bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Reveal Effects and Mechanisms of Icariin Combined with Nobiletin against Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases
Authors: Lu Ruilong , Xu Kexin , Qin Yanqin , Shao Xuejie , Yan Miaomiao , Liao Yixi , Wang Bo , Zhao Jie , Li Jiansheng , Tian Yange
Published: November 2022

Background. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term respiratory disorder marked by restricted airflow and persistent respiratory symptoms. According to previous studies, icariin combined with nobiletin (I&N) significantly ameliorates COPD, but the therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. Purpose. The aim of the study is to investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of I&N against COPD using network pharmacology and experimental validation. Methods. The targets of I&N and related genes of COPD were screened and their intersection was selected. Next, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Further, a COPD rat model was established to validate the effect and mechanisms of I&N. Results. 445 potential targets I&N were obtained from SwissTargetPrediction, STITCH 5.0, and PharmMapper databases. 1831 related genes of COPD were obtained from GeneCards, DrugBank, and DisGeNet databases. 189 related genes were screened via matching COPD targets with I&N. 16 highest score targets among 189 targets were obtained according to PPI networks. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of 16 highest score targets suggested that these key genes of I&N were mostly enriched in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, and phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT) pathway. Therefore, the treatments of I&N for COPD were connected with inflammation-related pathways. In in vivo experiments, the studies indicated that I&N improved the lung function and alleviated the damage of pulmonary histopathology. Moreover, I&N reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in lung tissues of COPD rats and inhibited the activation of the MAPK pathway and PI3K-Akt pathway. Conclusions. Icariin combined with nobiletin has therapeutic effects on COPD by inhibiting inflammation. The potential mechanisms of I&N may relate to the MAPK pathway and PI3K-Akt pathway.
Systemic Mastocytosis in a Patient with BCR-ABL1-Positive Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in the Remission Phase
Authors: Fokoloros Christos , Foukas Periklis , Georgakopoulos Nikolaos , Tsakiraki Zoi , Bouchla Anthi , Pappa Vasilliki , Katoulis Alexandros , Makris Michael , Papageorgiou Sotirios
Published: November 2022

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) comprises a group of rare disorders resulting from tissue infiltration by pathological mast cells. In a percentage ranging from 5 to 40% in various patient series, SM appears to be associated with an accompanying hematologic neoplasm (SM-AHN). The coexistence of SM with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is extremely rare with only 3 cases in the literature. The natural course of CML has changed dramatically over the past 2 decades with the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). We report a case of diagnosing SM in a patient in complete molecular remission of CML after stopping TKI treatment.
A Hybrid Improved Neural Networks Algorithm Based on L2 and Dropout Regularization
Authors: Xie Xiaoyun , Xie Ming , Moshayedi Ata Jahangir , Noori Skandari Mohammad Hadi
Published: November 2022

Small samples are prone to overfitting in the neural network training process. This paper proposes an optimization approach based on L2 and dropout regularization called a hybrid improved neural network algorithm to overcome this issue. The proposed model was evaluated based on the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology (MNIST, grayscale-28 × 28 × 1) and Canadian Institute for Advanced Research 10 (CIFAR10, RGB - 32 × 32 × 3) as the training data sets and data applied to the LeNet-5 and Autoencoder neural network architectures. The evaluation is conducted based on cross-validation; the result of the model prediction is used as the final measure to evaluate the quality of the model. The results show that the proposed hybrid algorithm can perform more effectively, avoid overfitting, improve the accuracy of network model prediction in classification tasks, and reduce the reconstruction error in the unsupervised domain. In addition, employing the proposed algorithm without increasing the time complexity can reduce the effect of noisy data and bias and improve the training time of neural network models. Quantitative and qualitative experimental results show that the accuracy of using the proposed algorithm in this paper with the MNIST test set has an improvement of 2.3% and 0.9% compared to L2 regularization and dropout regularization, respectively, and based on the CIFAR10 data set, the accuracy improvement of 0.92% compared with L2 regularization and 1.31% concerning dropout regularization. The reconstruction error of using the proposed algorithm in this paper with the MNIST data set has an improvement of 0.00174 and 0.00398 compared to L2 regularization and dropout regularization, respectively, and based on the CIFAR10 data set, the accuracy improvement of 0.00078 compared with L2 regularization and 0.00174 concerning dropout regularization.
Systematic Pan-Cancer Analysis and Experimental Verification Identify FOXA1 as an Immunological and Prognostic Biomarker in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Wang Kai , Guan Chenan , Yu Junhui , Chen Xing , Shang Xianwen , Mei Shuangshuang , Feng Xingjun , Zheng Lingzhi
Published: November 2022

