesting independence from hatchling sex. Therefore, increases in nest temperatures as a result of climate change have the potential to alter pigmentation patterning, which may have implications for offspring fitness.
Plasma Exosome Gene Signature Differentiates Colon Cancer from Healthy Controls
Authors: Vallejos Paul A. , Gonda Amber , Yu Jingjing , Sullivan Brittany G. , Ostowari Arsha , Kwong Mei Li , Choi Audrey , Selleck Matthew J. , Kabagwira Janviere , Fuller Ryan N. , Gironda Daniel J. , Levine Edward A. , Hughes Christopher C. W. , Wall Nathan R. , Miller Lance D. , Senthil Maheswari
Published: March 2023

Background

Liquid biopsies have become an integral part of cancer management as minimally invasive options to detect molecular and genetic changes. However, current options show poor sensitivity in peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). Novel exosome-based liquid biopsies may provide critical information on these challenging tumors. In this initial feasibility analysis, we identified an exosome gene signature of 445 genes (ExoSig445) from colon cancer patients, including those with PC, that is distinct from healthy controls.

Methods

Plasma exosomes from 42 patients with metastatic and non-metastatic colon cancer and 10 healthy controls were isolated and verified. RNAseq analysis of exosomal RNA was performed and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the DESeq2 algorithm. The ability of RNA transcripts to discriminate control and cancer cases was assessed by principal component analysis (PCA) and Bayesian compound covariate predictor classification. An exosomal gene signature was compared with tumor expression profiles of The Cancer Genome Atlas.

Results

Unsupervised PCA using exosomal genes with greatest expression variance showed stark separation between controls and patient samples. Using separate training and test sets, gene classifiers were constructed capable of discriminating control and patient samples with 100% accuracy. Using a stringent statistical threshold, 445 DEGs fully delineated control from cancer samples. Furthermore, 58 of these exosomal DEGs were found to be overexpressed in colon tumors.

Conclusions

Plasma exosomal RNAs can robustly discriminate colon cancer patients, including patients with PC, from healthy controls. ExoSig445 can potentially be developed as a highly sensitive liquid biopsy test in colon cancer.
The open field assay is influenced by room temperature and by drugs that affect core body temperature
Authors: Jimenez Jessica A. , McCoy Eric S. , Lee David F. , Zylka Mark J.
Published: March 2023

Background: The open field assay is used to study anxiety-related traits and anxiolytic drugs in rodents. This assay entails measuring locomotor activity and time spent in the center of a chamber that is maintained at ambient room temperature. However, the ambient temperature in most laboratories varies daily and seasonally and can differ between buildings. We sought to evaluate how varying ambient temperature and core body temperature (CBT) affected open field locomotor activity and center time of male wild-type (WT, C57BL/6) and Transient Receptor Potential Subfamily M Member 8 (Trpm8) knock-out (Trpm8-/-) mice. TRPM8 is an ion channel that detects cool temperatures and is activated by icilin.

Methods: Mice were placed in the open field at 4°C and 23°C for 30 minutes. Distance traveled and time spent in the center were measured. Mice were injected with icilin, M8-B, diazepam, or saline, and changes in activity level were recorded.

Results: The cooling agent icilin increased CBT and profoundly reduced distance traveled and center time of WT mice relative to controls. Likewise, cooling the ambient temperature to 4°C reduced distance traveled and center time of WT mice relative to Trpm8-/- mice. Conversely, the TRPM8 antagonist (M8-B) reduced CBT and increased distance traveled and center time of WT mice when tested at 4°C. The TRPM8 antagonist (M8-B) had no effect on CBT or open field behavior of Trpm8-/- mice. The anxiolytic diazepam reduced CBT in WT and Trpm8-/- mice. When tested at 4°C, diazepam increased distance traveled and center time in WT mice but did not alter open field behavior of Trpm8-/- mice.

Conclusions: Environmental temperature and drugs that affect CBT can influence locomotor behavior and center time in the open field assay, highlighting temperature (ambient and core) as sources of environmental and physiologic variability in this commonly used behavioral assay.
Case Report: Actinomyces meyeri empyema in a COVID-19 positive patient with history of testicular mixed germ cell tumor
Authors: Behaeddin Bita Crystal , Barcena Hunter , Fonarov Ilya , Casadesus Damian
Published: March 2023

