bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AFM‐TEM correlation microscopy and its application to lipid nanoparticles
Authors: Bagrov Dmitry V. , Adlerberg Vladimir V. , Skryabin Gleb O. , Nikishin Igor I. , Galetsky Sergey A. , Tchevkina Elena M. , Kirpichnikov Mikhail P. , Shaitan Konstantin V.
Published: May 2023

So far, only a few articles have demonstrated the possibility of correlated AFM‐TEM imaging – sequential imaging of the same individual objects using atomic‐force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The current work contributes to the development of this approach by giving a step‐by‐step procedure, which yields pairs of correlated AFM‐TEM images. We describe the application of correlation AFM‐TEM microscopy to lipid nanoparticles (small extracellular vesicles and liposomes). The sizes of individual particles measured by the two methods were in good agreement, taking the tip broadening into account. The correlated AFM‐TEM imaging can be valuable for single‐particle analysis and nanometrology.
Biallelic deleterious germline SH2B3 variants cause a novel syndrome of myeloproliferation and multi‐organ autoimmunity
Authors: Blombery Piers , Pazhakh Vahid , Albuquerque Adriana S. , Maimaris Jesmeen , Tu Lingge , Briones Miranda Brenda , Evans Florence , Thompson Ella R. , Carpenter Ben , Proctor Ian , Curtin Julie A. , Lambert Jonathan , Burns Siobhan O. , Lieschke Graham J.
Published: May 2023

SH2B3 is a negative regulator of multiple cytokine receptor signalling pathways in haematopoietic tissue. To date, a single kindred has been described with germline biallelic loss‐of‐function SH2B3 variants characterized by early onset developmental delay, hepatosplenomegaly and autoimmune thyroiditis/hepatitis. Herein, we described two further unrelated kindreds with germline biallelic loss‐of‐function SH2B3 variants that show striking phenotypic similarity to each other as well as to the previous kindred of myeloproliferation and multi‐organ autoimmunity. One proband also suffered severe thrombotic complications. CRISPR‐Cas9 gene editing of zebrafish sh2b3 created assorted deleterious variants in F0 crispants, which manifest significantly increased number of macrophages and thrombocytes, partially replicating the human phenotype. Treatment of the sh2b3 crispant fish with ruxolitinib intercepted this myeloproliferative phenotype. Skin‐derived fibroblasts from one patient demonstrated increased phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT5 after stimulation with IL‐3, GH, GM‐CSF and EPO compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, these additional probands and functional data in combination with the previous kindred provide sufficient evidence for biallelic homozygous deleterious variants in SH2B3 to be considered a valid gene‐disease association for a clinical syndrome of bone marrow myeloproliferation and multi‐organ autoimmune manifestations.
Postmortem diagnosis of very long chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency in a neonate with sudden cardiac death
Authors: Singh Prapti , Amaro Deirdre , Obi Olugbemisola , Kiran FNU , Hediger Erin , Toler Tomi L. , Dickson Patricia I. , Grange Dorothy K.
Published: May 2023

Very long chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency is an autosomal recessive long chain fatty acid β‐oxidation disorder with a variable clinical spectrum, ranging from an acute neonatal presentation with cardiac and hepatic failure to childhood or adult onset of symptoms with hepatomegaly or rhabdomyolysis provoked by illness or exertion. Neonatal cardiac arrest or sudden unexpected death can be the presenting phenotype in some patients, emphasizing the importance of early clinical suspicion and intervention. We report a patient who had a cardiac arrest and died at one day of age. Following her death, the newborn screen reported biochemical evidence of VLCAD deficiency, which was confirmed with pathologic findings at autopsy and by molecular genetic testing.
Functional and phylogenetic interpretation of the forelimb myology of two South American carnivorans, the ring‐tailed coati (Nasua nasua) and crab‐eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus)
Authors: Tarquini Juliana , Mosto M. Clelia , Ercoli Marcos D.
Published: May 2023