Background. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has the lowest survival rate among female reproductive cancers present with symptoms of aggressive malignancies, poor prognosis, drug resistance and postoperative recurrence. The majority of patients with EOC are diagnosed at an advanced stage due to the therapeutic challenges including lack of early diagnosis and effective therapeutic targets for EOC. Methods. Pan-cancer analyses were performed to explore the features of forkhead-box (FOX) A1 (FOXA1) using data from TCGA and GTEx databases. R package “clusterprofiler” was used to perform the enrichment analysis of FOXA1 in EOC. Data downloaded from Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) database were used to evaluate the association between FOXA1 and antitumor drug sensitivity. In experimental verification, FOXA1 expression was detected using qRT-PCR and western blot assays. Western blot, immunofluorescence staining, and Transwell assays were used to assess the influence of FOXA1 silencing on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of EOC cells. Results. We found that FOXA1 was highly expressed in EOC and predicted poorer survival of EOC patients. We observed that FOXA1 expression was positively correlated EMT-related pathways. Through experimental verification, we found the underlying function of FOXA1 to promote EMT in ovarian cancers. The results from western blot, immunofluorescence staining, and Transwell assays showed that FOXA1 silencing impeded the progression of EMT and invasiveness of the cancer cells. Furthermore, CCK-8 and invasion assays suggested that siRNA-FOXA1 attenuated the ability of cancer cells to metastasize and proliferate. Dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed the binding activity of FOXA1 to the promoter of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). In addition, we found that FOXA1 was closely correlated immunosuppressive microenvironment of EOC. High FOXA1 expression may contribute to the resistance of many anticancer drugs. Conclusions. Our results predict and validate the function of FOXA1 in promoting EMT and the progression of disease in EOC. Targeting FOXA1 may improve the sensitivity of EOC treatment.
Multiobjective Optimization System of Extrusion Process Parameters for Targeted Microtubes Based on RSM and NSGA-II
Authors: Zhang Qingqing , Jin Guobao , Dai Guanghui
Published: November 2022

An optimization system of extrusion process parameters was designed to rapidly extrude a microtube with a target diameter and wall thickness for forming medical balloons with personalized size characteristics. Firstly, the double convected pom-pom (DCPP) model was selected for the numerical simulation of the tube extrusion process, and different parameter combinations and their corresponding simulation results were extracted based on orthogonal experiments. Secondly, the nonlinear functional relationships between microtube diameter and wall thickness with extrusion parameters were established based on the response surface model (RSM). Finally, the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) and response surface model (RSM) were mixed to find the optimal parameters of the tube extrusion. The extrusion experiment results, taking three microtubes with different target size characteristics (1, 0.15), (1, 0.2), and (1.5, 0.2) as examples, show that the average error between the actual and predicted values of diameter and wall thickness of three microtubes is 6.53%, where the average diameter error is 7.3%, the wall thickness error is 5.77%, the maximum value is 9%, and the minimum value is only 1.3%.
A assistência ao negro na instituição asilar do Juquery de 1898 a 1930
Authors: Avezani Amanda Carolina Franciscatto , Marcolan João Fernando
Published: November 2022

OBJETIVO Desvelar a assistência prestada aos indivíduos negros internados no período de 1898 a 1930 no Hospício do Juquery, considerados o contexto social e a hegemonia do saber médico da época. MÉTODOS Estudo exploratório-descritivo, qualitativo, análise documental, em prontuários de indivíduos negros(as) internados(as) desde a abertura do Hospício do Juquery em 1898 até 1930. Recorte temporal abarcou direções institucionais específicas e contexto histórico, político, econômico e social vivenciado pela população negra. Realizado no Arquivo do Patrimônio Histórico-cultural do Complexo Hospitalar do Juquery, entre julho e dezembro de 2019. Utilizado instrumento com questões referentes a dados sociodemográficos, data e anamnese de entrada, exame físico e psíquico, hipótese diagnóstica, tratamentos realizados, intercorrências, desfecho e motivo. Análise realizada segundo etapas da análise documental e pautada nos referenciais teóricos psiquiátricos do período. RESULTADOS Foram vistos todos os prontuários do período, cerca de 6.300, dos quais aproximadamente 1.400 eram de negros(as). Desses prontuários, foram incluídos 457, 140 de mulheres e 317 de homens, considerados com informações significativas para objetivos do estudo. Maioria dos participantes teve internações de longa permanência, cuja finalidade não pareceu estar atrelada à possibilidade de cura ou reinserção social, mas à segregação. A partir dos diagnósticos descritos, a impressão é que esses sujeitos compunham nicho com condições imutáveis, permanentes, não passíveis de terapêuticas que possibilitassem retorno à sociedade, exemplificada pela degeneração. Quantidade significativa dos prontuários não traz dados sobre tratamentos, o que reforça a hipótese de que eram mantidos internados não para proposta de cuidado, mas como um depósito da incurabilidade; quando trazem dados observamos empirismo voluntarioso do médico. Metade dos prontuários descreve os desfechos das pessoas internadas e apontam registros muito altos de mortes, seguidos de encaminhamentos para outras instituições de internação a prolongar a vida de confinamento. CONCLUSÕES Internados sofreram com isolamento e assistência focados na política de Estado aliada à ciência, sobretudo psiquiátrica, para legitimar exclusão dos socialmente indesejáveis.
Impact of children with complex chronic conditions on costs in a tertiary referral hospital
Authors: Mattiello Regina Maria Antunes , Pazin-Filho Antonio , Aragon Davi Casale , Cupo Palmira , Carlotti Ana Paula de Carvalho Panzeri
Published: November 2022

