bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Available satellite data for monitoring small and seasonally flooded wetlands in semi‐arid environments of southern Africa
Authors: Gxokwe Siyamthanda , Dube Timothy , Mazvimavi Dominic
Published: November 2023

Time‐series monitoring of wetland eco‐hydrological dynamics using remote sensing continues to be an attractive and practical tool, mainly due to its ability to overcome challenges related to in situ data availability. However, acquiring seamless and cloud‐free data for accurate and routine wetlands monitoring remains a persistent challenge. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the availability of satellite scenes in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) catalogue that could facilitate the monitoring of eco‐hydrological dynamics in small and seasonally flooded wetlands within the semi‐arid environments of southern Africa. The study covered a 20‐year period from 2000 to 2020, with a specific focus on the Nylsvley floodplain as a case study. The study conducted a comprehensive assessment of available products on the GEE platform, including Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Operational Land Imager (OLI), Sentinel‐1 and Sentinel‐2. The identified images underwent rigorous filtering and screening based on varying cloud‐cover percentages (0%, 1%–10%, 11%–25% and 26%–50%). The results revealed a considerable number of satellite products (1376) available for the study period. Specifically, there were 492 Landsat images, 394 Sentinel‐1 images and 490 Sentinel‐2 images. Amongst these, Sentinel‐2 and Landsat‐7 had the highest number of images (69% and 76%, respectively) with cloud‐cover percentages ranging from 0% to 20%. However, images with cloud cover exceeding 26% were excluded from the analysis. Further analysis indicated that using satellite images with 0% cloud cover resulted in an overall accuracy (OA) ranging between 69% and 72%, while 1%–10% cloud cover had an OA ranging between 68% and 70%, and 11%–25% cloud cover had an OA ranging between 69% and 80.55% for both the dry and wet seasons. Overall, the classification results demonstrated satisfactory OAs (68%–82%) for all scenes, with some inaccuracies observed for certain classes, notably bare surface and long grass. These inaccuracies were particularly evident when using Landsat‐7 scenes, attributable to the spatial resolution of the data. The findings emphasised the availability of a substantial amount of archival satellite data, capable of monitoring small and seasonally flooded wetlands, providing valuable insights into the eco‐hydrological dynamics of these ecosystems. Moreover, the study highlighted the benefits of cloud‐computing platforms like GEE in addressing challenges associated with big data filtering, processing and analytics, thereby enhancing environmental monitoring and assessments, which may have been limited by the unavailability of advanced processing tools and seamless cloud‐free data.
Food limitation reduces risk avoidance by prey, but does not increase kill rates in a simple predator–prey system
Authors: Molina Francisco J. , Smith Justine A. , Donadio Emiliano , Middleton Arthur D. , Pauli Jonathan N. , Goheen Jacob R.
Published: November 2023

Prey often induce antipredator behaviors when balancing food acquisition against safety. The starvation–predation hypothesis (SPH) posits that, during food shortages, the risk of starvation requires prey to forego antipredator behavior to increase feeding rates. Such shifts in antipredator behavior may further increase the risk of predation and therefore kill rates by predators. We tested the SPH and its consequences for kill rates in a single large prey, single large predator system. In the Argentine Andes, we evaluated whether risk avoidance by vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) decreased during periods of food scarcity. From three years of GPS relocations collected simultaneously from vicuñas and pumas (Puma concolor), resource selection functions revealed that vicuñas increased their exposure to pumas during nongrowing seasons by reducing the avoidance of canyons and increasing selection for meadows, both of which offer more food of higher quality than relatively safe plains. However, and despite vicuñas becoming more risk‐prone during nongrowing seasons, kill rates by pumas did not change between growing and nongrowing seasons. Contrary to evidence from mesocosm experiments, relaxation of antipredator behavior by prey did not translate into increased kill rates by predators. Our results enhance understanding of the interplay between food limitation and predator–prey interactions within ecosystems and may improve ecologists' ability to predict when and where behaviorally mediated trophic cascades are more likely to occur.
Synthesis and Properties of Pyridofluoranthenes
Authors: Spruner von Mertz Franziska , Villinger Alexander , Ehlers Peter , Langer Peter
Published: November 2023

A series of N‐doped Benzo[b]fluoranthenes was synthesized. Specifically varying the position of the Nitrogen atom in all four positions of the bottom ring. In the last reaction step the five‐membered ring of the unsubstituted core structure is formed by palladium catalyzed CH‐activation. This synthetic approach allows for the selective introduction of heteroatoms into the core structure and leads to four regioisomeric products. Subsequently the optical and electrochemical properties of these polyaromatic heterocycles were compared. DFT/TD‐DFT and NICS calculations were performed to further analyze, how the position of Nitrogen impacts the overall characteristics of the molecules. This composes a thorough study on the chemical behavior of N‐doped Benzo[b]fluoranthenes.
The evolving landscape of publishing in the field of pain: An automated bibliometric analysis from 1975 to 2020
Authors: Arendt‐Nielsen L. , Pedersen J. T. , Dreier S. , Nielsen T. A. , Høj A. L. , Thomsen L.
Published: November 2023

Background

The aims of this bibliometric analysis were (1) a longitudinal analysis of the publication landscape in the field of pain (1975–2020) and (2) to characterize the overall publication profiles for two selected journals: European Journal of Pain and PAIN® utilizing an automated approach.