A comparative analysis of the forelimb myology of two neotropical procyonids (Nasua nasua and Procyon cancrivorus) was performed to assess how observed differences in their myological configuration would be related to their diverse ecological behaviors and phylogeny. Although both species are associated with the arboreal substrate, N. nasua is a more agile climber that usually digs; whereas P. cancrivorus spends most of its time on the ground foraging, climbing on the trees as shelter and is a good swimmer. Here, myological descriptions, muscle maps, phylogenetic optimizations, and muscle mass data of the forelimb of these two procyonids are presented. The main functional muscular groups are discussed in a comparative framework with other carnivorans that present a wide ecological diversity. Also, muscular characters were mapped onto a phylogeny to explore their evolution and to obtain ancestral state reconstructions. Results indicate clear myological differences among the two neotropical procyonids associated with their ecological preferences. One of the most remarkable anatomical differences is the arrangement and relative mass of the extrinsic musculature, mainly the musculus rhomboideus and the delto‐pectoral complexes. In Nasua nasua, these suggested a greater stability in their shoulder girdle for climbing and digging and probably would provide stronger neck and head movements when they use them for foraging on the ground. Conversely, P. cancrivorus has a different extrinsic muscular configuration, which would allow an increment on the stride length and faster movements of the forelimb associated with more frequent terrestrial gaits. Also, significant differences are observed in the distal musculature, associated with strong movements of forepaws when climbing and digging in N. nasua; whereas, P. cancrivorus configuration suggested precise forearm and digits movements, related to manipulation of food items when they are catching prey or feeding. Most of the codified features of P. cancrivorus would reflect retention of plesiomorphies acquired in the common ancestor of caniforms or arctoids, whereas N. nasua shows derived traits, particularly in the proximal forelimb region. The present work increases the information available on the myology of these particular taxa and extant generalized arctoid models in general. The analyses presented here will be useful both for other comparative myological studies (morpho‐functional and phylogenetic) and for muscular reconstruction in extinct procyonids, as well as other carnivorans.
Evaluation of 3D stack‐of‐spiral turbo FLASH acquisitions for pseudo‐continuous and velocity‐selective ASL–derived brain perfusion mapping
Authors: Zhu Dan , Xu Feng , Liu Dapeng , Hillis Argye Elizabeth , Lin Doris , van Zijl Peter C. M. , Qin Qin
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The most‐used 3D acquisitions for ASL are gradient and spin echo (GRASE)– and stack‐of‐spiral (SOS)–based fast spin echo, which require multiple shots. Alternatively, turbo FLASH (TFL) allows longer echo trains, and SOS‐TFL has the potential to reduce the number of shots to even single‐shot, thus improving the temporal resolution. Here we compare the performance of 3D SOS‐TFL and 3D GRASE for ASL at 3T.

Methods

The 3D SOS‐TFL readout was optimized with respect to fat suppression and excitation flip angles for pseudo‐continuous ASL– and velocity‐selective (VS)ASL–derived cerebral blood flow (CBF) mapping as well as for VSASL‐derived cerebral blood volume (CBV) mapping. Results were compared with 3D GRASE readout on healthy volunteers in terms of perfusion quantification and temporal SNR (tSNR) efficiency. CBF and CBV mapping derived from 3D SOS‐TFL–based ASL was demonstrated on one stroke patient, and the potential for single‐shot acquisitions was exemplified.

Results

SOS‐TFL with a 15° flip angle resulted in adequate tSNR efficiency with negligible image blurring. Selective water excitation was necessary to eliminate fat‐induced artifacts. For pseudo‐continuous ASL– and VSASL‐based CBF and CBV mapping, compared to the employed four‐shot 3D GRASE with an acceleration factor of 2, the fully sampled 3D SOS‐TFL delivered comparable performance (with a similar scan time) using three shots, which could be further undersampled to achieve single‐shot acquisition with higher tSNR efficiency. SOS‐TFL had reduced CSF contamination for VSASL‐CBF.

Conclusion

3D SOS‐TFL acquisition was found to be a viable substitute for 3D GRASE for ASL with sufficient tSNR efficiency, minimal relaxation‐induced blurring, reduced CSF contamination, and the potential of single‐shot, especially for VSASL.
Distortion‐corrected image reconstruction with deep learning on an MRI‐Linac
Authors: Shan Shanshan , Gao Yang , Liu Paul Z. Y. , Whelan Brendan , Sun Hongfu , Dong Bin , Liu Feng , Waddington David E. J.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

MRI is increasingly utilized for image‐guided radiotherapy due to its outstanding soft‐tissue contrast and lack of ionizing radiation. However, geometric distortions caused by gradient nonlinearities (GNLs) limit anatomical accuracy, potentially compromising the quality of tumor treatments. In addition, slow MR acquisition and reconstruction limit the potential for effective image guidance. Here, we demonstrate a deep learning‐based method that rapidly reconstructs distortion‐corrected images from raw k‐space data for MR‐guided radiotherapy applications.

Methods

We leverage recent advances in interpretable unrolling networks to develop a Distortion‐Corrected Reconstruction Network (DCReconNet) that applies convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to learn effective regularizations and nonuniform fast Fourier transforms for GNL‐encoding. DCReconNet was trained on a public MR brain dataset from 11 healthy volunteers for fully sampled and accelerated techniques, including parallel imaging (PI) and compressed sensing (CS). The performance of DCReconNet was tested on phantom, brain, pelvis, and lung images acquired on a 1.0T MRI‐Linac. The DCReconNet, CS‐, PI‐and UNet‐based reconstructed image quality was measured by structural similarity (SSIM) and RMS error (RMSE) for numerical comparisons. The computation time and residual distortion for each method were also reported.

Results

Imaging results demonstrated that DCReconNet better preserves image structures compared to CS‐ and PI‐based reconstruction methods. DCReconNet resulted in the highest SSIM (0.95 median value) and lowest RMSE (<0.04) on simulated brain images with four times acceleration. DCReconNet is over 10‐times faster than iterative, regularized reconstruction methods.