OBJECTIVES To investigate the impact of complex chronic conditions on the use of healthcare resources and hospitalization costs in a pediatric ward of a public tertiary referral university hospital in Brazil. METHODS This is a longitudinal study with retrospective data collection. Overall, three one-year periods, separated by five-year intervals (2006, 2011, and 2016), were evaluated. Hospital costs were calculated in three systematic samples of 100 patients each, consisting of patients with and without complex chronic conditions in proportion to their participation in the studied year. RESULTS Over the studied period, the hospital received 2,372 admissions from 2,172 patients. The proportion of hospitalized patients with complex chronic conditions increased from 13.3% in 2006 to 16.9% in 2016 as a result of a greater proportion of neurologically impaired children, which rose from 6.6% to 11.6% of the total number of patients in the same period. Patients’ complexity also progressively increased, which greatly impacted the use of healthcare resources and costs, increasing by 11.6% from 2006 (R$1,300,879.20) to 2011 (R$1,452,359.71) and 9.4% from 2011 to 2016 (R$1,589,457.95). CONCLUSIONS Hospitalizations of pediatric patients with complex chronic conditions increased from 2006 to 2016 in a Brazilian tertiary referral university hospital, associated with an important impact on hospital costs. Policies to reduce these costs in Brazil are greatly needed.
Genetic Testing for Hypertriglyceridemia in Academic Lipid Clinics: Implications for Precision Medicine—Brief Report
Authors: Deshotels Matthew R. , Hadley Trevor D. , Roth Mendel , Agha Ali M. , Pulipati Vishnu Priya , Nugent Anne K. , Virani Salim S. , Nambi Vijay , Moriarty Patrick M. , Davidson Michael H. , Ballantyne Christie M.
Published: November 2022

Background:

Severe hypertriglyceridemia is often caused by variants in genes of triglyceride metabolism. These variants include rare, heterozygous pathogenic variants (PVs), or multiple common, small-effect single nucleotide polymorphisms that can be quantified using a polygenic risk score (PRS). The role of genetic testing to examine PVs and PRS in predicting risk for pancreatitis and severity of hypertriglyceridemia is unknown.

Methods:

We examined the relationship of PVs and PRSs associated with hypertriglyceridemia with the highest recorded plasma triglyceride level and risk for acute pancreatitis in 363 patients from 3 academic lipid clinics who underwent genetic testing (GBinsight’s Dyslipidemia Comprehensive Panel). Categories of hypertriglyceridemia included: normal triglyceride (<200 mg/dL), moderate (200–499 mg/dL), severe (500–999 mg/dL), or very severe (≥1000 mg/dL).

Results:

PVs and high PRSs were identified in 37 (10%) and 59 (16%) individuals, respectively. Patients with both had increased risk for very severe hypertriglyceridemia compared with those with neither genetic risk factor. Risk for acute pancreatitis was also increased in individuals with both genetic risk factors (odds ratio, 5.1 [
P
=0.02] after controlling for age, race, sex, body mass index, and highest triglyceride level), but not in individuals with PV or high PRS alone.

Conclusions:

The presence of both PV and high PRS significantly increased risk for very severe hypertriglyceridemia and acute pancreatitis, whereas PV or PRS alone only modestly increased risk. Genetic testing may help identify patients with hypertriglyceridemia who have the greatest risk for developing pancreatitis and may derive the greatest benefit from novel triglyceride-lowering therapies.
Level of Vascular Inflammation Is Higher in Acute Coronary Syndromes Compared with Chronic Coronary Disease
Authors: Araki Makoto , Sugiyama Tomoyo , Nakajima Akihiro , Yonetsu Taishi , Seegers Lena Marie , Dey Damini , Lee Hang , McNulty Iris , Yasui Yumi , Teng Yun , Nagamine Tatsuhiro , Kakuta Tsunekazu , Jang Ik-Kyung
Published: November 2022

Background:

Vascular inflammation has been recognized as one of the key factors in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation by computed tomography angiography has emerged as a marker specific for coronary artery inflammation. We examined the relationship between clinical presentation and coronary artery inflammation assessed by PCAT attenuation and coronary plaque characteristics.

Methods:

Patients with ACS or stable angina pectoris (SAP) who underwent preintervention coronary computed tomography angiography and optical coherence tomography were enrolled. PCAT attenuation was measured around the culprit lesion and in the proximal 40 mm of all coronary arteries. PCAT attenuation and optical coherence tomography findings were compared between patients with ACS versus SAP.

Results:

Among 471 patients (ACS: 198, SAP: 273), PCAT attenuation was higher in ACS patients than in SAP patients both at the culprit plaque level (−67.5±9.6 Hounsfield unit [HU] versus −71.5±11.0 HU,
P<
0.001) and at the culprit vessel level (−68.3±7.7 HU versus −71.1±7.9 HU,
P<
0.001). The mean PCAT attenuation of all 3 coronary arteries was also significantly higher in ACS patients than in SAP patients (−68.8±6.3 HU versus −70.5±7.1 HU,
P
=0.007). After adjusting patient characteristics, not only thin-cap fibroatheroma (OR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.89–6.17) and macrophages (OR: 3.32; 95% CI: 1.76–6.26) but also PCAT attenuation around the culprit plaque (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00–1.05) was associated with the clinical presentation of ACS.