The most common cause of empyema is a complicated parapneumonic effusion, but other foci of infection may also spread to the pleural space. A man in his early 30s with a history of testicular mixed germ cell tumor presented with a week of pleuritic chest pain. On admission, he was tachypneic, tachycardic, and had tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Imaging revealed a loculated large left pleural effusion with collapse of the left lung. A pigtail catheter was inserted, and the pleural effusion was evacuated. Fluid analysis indicated infection with Actinomyces meyeri. Clinical exam and mandible radiography ruled out infectious facial involvement. Intravenous ampicillin was started, but two days later the patient requested that the chest tube be removed, and he left the hospital against medical advice. The patient followed-up in our clinic one month later with a significantly improved medical condition. Treatment with oral amoxicillin-clavulanate for twelve months was prescribed.
Social determinants of employee selection and interviewing
Authors: Lisowski Olaf , Grajek Mateusz
Published: March 2023

The problem of effective personnel planning was and is an indispensable part of the management of any enterprise. Every owner makes every effort to ensure that the people employed achieve the established goals and strategies of the organization, thereby contributing to the growth of prestige and expansion of capital. A significant capital of any organization is personnel, or human capital, which is why the proper selection of employees is such an important element. For some time now, organizations have been making every effort to ensure that employees are not only properly educated and trained, but are well aligned with the company's mission. Large corporations, want to have an employee as if "on their own," so the goals of both the employer and the employee are important. People for whom professional success is not the most important thing would not be able to find their way in a large international organization. The recruitment and selection process is therefore a key element to check whether a candidate is the right person and in the right place.
Actividad antimicrobiana de extractos de plantas frente a Staphylococcus aislados de pacientes con conjuntivitis bacteriana
Authors: Pabón Baquero Ludy , Granados Flórez Juliana , Velasco Wendy Johana , Rodríguez Álvarez Martha Fabiola , Hernández-Rodríguez Patricia
Published: March 2023

Introducción: Staphylococcus aureus y Staphylococcus epidermidis son los principales agentes etiológicos de las conjuntivitis bacterianas, que al tratarse con antibióticos de manera empírica, incrementan la resistencia antimicrobiana después de exposiciones repetidas. Se están buscando alternativas naturales para el tratamiento de infecciones bacterianas autolimitadas de la conjuntiva. Objetivo: determinar la actividad antimicrobiana de ocho extractos de las plantas frente a bacterias aisladas de pacientes con conjuntivitis bacterianas. Materiales y métodos: se tomaron muestras de 15 pacientes con conjuntivitis bacterianas. Se cultivaron en agar sangre y chocolate durante 24 h a 37 °C y se identificaron mediante el sistema automatizado vitek y pruebas de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana por el método de Kirby-Bauer. A cada aislamiento identificado con el género Staphylococcus se le evaluó su susceptibilidad frente a siete extractos: Ocimum basilicum, Sambucus nigra L., Delphinium elatum, Calendula officinalis, Bixa orellana (parte aérea y fruto independiente), Clinopodium brownei y Laurus nobilis, con un uso tradicional reportado para el tratamiento de infecciones oculares. Resultados: las bacterias aisladas con más frecuencia fueron S. epidermidis, S. hominis y S. aureus, las cuales presentaron resistencia antimicrobiana a oxacilina, tetraciclinas y eritromicina. Todos los aislamientos fueron inhibidos por los extractos de O. basilicum (cmi: >0.9 mg/mL) y L. nobilis (cmi: hasta 15 mg/mL). Conclusión: los extractos de C. officinalis y D. elatum tuvieron actividad antimicrobiana solo frente a los aislados con mayor sensibilidad antimicrobiana. Los extractos etanólicos de O. basilicum y L. nobilis pueden ser una alternativa de tratamiento de las infecciones de la conjuntiva.
The Impact of Behavioral and Economic Drivers on Gig Economy Workers
Authors: Allon Gad , Cohen Maxime C. , Sinchaisri Wichinpong Park
Published: March 2023

Problem definition: Gig economy companies benefit from labor flexibility by hiring independent workers in response to real-time demand. However, workers’ flexibility in their work schedule poses a great challenge in terms of planning and committing to a service capacity. Understanding what motivates gig economy workers is thus of great importance. In collaboration with a ride-hailing platform, we study how on-demand workers make labor decisions; specifically, whether to work and work duration. Our model revisits competing theories of labor supply regarding the impact of financial incentives and behavioral motives on labor decisions. We are interested in both improving how to predict the behavior of flexible workers and understanding how to design better incentives. Methodology/results: Using a large comprehensive data set, we develop an econometric model to analyze workers’ labor decisions and responses to incentives while accounting for sample selection and endogeneity. We find that financial incentives have a significant positive influence on the decision to work and on the work duration—confirming the positive income elasticity posited by the standard income effect. We also find support for a behavioral theory as workers exhibit income-targeting behavior (working less when reaching an income goal) and inertia (working more after working for a longer period). Managerial implications: We demonstrate via numerical experiments that incentive optimization based on our insights can increase service capacity by 22% without incurring additional cost, or maintain the same capacity at a 30% lower cost. Ignoring behavioral factors could lead to understaffing by 10%–17% below the optimal capacity level. Lastly, our insights inform the design of platform strategy to manage flexible workers amidst an intensified competition among gig platforms.