Conclusions

DCReconNet provides fast and geometrically accurate image reconstruction and has the potential for MRI‐guided radiotherapy applications.
Joint service placement and user assignment model in multi‐access edge computing networks against base‐station failure
Authors: Taka Haruto , He Fujun , Oki Eiji
Published: May 2023

Multi‐access edge computing (MEC) enables users to exploit the resources of cloud computing at a base station (BS) in proximity to the users where an MEC server is hosted. While we have advantage of being able to communicate with low latency and small network load in MEC networks, the resources in BSs are limited. One challenge is where to provide users with services from to make efficient use of resources. Furthermore, to enhance the reliability of MEC system, the case that a BS fails needs to be considered. This paper proposes a service placement and user assignment model with preventive start‐time optimization against a single BS failure in MEC networks. The proposed model preventively determines the service placement and user assignment in each BS failure pattern to minimize the worst‐case penalty which is the largest penalty among all failure patterns. We formulate the proposed model as an integer linear programming problem. We prove that the considered problem is NP‐hard. When the problem size becomes large, it may not be solved in a practical computation time. To solve larger size problems, we introduce two algorithms: one is the greedy algorithm with allocation upgrade and the other is with allocation upgrade and preemption. The results show that the introduced algorithms obtain solutions with smaller worst‐case penalty than the benchmark in a practical time.
Thermodynamic Stability of a New Three Dimensional Regular Black Hole
Authors: Hendi S. H. , Hajkhalili S. , Mahmoudi S.
Published: May 2023

A new model of the regular black hole in dimensions is introduced by considering an appropriate matter field as the energy‐momentum tensor. First, we propose a novel model of d‐dimensional energy density that in dimensions leads to the existence of an upper bound on the radius of the event horizon and a lower bound on the mass of the black hole which are motivated by the features of astrophysical black holes. According to these bounds, we introduce an admissible domain for the event horizon radius, depending on the metric parameters. After investigation of geometric properties of the obtained solutions, we study the thermal stability of the solution in the canonical ensemble and find that the regular black hole is thermally stable in the mentioned admissible domain. Besides, the free energy is calculated to examine the global stability of the solution.
Outlier detection in a repeated measure design
Authors: Emenike Ifesinachi Chinagorom
Published: May 2023

This paper considered the problem of outlier detection in a repeated measure design (RMD) using the Estimate distance and the Liu and Weng's residual methods. The comparative performance of the two methods in identifying outlier in a RMD was evaluated through empirical and simulation studies. For the empirical study, two types of outliers (outliers I and II) were randomly introduced into the real‐life dataset from physiological research at a time. The results obtained revealed that the Liu and Weng's Residual and Estimate Distance tests correctly detected the outlier I randomly introduced into all the subjects at a time. However, the Liu and Weng's Residual test was only able to correctly detect the outlier II in subjects 1, 4 and 6 while the Estimate distance test could not detect the outlier II in any of the subject. In the simulation study, random samples of size 105, 120, 135, and 150 with a corresponding number of subjects (k = 7, 8, 9, 10), respectively, were generated from a multivariate normal distribution. Two types of outliers (outliers I and II) were randomly introduced into the simulated datasets. The results of the simulation study indicated that the Liu and Weng's residual and Estimate distance methods correctly detected the outlier I randomly introduced into the simulated data for all the sample sizes considered. However, the Liu and Weng's Residual test outperformed the Estimate distance test in detecting the outlier II. Thus, the Liu and Weng's Residual proved to be more powerful than the Estimate Distance test in identifying outlier in a RMD.
Ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography–high‐resolution mass spectrometry‐based plasma metabolomics study of thymoma and thymic hyperplasia
Authors: Zhang Xin , Zang Xiaoling , Yang Huanhuan , Jiao Peng , Zhang Jie , Song Ni , Lv Zhihua
Published: May 2023

Rationale

Thymoma is a rare malignant tumor but it is the most common primary tumor of the anterior mediastinum. The current imaging methods for thymoma screening suffer from false positive rate problems, and thymoma pathogenesis remains elusive. Study of thymoma metabolic characteristics could provide clues for improving the diagnosis and understanding the pathogenesis of thymoma.

Methods

Metabolic profiling of plasma from thymoma and thymic hyperplasia patients was performed using ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography combined with high‐resolution mass spectrometry in both positive and negative ionization modes. After pre‐ and post‐processing, the dataset was divided into three age groups and statistical analysis was performed to select differential metabolites of thymoma. For feature identification, experimental tandem mass spectra were matched to those of databases and available chemical standards, and also manually annotated with plausible chemical structures to ensure high identification confidence.

Results

A total of 47 differential metabolites were identified in thymoma. Significantly higher levels of histidine, sphinganine 1‐phosphate, lactic acid dimer, phenylacetylglutamine, LPC (18:3) and LPC (16:1), and significantly lower levels of phenylalanine, indole‐3‐propionic acid (IPA), hippuric acid and mesobilirubinogen were associated with thymoma. Tryptophan level in thymoma‐associated myasthenia gravis (TAMG) was significantly lower than that of the MG(−) group. IPA and hippuric acid abundances exhibited increasing trends from indolent to aggressive thymoma.