Conclusions:

PCAT attenuation at culprit plaque, culprit vessel, and pan-coronary levels was higher in ACS patients than in SAP patients. Vascular inflammation appears to play a crucial role in the development of ACS.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT04523194
Relationship of Endothelial Microparticles to Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Jang Subin , Palzer Elise F. , Rudser Kyle D. , Fox Claudia K. , Hebbel Robert P. , Dengel Donald R. , Milbauer Liming , Kelly Aaron S. , Ryder Justin R.
Published: November 2022

Background

Microparticles and endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are implicated in accelerating cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, data in pediatrics are limited. We examined the relationship of microparticles and EMPs with adiposity and subclinical CVD risk measures in a pediatric population to determine their potential as biomarkers of CVD risk.

Methods and Results

A cross‐sectional study of youth (n=280; ages 8–20 years) with a range of body mass index categories was used. Microparticles, EMPs, and activated EMPs were measured by flow cytometry. %Body fat and %visceral adipose tissue were measured by dual X‐ray absorptiometry. Measures of arterial stiffness and vascular wall structure were obtained. Linear regression (with log‐transformed outcomes) and logistic regression were used to evaluate associations and all results were exponentiated. Youth with overweight/obesity and severe obesity had 2.50 (95% CI, 1.56–4.01) and 3.42 (95% CI, 2.15–5.43) times the geometric means of the total number of microparticles, respectively, compared with those with normal weight. Youth with overweight/obesity and severe obesity had 1.97 (95% CI, 1.09–3.55) and 2.34 (95% CI, 1.31–4.19) times the geometric means of the total number of EMPs, respectively, compared with those with normal weight. There were positive associations between the levels of both microparticles and EMPs with higher adiposity measures and poor CVD risk measures. Youth with higher adiposity showed 1.84 times the odds of having high levels of activated EMPs (%) (odds ratio, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.08–3.14) compared with those with normal weight.

Conclusions

Levels of microparticles, EMPs, and activated EMPs were positively associated with adiposity and poor subclinical CVD risk in a pediatric population.
Role of Changing Procedural Characteristics Versus Changing Risk Profile in Age‐Based Trends of Outcomes in Patients With Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement From 2012 to 2018: A Nationwide Analysis
Authors: Ashraf Muddasir , Carnahan Ryan M.
Published: November 2022

Background

The trends in outcomes in patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement are well described in the literature. Some of these trends are driven by the decreasing risk profile of patients because of changing indications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. We aimed to evaluate these trends in different age groups and quantify how much of these trends are driven by changes in procedural characteristics.

Methods and Results

Using the National Inpatient Sample from 2012 to 2018, we identified 204 230 adult patients who underwent transfemoral aortic valve replacement. The study's primary objective was to evaluate the changes in age‐based trends in in‐hospital mortality driven by changes in procedural characteristics over time. The secondary objectives were to evaluate similar trends in cardiac and noncardiac complications and resource use. Univariate and multivariate linear and logistic regression were used to obtain effect sizes. From 2012 to 2018, in‐hospital mortality decreased from 1.8% to 0.79% in the age group 18 to 64 years, from 3.8% to 1.6% in the age group 65 to 80 years, and from 5.3% to 1.5% in the age group >80 years (
P
trend<0.01 for all age groups); these trends remained statistically significant on adjusted analysis except in patients aged 18 to 64 years. The other outcomes also showed variable trends over time. Length of stay, cost, and early discharge rates improved even after adjusting for comorbidities, which is likely attributable to improvement in procedural characteristics.

Conclusions

The changes in outcomes related to transcatheter aortic valve replacement are partly driven by changing patient risk profiles over time, but procedural characteristics have likely contributed to these trends in all age groups.
A Closer Look at the Sixteenth-century Ambraser Heldenbuch
Authors: Classen Albrecht
Published: November 2022

This study concerns a late medieval manuscript, the Ambraser Heldenbuch, created by Hans Ried for Emperor Maximilian I between 1504 and 1516. The recent facsimile edition makes it much easier to probe the critical question why this volume was not printed and what makes it stand out so much in the context of the early modern book market. The inclusion of the anonymous verse narrative Mauritius von Craûn (ca. 1220–1240) allows for more trenchant analyses concerning the patron and his interest in these literary works. The study takes into view the emperor’s strong concern with his afterlife, the paradoxical aspects determining that novella, and the contrast of this text copied here, very oddly, for the first time with the more popular literary works offered on the early modern book market. At a time when the printing press was increasingly conquering the book business, luxury bibliophile items continued to be produced as manuscripts. It might well be that the current book market finds a parallel in this phenomenon, with the electronic book pushing traditionally printed books aside. In fact, until today, we still resort to the manuscript in special cases, such as deeds, wills, licenses, and other documents.
“Truly a Distant and Dark Land”: the Rinan-Linyi Borderland in the Shuijing zhu
Authors: Felt D. Jonathan
Published: November 2022

This paper is about the depictions of the southern borderland of the Sinitic ecumene in the Shuijing zhu (written by Li Daoyuan in c. 515–524 ce) and the geographical concepts that frame this account. This borderland, in what is now central Vietnam, had been part of the classical Han empire (202 bce–220 ce) but began at the end of the second century to separate and form an independent state called Linyi (Lâm Ấp). In contrast to the stark boundaries depicted in Han imperial geographies, the Shuijing zhu describes the complexities of gradated frontiers and fluid borderlands. It explores the concept of environmental determinism in this exotic southern climate, and it reveals the challenges inherent in trying to expand geographical knowledge into new frontiers.
Notes on recollection of Primula sherriffiae W.W.Sm. after a gap of 74 years from India with comments on the typification of the name
Authors: Mao A.A. , KRISHNA GOPAL , JALAL JEEWAN SINGH
Published: November 2022