Funding: This study was supported by The Jay H. Baker Retailing Center, The William and Phyllis Mack Institute for Innovation Management, The Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, and The Fishman-Davidson Center for Service and Operations Management.

Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.1191 .
Robotic Assisted Endoscopic Surgery Practices in Pediatric Surgery, Single Center Experience
Authors: BAHADIR Gökhan Berktuğ , ÇALIŞKAN Mehmet Bahadır , ÜNLÜ BALLI Sevim Ecem , ATASEVER Hüseyin Emre , KORKMAZ Gülenay , YILDIRIM İbrahim , EKİCİ Özlem , ÇEVİK Oğuz Mehmet , ULUBULUT Kadri Cemil , MAMBET Ervin , ÖZTÜRK Haluk , SÜRER İlhami , DEMİRBAĞ Suzi
Published: March 2023

Objective: While robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) is spreading rapidly all over the world, In pediatric surgery,
this spread is slower than in adult surgery for many reasons. In this study, we discuss our initial experiences with
pediatric robotic surgical cases.
Material and Methods: Robotic-assisted endoscopic surgery between November 2017 and April 2022 was
retrospectively reviewed. The medical records of the patients were reviewed retrospectively for some demographical
features, surgical details, and follow-up time.
Results: Of the 48 children, 27 were male and 21 were female. The youngest of the cases was 10 months old,
while the oldest was 17 years old (mean 7.72±5.6, median 7). The shortest follow-up period after surgery was 5
months, while the longest follow-up was 60 months. A total of 63 surgical procedures were performed on 48 pediatric
patients. 17 pyeloplasty (left 10, right 7), 9 Lich Gregoir operations (right 6, left 3), 4 ureteral reimplantation and tapering
procedures due to left ureterovesical junction obstruction (UJO), 3 Hemi nephrectomy, one appendicovesicostomy, One
right ureteral reimplantation, 11 Nissen fundoplication, 10 gastrostomy and one gastrojejunostomy, two ovarian sparing
surgeries for ovarian cyst were performed. One urachal remnant excision, one adrenal mass excision, and one thoracic
outlet mass excision were performed.
Conclusion: This is the first study that includes a wide range of pediatric robotic surgical procedures in our country.
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedures in pediatric surgery can be safely performed for many surgical pathologies. We
think at the beginning some simple surgical procedures and then turning to the more complex procedures after at least
15 cases will be more appropriate.
Autologous Free Reverse Inlay Vein Graft in the Treatment of Cripple Hypospadias; an experimental rabbit model
Authors: ÇALIŞKAN Mehmet Bahadır , SÜRER İlhami , GÜNHAN Ömer
Published: March 2023

Objective: The aim of this study is using the autologous reverse inlay jugular vein graft as a substitute for defective
urethral plate and the incorporation of the graft to the urethral plate. Cripple hypospadias are the patients who have a
history of previous multiple unsuccessful hypospadias surgery and still having anatomical and functional complications.
Insufficient local or support tissue for the repair of defective urethral plate is always a problem.
Material and Methods: In the study fourteen male 8-10 months old which is weighting four kg, New Zealand type
rabbit are divided into two equal groups. Juguler vein graft (1st group) and buccal mucosal graft (2nd group) harvested
and transferred to defective area in the urethral plate as a free flap.
Results: In the histopatologic examination, epithelization, fibrosis and inflammation degrees were evaluated between
the groups and in-groups. In the histopatological examination of the 1st group, uroepithelization is complete or nearly
complete, fibrotic activity is (+) and the inflammation was found minimal. In the second group after 21st day, the
uroepithelization on the graft is nearly thirty percent, fibrotic activity is (++) and the inflammation is also found minimal.
Conclusion: From the results of the study, in the treatment of defective urethra in cripple hypospadias cases, reverse free
juguler vein graft can be used as an alternative for buccal mucosa graft as a substitution material which has been used
for a long time.
Interprofessional team trust in maternity services: a service evaluation
Authors: Steward Emily
Published: March 2023

Background/Aims

A climate of trust in maternity may improve the experiences of staff and women accessing maternity services. The aim of this study was to explore how a climate of trust was promoted through creation of a regular virtual maternity multidisciplinary forum, known as a maternal medicine huddle, during the COVID-19 pandemic and what influence this had on the organisational culture of a local maternity system and the experiences of women receiving maternity care.