Conclusions

Our study revealed aberrant aromatic amino acid metabolism and fatty acid oxidation might be associated with thymoma. The identified unique metabolic characteristics of thymoma may provide valuable information for study of the molecular mechanism of thymoma pathogenesis, and improvement of diagnosis and discovery of new therapeutic strategies for thymoma.
Adaptive nonsingular fixed‐time control for hypersonic flight vehicle considering angle of attack constraints
Authors: Dong Zehong , Li Yinghui , Lv Maolong
Published: May 2023

This article proposes a fixed‐time singularity‐free neural control scheme for hypersonic flight vehicle (HFV) considering asymmetric time‐varying angle of attack (AOA) constraint based on integral barrier Lyapunov function (IBLF). In contrast to the state‐of‐the‐art fixed‐time control methods for HFV with AOA constraint, the most distinguishing feature of our control design lies in designing a direct AOA‐constrained control scheme without needing error transformation and the singularity issue is avoided. The IBLF is adopted to confine the AOA within a predefined asymmetric time‐varying compact set all the time. Moreover, the tracking errors of flight states and the estimate errors of approximations are ensured to converge into the bounded compact sets within fixed time, which can be preset by selecting the design parameters properly. Comparative simulations verify the superiority of the developed methodology.
Detecting forest canopy gaps using unoccupied aerial vehicle RGB imagery in a species‐rich subtropical forest
Authors: Chen Jiale , Wang Li , Jucker Tommaso , Da Hongzhi , Zhang Zhaochen , Hu Jianbo , Yang Qingsong , Wang Xihua , Qin Yuchu , Shen Guochun , Shu Li , Zhang Jian
Published: May 2023

Accurate and efficient detection of canopy gaps is essential for understanding species regeneration and community dynamics in forests. Unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with visible light (e.g., RGB) cameras have the potential to be one of the most cost‐effective approaches for detecting gaps. However, current gap‐detection methods based on spectral, textural, and/or structural information derived from UAV RGB imagery are unreliable in species‐rich forests with complex terrain due to high spectral complexity and topographic shadowing. Here, we compared the performance of four methods, including pixel‐based supervised classification (PBSC), object‐based classification (OBIA), Canopy Height Model thresholding classification, and HSTAC [a novel method we developed which combines Photographic Height (H), Spectral (S), and Textural (T) information for Automatic Classification (AC)] for characterizing canopy gaps in a 20‐ha permanent subtropical forest plot of eastern China. All classification results were evaluated through a comparison with canopy gaps detected from both field surveys and UAV‐borne LiDAR data. Among the four classification methods, HSTAC performed best in terms of detection efficiency (96% overall accuracy when compared to field data and 85% when compared to the LiDAR data), classification accuracy (3–18% improvement compared to alternative methods), and speed (1–1.5 h faster on the same machine). Of the four topographic factors (elevation, slope, aspect, and convexity), elevation was the one that most affected the accuracy of canopy gap detection. The errors of PBSC classification mainly came from the gaps at low elevations, while OBIA located the position of gaps well but overestimated their sizes. Overall, HSTAC avoids many of the inherent limitations of current state‐of‐the‐art methods and can accurately map canopy gaps in diverse subtropical forests with complex terrain. Our study provides a suitable way for long‐term forest canopy monitoring, real‐time applications, and contributes to a better understanding of forest plant community assembly and succession dynamics.
The increase of Nrf2 m6A modification induced by FTO downregulation promotes hippocampal neuron injury and aggravates the progression of epilepsy in a rat model
Authors: Tian Mao‐Qiang , Li Juan , Shu Xiao‐Mei , Lang Chang‐Hui , Chen Jing , Peng Long‐Ying , Lei Wen‐Ting , Yang Chang‐Jian
Published: May 2023

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by widespread neuronal death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) m6A methylation in epilepsy. To create epileptic models, the rats were given Lithium chloride and pilocarpine, and isolated primary rat hippocampal neurons were cultured in an Mg2+‐free medium. The frequency of seizures was recorded in the epilepsy group of rats. The functional tests included TUNEL, MTT, and flow cytometry. Mechanistically, RNA degradation assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation were performed. In epileptic models, Nrf2 and fat mass and obesity‐associated (FTO) levels were downregulated, whereas YT521‐B homology (YTH) domain family protein 2 (YTHDF2) was upregulated. Additionally, in epileptic models, there was a rise in the m6A methylation level of Nrf2 mRNA. Overexpressing FTO increased cell viability and reduced apoptosis, but Nrf2 interference reversed these effects. Meanwhile, FTO overexpression decreased the m6A methylation of Nrf2 mRNA. Moreover, YTHDF2 bound to Nrf2 mRNA and decreased its stability. Furthermore, FTO overexpression reduced seizure frequency in rats and inhibited hippocampal neuron apoptosis via lowering the m6A methylation level of Nrf2 mRNA. Overexpressing FTO reduced m6A methylation of Nrf2 mRNA, increased cell viability, suppressed apoptosis, and slowed the progression of epileptic diseases, which is linked to YTHDF2 binding to m6A‐modified Nrf2 and promoting its degradation, as well as downregulating Nrf2 expression in hippocampal neurons.
The role of NMDA glutamate receptors in the lateral habenula on morphine‐induced conditioned place preference in rats
Authors: Amohashemi Elahe , Reisi Parham , Alaei Hojjatallah
Published: May 2023