Primula sherriffiae W.W.Sm. has been collected after a gap of 74 years from Indo-Myanmar border, near Poi village, Manipur. It was last collected from India for the same state of Manipur in 1948. The species is very unique in having longest corolla tube (c. 10 cm long) so far, in all known Primula spp. Comments have been made on the typification of the name and possible threats and its conservation status are also discussed.
Szczepkamyces quercicola sp. nov. (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) evidenced by morphological characters and molecular phylogeny
Authors: ZHOU MENG , DAI YU-CHENG , YUAN YUAN
Published: November 2022

Szczepkamyces, typified by Szczepkamyces campestris, was a monotypic genus. Based on distinct morphological characters and phylogeny inferred from the combined 2-locus dataset [ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) + nuclear large subunit RNA (nLSU)], another species of the genus, Szczepkamyces quercicola sp. nov., is confirmed. It is characterized by annual, resupinate, yellowish basidiocarps with big pores, a dimitic hyphal structure, generative hyphae with clamp connections, indextrinoid skeletal hyphae, the absence of hyphal pegs, the presence of dendrohyphidia, cylindrical basidiospores measuring 15–17.5 × 5–6 µm, and growth on Quercus in boreal forests in east Himalayas. Morphologically S. quercicola resembles Megasporoporia sensu lato, but phylogenetically it is closely related to S. campestris. The differences between S. quercicola and its similar or related species are discussed.
Damselflies of the genus Argia Rambur, 1842 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) from Mexico, Central America and the Lesser Antilles with descriptions of five new species
Authors: GARRISON ROSSER W. , ELLENRIEDER NATALIA VON
Published: November 2022

A total of 73 species of Argia Rambur, 1842 are reported as present from Mexico, Central America and the Lesser Antilles, of which five are new to science and are described here: Argia annae n. sp. (holotype ♂: MEXICO, Veracruz, Puente Texolo, roadside seepages near bridge, 19.4028°N, 96.9867°W, 1065 m, 17 June 2009, Rosser W. Garrison & Natalia von Ellenrieder leg., in CSCA), Argia gonzalezi n. sp. (holotype ♂: MEXICO, Chiapas, 3.5 mi east of Rayón, stream, approximately 17.2058°N, 92.9700°W, 1676 m, 16 July 1965, Dennis R. Paulson leg., in CNIN), A. noveloi n. sp. (holotype ♂: MEXICO, Veracruz, Puente Texolo, 19.4028°N, 96.9867°W, 1065 m, 26 August 1988, Rosser W. Garrison leg., in INECOL), A. paludicola n. sp. (holotype ♂: U. S. A., Arizona, Apache County, Bog Tank, north of Highway 260, 34.0467°N, 109.683°W, 1400 m, 1 July 2016, Pierre Deviche leg., in CSCA) and A. paulsoni n. sp. (holotype ♂: COSTA RICA, San José, 7.5 km northeast of Londres, on road to Rancho Tinamú Lodge, 9.4856°N, 83.9911°W, 700 m, 5 July 2019, William A. Haber leg., in UNH). Redescriptions of male and female are provided for the following species: Argia calida (Hagen, 1861), A. chelata Calvert, 1902, A. deami Calvert, 1902, A. fulgida Navás, 1934, A. herberti Calvert, 1902, A. johannella Calvert, 1907, A. mayi González-Soriano, 2012, A. percellulata Calvert, 1902, A. pocomana Calvert, 1907, A. rogersi Calvert, 1902, A. talamanca Calvert, 1907, A. terira Calvert, 1907, A. underwoodi Calvert, 1907, and A. variabilis Selys, 1865. All 73 species are measured, illustrated, and distinguished from their congeners. The following synonymies are suggested based on examination of type material: A. wilsoni Calvert, 1902, a junior synonym of A. calida (Hagen, 1861), A. plana Calvert, 1902, a junior synonym of A. funebris (Hagen, 1861), and A. trifoliata Fraser, 1942 (Fig. 736), a junior synonym of A. variegata Förster, 1914. Lectotypes are designated for Agrion calidum Hagen, 1861, Agrion funebris Hagen, 1861, and Argia variabilis Selys, 1865. Keys to the 73 known Argia species from Mexico, Middle America and the Lesser Antilles are provided as well as distribution maps based on an examination of over 16,000 specimens.
Using the Masora for Interpreting the Vocalisation and Accentuation of the Biblical Text
Authors: Martín-Contreras Elvira
Published: November 2022

The marginal annotations that appear with the biblical text in most medieval biblical manuscripts—called by the technical term Masora—are hardly taken into account when interpreting the biblical text. Their idiosyncratic characteristics (they are formulated briefly, concisely, and, on many occasions, elliptically) make it nearly impossible to appreciate the content of the annotation and its possible interpretive relevance on a first reading. All these difficulties can be resolved, however, by establishing implicit information and formulating a clear methodology as to how to analyse the Masoretic annotations. This allows us to study

them and apply them to the interpretation of the biblical text. This article shows the benefits of using the Masora for the interpretation of the biblical text through some selected examples, all

of them related to vocalisation and stress. The content of these Masora annotations is explained and applied to textual interpretation.
Spectral Reflectance Reconstruction from Red-Green-Blue (RGB) Images for Chlorophyll Content Detection
Authors: Gong Lianxiang , Zhu Chenxi , Luo Yifeng , Fu Xiaping
Published: November 2022