Methods

Database searches in Scopus extracted all journals with ‘pain’ in their title. For the two specific journals, papers were manually/automatically profiled into preclinical, human and translational studies.

Results

A gross list of 64 journals in the field of pain consisting of both active and ceased journals in Scopus were included in this analysis which identified 62,565 papers with approximately 4000 papers published/year. These papers include 2759 and 9156 papers in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN®, respectively. Currently, there are 24 active ‘pain’ journals. Authors/paper increase from 2 to 7 indicating a development from mono‐disciplinary to multi‐disciplinary studies. The overall publication profiles assessing preclinical, human (experimental/clinical) and translational papers in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN® were almost similar (14%, 75% and 10% versus 26%, 63% and 10%). Papers have changed over the years from mono‐disciplinary studies (e.g. behavioural studies) to multi‐disciplinary studies (e.g. combined behavioural and cell studies). After optimization, the search model matched the manual screening by 100%, 98% and 96% for the preclinical, clinical and healthy volunteer categories.

Conclusions

Over the last 45 years, more than 60,000 pain‐related papers have been published. Papers develop over the years from mono‐disciplinary to multi‐disciplinary studies. The overall publication profile including preclinical, human (experimental/clinical) and translational papers was almost similar in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN®.

Significance

The bibliometric analysis of a pain journal provides information on which specific areas of research are published, how this may have changed over the years and how a journal is positioned compared with other journals in the field.
Simultaneous determination of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) by Au nanoparticles (AuNP) anchored in reduced graphene oxide electrode
Authors: Carlos Braga Alves Ismael , Ribamar Nascimento dos Santos José , Pereira Marques Edmar , Carvalho Martiniano de Azevedo Lorena , Azevedo Beluomini Maísa , Ramos Stradiotto Nelson , Lopes Brandes Marques Aldaléa
Published: November 2023

This work reports the development of an electrochemical sensor for the simultaneous determination of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX). The sensor was prepared by coating the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) film, decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNP), by electrodeposition. Surface modification with AuNP/RGO‐GCE favored the electron transfer process and increased the active area, providing greater sensitivity for the sensor. The AuNP/RGO‐GCE sensor was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Quantitative analyses of BTX were carried out using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique, after optimization of the parameters that influence the sensor performance. The sensor showed a linear response in the 30–240 μM concentration range, with a detection limit range of 1.8–2.2 μM, 2.2–2.7 μM, and 2.0–2.6 μM, and quantification limit range of 6.2–7.3 μM, 7.2–8.9 μM, and 6.6–8.8 μM, respectively for B, T and X. In addition to the satisfactory repeatability and stability, in the determination of BTX, the method still showed good selectivity even in the presence of molecules with similar chemical structure, such as: catechol, p‐benzoquinone, resorcinol, ethanol, pyrene and in the presence of K+, Mg2+ and Pb2+ ions. The device was successfully applied for the determination of the analytes (BTX) in water samples from fuel station separator boxes, where recovery rates close to 100 % (97.8 % to 103.1 %) were obtained. The results obtained suggest that the AuNP/RGO‐GCE sensor has strong potential for detecting BTX in wastewater discharge from industrial processes.
Determining lineages between individuals with high‐density mitochondrial and Y‐chromosomal single‐nucleotide polymorphisms
Authors: Chiao Austin , Ge Jianye
Published: November 2023

Genetic genealogy has been more frequently used in forensic investigations in identifying criminals. However, the current genetic genealogy applications usually do not consider lineage markers (including both Y and mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)), which is probably because not all distant relatives share the same lineage markers. In addition, there is no study to show how to use lineage markers and what methods or thresholds should be applied in genetic genealogy. In this study, we developed a method to quickly determine if two single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profiles are from the same paternal or material lineages by using a mismatch frequency of the SNPs in Y‐chromosomal or mitochondrial DNA. For both Y and mitochondrial SNPs, profile pairs from the same or different lineages can be decided with high accuracies (i.e., 0.380% or 0.157% error rates with Y and mitochondrial DNA, respectively). With kinship coefficient filtering based on autosomal SNPs, the accuracies of determining maternal and paternal lineage can be further improved (i.e., 0.120% or 0.057% error rates with Y and mitochondrial DNA, respectively, using a threshold of kinship coefficient >0). This study shows that lineage markers can be very powerful tools with high accuracies to determine lineages, which could help solve cases and reduce costs for genetic genealogy investigations.
HCN1 pathogenic variants associated with childhood epilepsy in a cohort of Chinese patients
Authors: Yang Zhuanyi , Kuang Zhuo , Liao Hongmei , Gan Siyi , Peng Xiaomei , Yang Haiyan , Wu Liwen
Published: November 2023

Objective

HCN ion channel family has a widespread expression in neurons, and recently, increasing studies have demonstrated their roles in epilepsies.