The lateral habenula (LHb) has received special attention due to its role in modulating motivated behavior, stress response, and rewarding and aversive stimuli through monoamine transmission. In the present study, the involvement of the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors of the LHb in the expression and acquisition phases of morphine‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP) was studied in male rats. Bilateral injections of agonist/antagonist (MK‐801) of NMDA receptor were performed during the conditioning sessions of the acquisition phase. In other separate groups, drugs were also injected into the LHb before the test session during the expression phase of CPP. A 5‐day CPP bias paradigm was used to study the effect of injections of NMDA and MK‐801 into the LHb on morphine reward‐related behavior. Different doses of NMDA plus morphine reduced the CPP score during the acquisition phase, whereas MK‐801 significantly increased conditioning scores during the acquisition phase of CPP. The injection of agonists and antagonists of NMDA receptors in LHb had no significant effect on CPP scores and locomotion during the expression phase of CPP, whereas the motor activity in the acquisition phase was affected by the drugs. The reduction effect of NMDA on the CPP scores during the acquisition phase was blocked by pretreatment with MK‐801. Our findings also suggest that NMDA receptors in the LHb may be involved in the acquisition phase of morphine‐induced CPP.
A Distributed Compensation Method for Active Power Filters Based on Model Predictive Control and Kalman Filter Algorithm
Authors: Wang Rui , Tao Jun , Zhang Huaying , Zhu Qianlong
Published: May 2023

Research on global harmonic mitigation against distributed and high‐proportioned nonlinear loads in modern distribution networks has received extensive attention. In this paper, a distributed compensation method for active power filters (APFs) is proposed, which utilizes a small number of APFs with adjustable reference to alleviate the global voltage distortion caused by a large number of distributed nonlinear loads. The model predictive control (MPC) is employed to calculate the optimal current reference for compensators at each optimization moment by predicting the system's performance in a certain future time period. Furthermore, the Kalman filter (KF) algorithm is used to estimate the initial harmonic voltage for the MPC, reducing the unfavorable effects of the model uncertainty and measurement noise. The test results based on a seven‐bus distribution network in MATLAB are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Evaluation of eight Bayesian genomic prediction models for three micronutrient traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Meher Prabina Kumar , Gupta Ajit , Rustgi Sachin , Mir Reyazul Rouf , Kumar Anuj , Kumar Jitendra , Balyan Harindra Singh , Gupta Pushpendra Kumar
Published: May 2023

In wheat, genomic prediction accuracy (GPA) was assessed for three micronutrient traits (grain iron, grain zinc, and β‐carotenoid concentrations) using eight Bayesian regression models. For this purpose, data on 246 accessions, each genotyped with 17,937 DArT markers, were utilized. The phenotypic data on traits were available for 2013–2014 from Powerkheda (Madhya Pradesh) and for 2014–2015 from Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), India. The accuracy of the models was measured in terms of reliability, which was computed following a repeated cross‐validation approach. The predictions were obtained independently for each of the two environments after adjusting for the local effects and across environments after adjusting for the environmental effects. The Bayes ridge regression (BayesRR) model outperformed the other seven models, whereas BayesLASSO (BayesL) was the least efficient. The GPA increased with an increase in the size of the training set as well as with an increase in marker density. The GPA values differed for the three traits and were higher for the best linear unbiased estimate (BLUE) (obtained after adjusting for the environmental effects) relative to those for the two environments. The GPA also remained unaffected after accounting for the population structure. The results of the present study suggest that only the best model should be used for the estimations of genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) before their use for genomic selection to improve the grain micronutrient contents.
SOST gene suppression stimulates osteocyte Wnt/β-catenin signaling to prevent bone resorption and attenuates particle-induced osteolysis
Authors: Jiao Zixue , Chai Hao , Wang Shendong , Sun Chunguang , Huang Qun , Xu Wei
Published: May 2023

The most common cause for prosthetic revision surgery is wear particle-induced periprosthetic osteolysis, which leads to aseptic loosening of the prosthesis. Both SOST gene and its synthetic protein, sclerostin, are hallmarks of osteocytes. According to our previous findings, blocking SOST induces bone formation and protects against bone loss and deformation caused by titanium (Ti) particles by activating the Wnt/β-catenin cascade. Although SOST has been shown to influence osteoblasts, its ability to control wear-particle-induced osteolysis via targeting osteoclasts remains unclear. Mice were subjected to development of a cranial osteolysis model. Micro CT, HE staining, and TRAP staining were performed to evaluate bone loss in the mouse model. Bone marrow-derived monocyte-macrophages (BMMs) made from the C57BL/6 mice were exposed to the medium of MLO-Y4 (co-cultured with Ti particles) to transform them into osteoclasts. Bioinformatics methods were used to predict and validate the interaction among SOST, Wnt/β-catenin, RANKL/OPG, TNF-α, and IL-6. Local bone density and bone volume improved after SOST inhibition, both the number of lysis pores and the rate of skull erosion decreased. Histological research showed that β-catenin and OPG expression were markedly increased after SOST inhibition, whereas TRAP and RANKL levels were markedly decreased. In-vitro, Ti particle treatment elevated the expression of sclerostin, suppressed the expression of β-catenin, and increased the RANKL/OPG ratio in the MLO-Y4 cell line. TNF-α and IL-6 also elevated after treatment with Ti particles. The expression levels of NFATc1, CTSK, and TRAP in osteoclasts were significantly increased, and the number of positive cells for TRAP staining was increased. Additionally, the volume of bone resorption increased at the same time. In contrast, when SOST expression was inhibited in the MLO-Y4 cell line, these effects produced by Ti particles were reversed. All the results strongly show that SOST inhibition triggered the osteocyte Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade and prevented wear particle-induced osteoclastogenesis, which might reduce periprosthetic osteolysis.