Chlorophyll is one of the most important pigments in plants, and the measurement of chlorophyll levels enables real-time monitoring of plant growth, which is of great importance to the vegetation monitoring. Compared with the high cost and time-consuming operation of hyperspectral imaging technique, the spectral reflectance reconstruction technique based on RGB images has the advantages of being inexpensive and fast. In this study, using the example of ginkgo leaves, the spectra were reconstructed from red-green-blue (RGB) images taken by smartphones based on a back propagation (BP) neural network and pseudo-inverse method. Based on a BP neural network, the maximum absolute error between the reconstructed spectra and the reference spectra acquired by the hyperspectral camera was less than 0.038. A partial least squares regression (PLSR) prediction model for chlorophyll content estimation was established using the reconstructed spectra. The R2 and root mean square error (RMSE) of the validation set were 0.8237 and 1.1895%, respectively, there was a high correlation between predicted and measured values. Compared with the pseudo-inverse method, the maximum absolute error of the reconstructed spectra was reduced by 10.9%, the R2 in the chlorophyll prediction results was improved by 12.7%, and the RMSE was reduced by 19.3%. This research showed that reconstructing spectral reflectance based on RGB images can realize real-time measurement of chlorophyll content. It provided a reliable tool for fast and low-cost monitoring of plant physiology and growth conditions.
Portholes of Ethnography: The Methodological Learning from ‘Being There’ at a Distance
Authors: Walsh Julie , Khan Asma , Ferazzoli Maria Teresa
Published: November 2022

Ethnography is, in essence, an approach to social research reliant on ‘being there’ and ethnographic approaches to the social world have been widely taken up in sociological research. In this research note, we share our UK-based experiences of ethnographic fieldwork with professional practitioners during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when ‘staying at home’ was the antithesis of ‘being there’. In doing so, we highlight opportunities the pandemic presented to re-evaluate familiar qualitative methods, to develop new, remote ethnographic research strategies and to examine the limitations of conducting ethnography from a distance. We consider how far we stretch ‘ethnography’ in a socially distanced context, using what we call ‘portholes of ethnography’, and we outline how our learning informs the ways in which we can adapt research approaches – driven by relationality – in times of crises.
The Iron Triangle of Affordable Homeownership: Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Strategies for Balancing Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Equity
Authors: Berrett Jessica , Williams Teshanee , Minkowitz Honey , Lahoud Alexandra
Published: November 2022

While the public values of efficiency, effectiveness, and equity have been extensively studied in the public sector, very little research exists in the nonprofit context. In particular, we lack an understanding of what public values nonprofit leaders prioritize, why they prioritize certain public values over others, and how they balance or make tradeoffs between public values. Thirty-six Habitat for Humanity affiliate leaders from the United States were interviewed for this research. Interestingly, while the nonprofit leaders in the sample represent the same mission, they all prioritize different public values—though a plurality focuses on equity. We also found that the three primary challenges they perceive in achieving these public values relate to access, quality, and capacity. While Habitat leaders already apply strategies to deal with these challenges, we offer some additional suggestions for Habitat affiliates and similar affordable homeownership nonprofits to consider.
Outcome of transurethral resection of bladder tumour under spinal anaesthesia combined with obturator nerve block in Sri Lanka
Authors: Ambegoda Madura , Shiyanth Selvantharajah , Vidanapathirana Sanjeewa , Kumara Sagara , Gunaratne Asoka , Abeygunasekera Anuruddha
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

Transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) is done under general anaesthesia (GA) with muscle relaxation to prevent obturator jerk and bladder perforation. TURBT under spinal anaesthesia (SA) with obturator nerve block (ONB) may prevent the obturator jerk while eliminating the disadvantages of GA.

Objectives:

To assess the outcome of TURBT under SA and ONB.

Methods:

Patients undergoing TURBT for lateral wall tumours from 01.11.2017 to 30.10.2020 were prospectively studied. Anterior branch of obturator nerve with plain Bupivacaine was blocked with the guidance of an ultrasound scan and a nerve stimulator. Significant obturator jerk which necessitated conversion to GA was defined as failed ONB.

Results:

Out of 72 patients with mean age of 66.7 years underwent ONB, 61 (84.7%) were men. Fifty two (72.2%) had unilateral and 20 (27.8%) had bilateral blocks. Sixty one (84.7%) patients had no obturator jerk whereas 5 (7%) had a mild jerk which did not preclude safe resection. Six patients (8.3%) had a failed ONB requiring conversion to GA. None had a bladder perforation requiring laparotomy, developed neurovascular injury or anaesthetic toxicity and only one patient required intensive care monitoring.