Methods

Through a critical feminist methodology, six participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were conducted through Miscrosoft Teams, with the six participants representing each of the six trusts in a selected local maternity and neonatal system.

Results

Developing trust for teamwork is valued, while at the same time interprofessional and interorganisation challenges are highlighted that can impact workplace culture.

Conclusions

The huddles have built a climate of trust, working to deliver safe, equitable care for those using maternity services and a supportive learning environment for those providing it.
Domestic abuse in the workplace: what are your responsibilities?
Authors: Buxton Sarah
Published: March 2023

Sarah Buxton discusses the importance of employee wellbeing when dealing with domestic abuse.
Evaluation of rumen in vitro gas production and fermentation characteristics of four tropical seaweed species
Authors:   Graduate School of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia, Hidayah Nur ,   Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas TidarCentral Java 56116, Indonesia, Kustantinah Kustantinah ,   Departement of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia, Noviandi Cuk Tri ,   Departement of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia, Astuti Andriyani ,   Departement of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia, Hanim Chusnul ,   Departement of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia, Suwignyo Bambang ,   Departement of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Published: March 2023

Studies on the identification and characterization of numerous seaweed species from tropical oceans have not been widely reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rumen in vitro gas production and fermentation characteristics of four tropical seaweed species. The design of treatments was a randomized complete block design with four different seaweed species (brown seaweed: Laminaria sp. and Padina australis; red seaweed: Gracilaria sp. and Eucheuma cottonii) and four replications for each treatment. For the gas production, easily degraded fraction (a), potentially degraded fraction (b), rate of gas production of b fraction (c), and total fraction degraded (a+b) parameters of brown seaweed were higher and faster than those of red seaweed. The lowest methane production at 24 hours incubation was obtained for Gracilaria sp., which reduced methane production from blank (44.38%) and standard (Pangola substrate) samples (60.63%), followed by Padina australis at 28.98 and 49.73% respectively. Padina australis resulted in the highest propionate proportion (16.03%), lowest butyrate (11.92%) and A:P ratio (4.52) (P<0.05). There were no differences in NH3 (34.17-37.31 mg/100 mL) or microbe protein concentration (9.03-10.60 mg/100 mL) among the seaweed species. It was concluded that brown seaweed (Laminaria sp. and Padina australis) were more degradable than red seaweed (Gracilaria sp. and Eucheuma cottonii) in the rumen. Padina australis is the most potential as ruminant feed because it resulted in the highest propionate proportion, the lowest butyrate and A:P ratio, and low methane production and did not disturb the NH3 and microbe protein concentrations.
Linear photogalvanic effects in monolayer WSe2 with defects
Authors: Liu Jia , Ma YongHong , Chi Feng , Chao LuoMeng , Niu JinYan
Published: March 2023

Linear photogalvanic effects in monolayer WSe2 with defects are investigated by non-equilibrium Green’s function technique combined with density functional theory. Monolayer WSe2 generates photoresponse in the absence of external bias voltage, showing potential applications in low-power consumption photoelectronic devices. Our results show that the photocurrent changes in perfect sine form with the polarization angle. The maximum photoresponse Rmax produced in the monoatomic S substituted defect material is 28 times that of the perfect material when the photon energy is 3.1 eV irradiated, which is the most outstanding among all the defects. Monoatomic Ga substitution extinction ratio (ER) is the largest, and its ER value is more than 157 times that of the pure condition at 2.7 eV. As the defects concentration increases, the photoresponse is changed. The concentrations of Ga substituted defects have little effect on the photocurrent. The concentrations of Se/W vacancy and S/Te substituted defect have a great influence on the photocurrent increase. Our numerical results also show that monolayer WSe2 is a candidate material for solar cells in the visible light range and a promising polarization detector material.
Shock physics and shadowgraphic measurements of laser-produced cerium plasmas
Authors: Kwapis Emily H. , Hewitt Maya , Hartig Kyle C.
Published: March 2023

Shadowgraphic measurements are combined with theory on gas-dynamics to investigate the shock physics associated with nanosecond laser ablation of cerium metal targets. Time-resolved shadowgraphic imaging is performed to measure the propagation and attenuation of the laser-induced shockwave through air and argon atmospheres at various background pressures, where stronger shockwaves characterized by higher propagation velocities are observed for higher ablation laser irradiances and lower pressures. The Rankine-Hugoniot relations are also employed to estimate the pressure, temperature, density, and flow velocity of the shock-heated gas located immediately behind the shock front, predicting larger pressure ratios and higher temperatures for stronger laser-induced shockwaves.