Key messages

SOST is a molecular regulator in maintaining bone homeostasis.

SOST plays in regulating bone homeostasis through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

SOST gene suppression stimulates osteocyte Wnt/β-catenin signaling to prevent bone resorption and attenuates particle-induced osteolysis.
“Management of myositis associated interstitial lung disease”
Authors: Thong Lorraine , Chawke Liam J. , Murphy Grainne , Henry Michael T.
Published: May 2023

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are rare disorders characterised by the presence of skeletal muscle inflammation, with interstitial lung disease (ILD) being the most frequent pulmonary manifestation. The spectrum of clinical presentations of myositis related ILD (M-ILD) encompasses a chronic process to a rapidly progressive ILD (RP-ILD); which is associated with a high mortality rate. The most effective treatments remain controversial and poses a unique challenge to both rheumatologists and respiratory physicians to manage. Given the rare heterogenous nature of M-ILD, there is a paucity of data to guide treatment. The cornerstone of existing treatments encompasses combinations of immunosuppressive therapies, as well as non-pharmacological therapies. In this review, we aim to summarize the current pharmacological therapies (including its dosing regimens and side effects profiles) and non-pharmacological therapies. Based on the existing literature to date, we propose a treatment algorithm for both chronic M-ILD and RP-ILD.
A note on the sexual reproductive biology of Ricordea yuma (Corallimorpharia)
Authors: Kaposi K. L. , Courtney R. L. , Seymour J. E.
Published: May 2023

Ricordea yuma(Ricordeidae WATZL, 1922) is a tropical corallimorpharian found throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Individuals of this species are often found in bright colours making them popularly sought-after within the marine ornamental trade. Despite their popularity in marine aquaria, little is known about the sexual reproductive biology of this species and therefore it's capacity to maintain and renew genetically diverse populations in the wild. This note provides evidence that this species is gonochoric and engages in broadcast spawning during the austral summer. While further research is required to discern the size and/or age of sexual maturity, duration of the gametogenic cycle, and the precise periodicity of spawning, the information provided here is an important first in step elucidating the sexual reproductive biology of this species. Understanding the general biology ofR. yumawill allow for a better understanding of this species’ life history, and enhance the monitoring and management of populations.
Impact of Quantitative Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Measures on Clinical Interpretation and Recommendations by Speech-Language Pathologists
Authors: Kerrison Gwen , Miles Anna , Allen Jacqui , Heron Michael
Published: May 2023

Quantitative measures are available for adult videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) analysis but are yet to be seen routinely in clinical practice. This study explores agreement between traditional observational analysis and quantitative analysis, and the impact of analytical approaches on subsequent diagnosis and recommendations. One hundred adults referred for VFSSs with swallowing concerns were administered a standardised VFSS protocol. All VFSSs were analysed using three approaches: (1) a traditional observational analysis typically used by treating speech-language pathologists (SLPs), (2) quantitative analysis by two independent raters, and (3) binary subjective analysis by 11 independent raters. Three metrics were focussed on; pharyngeal constriction (PC), hyoid displacement (Hmax) and pharyngoesophageal segment opening (PESmax). All raters were blinded to others’ ratings. Treating SLPs using traditional observational analysis were provided with no instructions. Quantitative analysis used published Leonard and Kendall digital displacement measures. Binary subjective analysis involved rating each VFSS as normal versus impaired for the three metrics above. Treating SLPs using traditional observational analysis and quantitative analysis raters independently provided diagnostics and treatment plans. PC, Hmax and PESmax achieved fair agreement (Kappa = 0.33–0.36) between binary subjective analysis compared to substantial agreement (ICC = 0.77–0.94) for quantitative analysis. Reports of impairment were significantly lower in the traditional observational and binary subjective analyses compared with studies rated using the quantitative analysis (p < 0.05). Consequently, this resulted in significantly less rehabilitation recommendations when traditional observational analysis was used in comparison to the quantitative analysis. Quantitative measures to analyse VFSSs can be used in clinical practice producing increased inter-rater agreement and supporting more targeted rehabilitation recommendations than using a traditional observational VFSS analysis alone.
Predictors of the quality of work life and job satisfaction among serving military healthcare personnel in the Nigerian armed forces
Authors: Isah Abdulmuminu , Duru Emeka Elvis , Babatunde Aina Azeez , Abubakar Mustapha Mohammed , Ezinwanne Tochukwu Hillary , Enwereakuh Ugonna Augustine , Ishaku Daniel Ngyams , Okoyeocha Paschal Ifeanyi , Ejike Chukwuemeka Lazarus , Okeke Bethel Ikenna , Yarama Sarah Ndirpaya , Ukoha-kalu Blessing Onyinye
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Quality of work life and perception affects the productivity of healthcare professionals. The study aimed to determine the quality of work life (QWL) and job satisfaction (JS) of military healthcare professionals in Nigeria.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at three military hospitals, one each for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The 35-item QWL and five-item JS Index questionnaires were used to record responses from consenting professionals between January–March 2022. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results

The overall average QWL score for the population was 86.88 ± 23.04, while overall JS had a mean score of 23.2 ± 7.102. Years of experience (β = –0.292, p = 0.018), and previous posting to war areas (β = –0.285, p = 0.022) were significant predictors of QWL, just as years of experience (β=–0281, p = 0.024) and age (β = 0.235, p = 0.097) were for JS.