Conclusion:

SA with anterior branch of ONB is an effective and safe alternative to GA with muscle relaxation for TURBT although a randomized trial is necessary to determine the true efficacy and safety over the other.
Impaired Visual Inhibition in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Strigaro Gionata , Gori Benedetta , Zoccola Clara , Vinassa Alessandro , Cattaneo Federica , Avino Gianluca , Barbero Paolo , Varrasi Claudia , Cantello Roberto
Published: November 2022

Objective.The pathophysiology of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer disease (AD) is still a matter of debate. Visual system might be precociously altered, especially for its cholinergic connections. We thus studied patients with aMCI compared to AD with paired-pulse flash-visual evoked potentials (paired-F-VEPs), a putative marker of cholinergic function. Methods. We enrolled 12 adult patients with aMCI and 12 with AD. 14 normal age- and sex-matched subjects acted as controls (HS). Stimuli were single flashes, with interspersed random flash pairs at critical interstimulus intervals (ISIs, 16.5 to 125 ms) with closed eyes. The “single” (unconditioned) F-VEP was split into a “main complex” (50 to 200 ms after the flash) and a “late response” (200 to 400 ms). As for paired stimulation, the “test” F-VEP emerged from electronic subtraction of the “single” F-VEP from the “paired”-F-VEP. Results. In the single F-VEP, P2 latency was prolonged in patients (aMCI and AD) compared to HS ( p < .05). As to the paired F-VEPs, in aMCI the “late response” normal inhibition was abolished at ISIs 50–62.5 ms ( p ≤ .016), compared to AD and controls. No changes were detected for the “main complex”. Conclusions. Paired-F-VEPs demonstrate a defective neural inhibition in the visual system of patients with aMCI at critical intervals. It may represent a compensatory mechanism against neuronal loss, the failure of which may be involved in AD development. Paired-F-VEPs may warrant inclusion in future preclinical/clinical studies, to evaluate its potential role in the pathophysiology and management of aMCI.
Race, citizenship, and belonging in the pursuit of water and climate justice in California
Authors: Méndez-Barrientos Linda E , Fencl Amanda L , Workman Cassandra L , Shah Sameer H
Published: November 2022

Systemic inequalities, which affect how water is distributed and used, underlie water insecurities in higher-income (global North) countries. We explore the interlinkages between municipal decision-making and infrastructure to understand how urban climate justice can be advanced through engaging with state-like forms of governance. Drawing on archival information, spatial analysis, participant observation, and semi-structured interviews in the underbounded Latinx community of East Porterville, California, we analyze how local actors actively work against municipal-scale processes of infrastructure exclusion and production, within and beyond the state, to facilitate water access and particular notions of citizenship. We argue urban climate justice demands both an understanding of infrastructural marginalization, and attention to the diversity of perspectives, approaches, and solutions preferred by communities.
Variety-Specific Transcriptional and Alternative Splicing Regulations Modulate Salt Tolerance in Rice from Early Stage of Stress
Authors: Jian Guihua , Mo Yujian , Hu Yan , Huang Yongxiang , Ren Lei , Zhang Yueqin , Hu Hanqiao , Zhou Shuangxi , Liu Gang , Guo Jianfu , Ling Yu
Published: November 2022

Salt stress poses physiological drought, ionic toxicity and oxidative stress to plants, which causes premature senescence and death of the leaves if the stress sustained. Salt tolerance varied between different rice varieties, but how different rice varieties respond at the early stage of salt stress has been seldom studied comprehensively. By employing third generation sequencing technology, we compared gene expressional changes in leaves of three rice varieties that varied in their level of tolerance after salt stress treatment for 6 h. Commonly up-regulated genes in all rice varieties were related to water shortage response and carbon and amino acids metabolism at the early stage of salt stress, while reactive oxygen species cleavage genes were induced more in salt-tolerant rice. Unexpectedly, genes involved in chloroplast development and photosynthesis were more significantly down-regulated in the two salt tolerant rice varieties ‘C34’ and ‘Nona Bokra’. At the same time, genes coding ribosomal protein were suppressed to a more severe extent in the salt-sensitive rice variety ‘IR29’. Interestingly, not only variety-specific gene transcriptional regulation, but also variety-specific mRNA alternative splicing, on both coding and long-noncoding genes, were found at the early stage of salt stress. In summary, differential regulation in gene expression at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, determine and fine-tune the observed response in level of damage in leaves of specific rice genotypes at early stage of salt stress.
Trade-off between conservation of biological variation and batch effect removal in deep generative modeling for single-cell transcriptomics
Authors: Li Hui , McCarthy Davis J. , Shim Heejung , Wei Susan
Published: November 2022

Background

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology has contributed significantly to diverse research areas in biology, from cancer to development. Since scRNA-seq data is high-dimensional, a common strategy is to learn low-dimensional latent representations better to understand overall structure in the data. In this work, we build upon scVI, a powerful deep generative model which can learn biologically meaningful latent representations, but which has limited explicit control of batch effects. Rather than prioritizing batch effect removal over conservation of biological variation, or vice versa, our goal is to provide a bird’s eye view of the trade-offs between these two conflicting objectives. Specifically, using the well established concept of Pareto front from economics and engineering, we seek to learn the entire trade-off curve between conservation of biological variation and removal of batch effects.

Results

A multi-objective optimisation technique known as Pareto multi-task learning (Pareto MTL) is used to obtain the Pareto front between conservation of biological variation and batch effect removal. Our results indicate Pareto MTL can obtain a better Pareto front than the naive scalarization approach typically encountered in the literature. In addition, we propose to measure batch effect by applying a neural-network based estimator called Mutual Information Neural Estimation (MINE) and show benefits over the more standard maximum mean discrepancy measure.

Conclusion

The Pareto front between conservation of biological variation and batch effect removal is a valuable tool for researchers in computational biology. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of applying Pareto MTL to estimate the Pareto front in conjunction with applying MINE to measure the batch effect.
Evolution of the CBL and CIPK gene families in Medicago: genome-wide characterization, pervasive duplication, and expression pattern under salt and drought stress
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Xia , Ren Xiao-Long , Qi Xiao-Tong , Yang Zhi-Min , Feng Xiao-Lei , Zhang Tian , Wang Hui-Jie , Liang Peng , Jiang Qi-Ying , Yang Wen-Jun , Fu Yuan , Chen Min , Fu Zhi-Xi , Xu Bo
Published: November 2022

Background

Calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) are ubiquitous Ca2+sensors that mediate plant responses to various stress and developmental processes by interacting with CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs). CBLs and CIPKs play essential roles in acclimatization of crop plants. However, evolution of these two gene families in the genusMedicagois poorly understood.

Results

A total of 68CBLand 135CIPKgenes have been identified in five genomes fromMedicago. Among these genomes, the gene number ofCBLs andCIPKs shows no significant difference at the haploid genome level. Phylogenetic and comprehensive characteristic analyses reveal thatCBLs andCIPKs are classified into four clades respectively, which is validated by distribution of conserved motifs. The synteny analysis indicates that the whole genome duplication events (WGDs) have contributed to the expansion of both families. Expression analysis demonstrates that twoMsCBLs and threeMsCIPKs are specifically expressed in roots, mature leaves, developing flowers and nitrogen fixing nodules ofMedicago sativaspp.sativa, the widely grown tetraploid species. In particular, the expression of these five genes was highly up-regulated in roots when exposed to salt and drought stress, indicating crucial roles in stress responses.

Conclusions

Our study leads to a comprehensive understanding of evolution ofCBLandCIPKgene families inMedicago, but also provides a rich resource to further address the functions of CBL-CIPK complexes in cultivated species and their closely related wild relatives.
Optical coherence tomography angiography analysis of microvascular abnormalities and vessel density in treatment-naïve eyes with diabetic macular edema
Authors: Braham Imène Zhioua , Kaouel Hela , Boukari Mejdi , Ammous Imen , Errais Khalil , Boussen Ilhem Mili , Zhioua Raja
Published: November 2022

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the structural retinal vascular integrity using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in treatment-naïve eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) and to compare it with findings in diabetic eyes without DME.

Methods

In this prospective study, 70 eyes with diabetic retinopathy were included (37 eyes with DME and 33 eyes without DME). The medical records, including swept-source optical coherence tomography and 9 × 9 mm swept-source OCTA images were reviewed and compared between DME and non-DME groups. Microaneurysms, intraretinal microvascular abnormalities (IRMA), areas of capillary non perfusion, foveal avascular zone (FAZ), and capillary vascular density (CVD) were analyzed in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and the deep capillary plexus (DCP).

Results

Compared to the non-DME eyes, DME eyes had more microaneurysms in the SCP and the DCP (p = 0,039 and p = 0,024 respectively), more IRMA in the SCP (p = 0,005), larger areas of capillary non perfusion in the SCP and the DCP (p = 0,026 and p = 0,02 respectively) and larger FAZ in both plexuses (p = 0,048 in the SCP and p = 0,012 in the DCP). The CVD in the DCP was lower in DME eyes compared to non-DME eyes (p = 0,007). The severity of DME was significantly correlated to the number of microaneurysms and to the FAZ surface. Central macular thickness was significantly correlated with the number of microaneurysms in the DCP, the surface of capillary non perfusion areas and the FAZ area in both plexuses.

Conclusions

OCTA with a 9 × 9 mm field of view showed that the retinal vascular integrity regarding the number of microaneurysms, the number of IRMA, the surface of capillary non perfusion areas, the FAZ area and the CVD, was significantly more impaired in DME eyes compared to diabetic eyes without DME. The DCP seemed to be more affected in diabetic eyes with and without DME than the SCP.
Novel GRIA2 variant in a patient with atypical autism spectrum disorder and psychiatric symptoms: a case report
Authors: Cai Qianyun , Zhou Zhongjie , Luo Rong , Yu Tao , Li Dengfeng , Yang Fan , Yang Zuozhen
Published: November 2022

Background

As sequencing technology has advanced in recent years, a series of synapse-related gene variants have been reported to be associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor is a subtype of the ionotropic glutamate receptor, whose number or composition changes can regulate the strength and plasticity of synapses.

Case presentation

Here, we report a de novo GRIA2 variant (NM_001083619.3: c.2308G > A, p.Ala770Thr) in a patient with obvious behavior regression and psychiatric symptoms. It encodes GluA2, which is the crucial subunit of the AMPA receptor, and the missense variation is predicted to result in instability of the protein structure.

Conclusions

The association between GRIA2 variants and onset of ASD symptoms is rare, and our study expands the spectrum of phenotypic variations. For patients with an unexplained etiology of ASD accompanied by psychiatric symptoms, genetic causes should be considered, and a complete genetic evaluation should be performed.