Conclusion

Healthcare professionals serving in the Nigerian Armed Forces have a fair perception of their QWL and JS.
Cultivating intellectual community in academia: reflections from the Science and Technology Studies Food and Agriculture Network (STSFAN)
Authors: Burch Karly , Gugganig Mascha , Guthman Julie , Reisman Emily , Comi Matt , Brock Samara , Kagliwal Barkha , Freidberg Susanne , Baur Patrick , Heimstädt Cornelius , Sippel Sarah Ruth , Speakman Kelsey , Marquis Sarah , Argüelles Lucía , Biltekoff Charlotte , Broad Garrett , Bronson Kelly , Faxon Hilary , Frohlich Xaq , Ghosh Ritwick , Halfon Saul , Legun Katharine , Martin Sarah J.
Published: May 2023

Scholarship flourishes in inclusive environments where open deliberations and generative feedback expand both individual and collective thinking. Many researchers, however, have limited access to such settings, and most conventional academic conferences fall short of promises to provide them. We have written this Field Report to share our methods for cultivating a vibrant intellectual community within the Science and Technology Studies Food and Agriculture Network (STSFAN). This is paired with insights from 21 network members on aspects that have allowed STSFAN to thrive, even amid a global pandemic. Our hope is that these insights will encourage others to cultivate their own intellectual communities, where they too can receive the support they need to deepen their scholarship and strengthen their intellectual relationships.
A genealogy of sustainable agriculture narratives: implications for the transformative potential of regenerative agriculture
Authors: Bless Anja , Davila Federico , Plant Roel
Published: May 2023

The agri-food system is facing a range of social-ecological threats, many of which are caused and amplified by industrial agriculture. In response, numerous sustainable agriculture narratives have emerged, proposing solutions to the challenges facing the agri-food system. One such narrative that has recently risen to prominence is regenerative agriculture. However, the drivers for the rapid emergence of regenerative agriculture are not well understood. Furthermore, its transformative potential for supporting a more sustainable agri-food system is underexplored. Through a genealogical analysis of four prominent sustainable agriculture narratives; organic agriculture, conservation agriculture, sustainable intensification, and agroecology; we consider how regenerative agriculture’s growing momentum can be contextualised within existing narratives and explore the implications this might have for its transformative potential. This analysis reveals that the genealogies of these sustainable agriculture narratives have led to a number of contestations and complementarities which have coalesced to drive the emergence of regenerative agriculture. We also find that, in contrast to agroecology, regenerative agriculture shares with other Global North narratives a limited scope for offering transformative pathways for agricultural production. This is largely due to their inadequate consideration of power and equity issues in the agri-food system. We argue that regenerative agriculture therefore risks inhibiting deeper agri-food system transformations that address both social and ecological challenges and is not the unifying sustainable agriculture narrative it claims to be. Nonetheless, regenerative agriculture could contribute towards a broader plurality of sustainable agriculture narratives that collectively might enable a transformation to a more sustainable, diverse, and just agri-food system.
As if you were hiring a new employee: on pig veterinarians’ perceptions of professional roles and relationships in the context of smart sensing technologies in pig husbandry in the Netherlands and Germany
Authors: Giersberg Mona F. , Meijboom Franck L. B.
Published: May 2023

Veterinarians are increasingly confronted with new technologies, such as Precision Livestock Farming (PLF), which allows for automated animal monitoring on commercial farms. At the same time, we lack information on how veterinarians, as stakeholders who may play a mediating role in the public debate on livestock farming, perceive the use and the impact of such technologies. This study explores the meaning veterinarians attribute to the application of PLF in the context of public concerns related to pig production. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with pig veterinarians located in the Netherlands and Germany. By using an inductive and semantic approach to reflexive thematic analysis, we developed four main themes from the interview data: (1) the advisory role of the veterinarian, which is characterized by a diverse scope, including advice on PLF, generally positive evaluations and financial dependencies; (2) the delineation of PLF technologies as supporting tools, which are seen as an addition to human animal care; (3) the relationship between veterinarian and farmer, which is context-related, ranging from taking sides with to distancing oneself from farmers; and (4) the distance between agriculture and society, in the context of which PLF has both a mitigating and reinforcing potential. The present findings indicate that veterinarians play an active role in the emerging field of PLF in livestock farming. They are aware of and reflect on competing interests of different groups in society and share positions with different stakeholders. However, the extent to which they are able to mediate between stakeholder groups in practice seems to be constrained by external factors, such as financial dependencies.
A systematic review of the use of topic models for short text social media analysis
Authors: Laureate Caitlin Doogan Poet , Buntine Wray , Linger Henry
Published: May 2023

Recently, research on short text topic models has addressed the challenges of social media datasets. These models are typically evaluated using automated measures. However, recent work suggests that these evaluation measures do not inform whether the topics produced can yield meaningful insights for those examining social media data. Efforts to address this issue, including gauging the alignment between automated and human evaluation tasks, are hampered by a lack of knowledge about how researchers use topic models. Further problems could arise if researchers do not construct topic models optimally or use them in a way that exceeds the models’ limitations. These scenarios threaten the validity of topic model development and the insights produced by researchers employing topic modelling as a methodology. However, there is currently a lack of information about how and why topic models are used in applied research. As such, we performed a systematic literature review of 189 articles where topic modelling was used for social media analysis to understand how and why topic models are used for social media analysis. Our results suggest that the development of topic models is not aligned with the needs of those who use them for social media analysis. We have found that researchers use topic models sub-optimally. There is a lack of methodological support for researchers to build and interpret topics. We offer a set of recommendations for topic model researchers to address these problems and bridge the gap between development and applied research on short text topic models.
Who Is a Mathematics Teacher and What Does a Mathematics Teacher Do?
Authors: Haser Çiğdem , Arslan Okan , Çelikdemir Kübra
Published: May 2023

Preservice middle school mathematics teachers’ (PMTs) beliefs about a mathematics teacher and mathematics teaching were investigated through the metaphors they generated. Third- and fourth-year PMTs (N = 249) at four universities in Türkiye participated in two anonymous metaphor tasks for a mathematics teacher and mathematics teaching. PMTs’ metaphors were first analysed by the framework developed for and used in previous studies exploring teachers’ metaphors (Löfström et al., 2011) with further elaborations. PMTs’ metaphors for a mathematics teacher and mathematics teaching were categorised and compared. Then, deeper analyses of hybrid, self-referential, and contextual metaphors were conducted. Findings revealed that PMTs mostly used didactical expert and self-referential metaphors for the mathematics teacher and hybrid and self-referential metaphors for mathematics teaching. PMTs’ beliefs about mathematics teaching seemed to be more multifaceted than their beliefs about a mathematics teacher. The deeper analyses showed that PMTs associated both the teacher and teaching with positive and/or negative connotations in their self-referential and contextual metaphors. Documenting these beliefs through metaphors allowed us to explore and understand the nature of PMTs’ beliefs and showed that metaphor tasks could be useful for detecting beliefs.
Examining the Spatial Structure of Woody Cover Within a Highway Road Effect Zone for Ocelots in Texas
Authors: Lombardi Jason V. , Yamashita Thomas J. , Blackburn AnnMarie , Young John H. , Tewes Michael E. , Anderson C. Jane
Published: May 2023

Assessment of locations where wildlife species cross highways is a key question in mitigating future wildlife-vehicle mortality. Examination of the spatial structure, complexities, and patterns of vegetation or other land-use types (i.e., cropland, urban areas) near roadways allows scientists to identify any thresholds that influence where animals are likely to die or successfully cross the roadway. We used a historic 1982 to 2017 dataset of ocelot (Leopardus pardalis pardalis) mortality locations and approximate road crossing locations of telemetered ocelots in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas to examine the spatial structure of woody vegetation within a hypothesized road effect zone. We determined if there were differences in the spatial structure of woody cover within a 1050 m buffer of each successful crossing and roadkill location using PERMANOVA and principal component analyses. We used a similarity percentages analysis to determine the relative contribution of each aspect of spatial structure on differences in successful crossing and roadkill locations. We found statistically significant differences in spatial attributes of patches at the locations of successful crossing versus roadkill locations of ocelots at the 150 m spatial extent (pseudo-F1,41 = 4.85, P(perm) = 0.008, permutations = 9949). Largest patch index contributed most to the differences between successful crossing and roadkill locations (15.94%), followed by mean patch area (15.44%), percent woody cover (15.18%), aggregation indices (14.53%), Euclidean nearest neighbor (13.47%), edge (13.08%) and patch densities (12.36%). Roadkill locations were clustered in locations with lower-quality woody cover within 300 m of the highway. This suggests areas immediately surrounding roads need to contain woody patches that are larger and closer together to reduce the barrier-effects of roads. Such information is important for informing highway planners about where to encourage crossings or to build wildlife crossing structures to promote movement across the highway.
The effects of imprisonment length on recidivism: a judge stringency instrumental variable approach
Authors: Stam Marco T. C. , Wermink Hilde T. , Blokland Arjan A. J. , Been Jim
Published: May 2023

Objectives

This study investigates the effects of the length of imprisonment on reoffending after release.

Methods

To account for endogeneity from omitted variables that influence both sentencing decisions and the likelihood to reoffend, this study uses variation in the proclivity to impose lengthier sentences across judges to which criminal cases are randomly assigned within district courts in the Netherlands. Using administrative data on all adult offenders convicted to short-term imprisonment (≤ 1 year) by a single-sitting judge in the Netherlands in 2012, we estimate multiple instrumental variable models.

Results

The results indicate that an increase in imprisonment length significantly reduces the amount of offenses committed after release, whereas we only find small and statistically non-significant estimates for the probability to recidivate.

Conclusions

We find evidence for a specific preventative effect of longer prison terms on the post-release reoffending frequency, but little evidence for desistance.