Methods

Clinical data of the patients were gathered in a retrospective study. Exon sequencing was used for the patients with unexplained recurrent seizures and varying levels of developmental delay.

Results

In this study, eight de novo variants of HCN1 genes were uncovered in eight patients, including six missense variants, one nonsense variant and one frameshift insertion variant; five of them were reported for the first time. The onset age for eight patients ranges from one month to one year. Their main clinical manifestations are epilepsy and varying degrees of developmental delay, and the main type of seizure is focal secondary generalized tonic–clonic seizure. Importantly, in our study, one case presented with a form of migrating focal seizure that has not been reported in the literature. Seizures from five of the eight children were effectively controlled with antiepileptic drugs including valproic acid, levetiracetam and oxcarbazepine. One child developed normally and four children developed mild delay. One child was treated with topiramate, and the convulsion was partially controlled and showed moderate to severe developmental delay. The antiepileptic treatment failed for the other two children, and the two children were treated with sodium valproate, oxcarbazepine, lamotrigine, chlorbazan, levetiracetam and nitrodiazepam successively, but their convulsions were not controlled and showed moderate to severe developmental delay.

Significance

Our research reported eight variants in HCN1 gene causing epilepsy; among these variants, five variants were never reported before. HCN1‐related epilepsy usually starts infantile period, and focal secondary generalized tonic–clonic seizure is the most common seizure type. Importantly, we reported the case with migrating focal seizure was rarely reported. Our study expanded both genotype and phenotype for HCN1‐related epilepsy.
Seismic damage identification by graph convolutional autoencoder using adjacency matrix based on structural modes
Authors: Kim Minkyu , Song Junho
Published: November 2023

Immediate post‐earthquake identification of structural damage is essential to prevent the loss of structural functionality and system failure. Vibration‐based damage identification methods have been widely implemented, but most tend to ignore a critical damage‐sensitive feature, the spatial correlation between sensor measurements. To this end, this paper proposes near‐real‐time damage identification by a graph convolutional autoencoder (GCAE) based on seismic responses of the structural system. The GCAE model accurately considers the spatial correlation and structural characteristics using a weighted adjacency matrix based on the structural modes. The proposed model consists of three main parts: (1) an “encoder” that learns latent features of the input data by considering the spatial information; (2) a “graph structure decoder” that detects anomalies in spatial correlation; and (3) a “node feature decoder” that captures changes in vibration signals. The GCAE model is trained to reconstruct structural responses of the target structure and the adjacency matrix in a healthy state. The seismic damage is then identified by the structural damage index calculated based on the difference between the input and reconstructed data. As numerical investigations, the proposed method is applied to two‐ and three‐dimensional steel frame structures. The train, validation, and test datasets are obtained by structural analyses using ground motions from the PEER‐NGA strong motion database. The proposed method is verified by the near‐real‐time simulation using the test dataset. The results show that the proposed GCAE model can accurately identify seismic damage in near‐real‐time.
First description and conservation implications of a unique stand of the Caucasian wingnut in Lapankuri (Georgia)
Authors: Davitashvili Nino , Bétrisey Sébastien , Janiashvili Zurab , Matchutadze Izolda , Kozlowski Gregor
Published: November 2023

Many north‐temperate tree species survived glacial periods in small, low‐density populations in refugia. These refugia are located in eastern and western North America, South Europe, East Asia, and western Asia. As a part of western Asia, Georgia harbors two main refugia: the Colchis in western Georgia and the eastern Great Caucasus, where many Cenozoic relict plants still exist. In this article, we report a new population of Pterocarya fraxinifolia (the Caucasian wingnut) which was discovered in the eastern Great Caucasus, near the village Lapankuri. The Lapankuri P. fraxinifolia stand is unique because the species grows not only in a narrow strip of riparian vegetation, but is also occurring in a broad band up to 100 m away from the river. Pterocarya fraxinifolia is dominant in the stand and is represented by large and old trees. Many other relict trees such as Diospyros lotus and Juglans regia are also present in the Lapankuri stand. Although some Cenozoic relict species are widely cultivated and naturalized in Central and Western Europe, natural stands of these plants provide the only evidence of their past growing conditions; therefore, conservation of this place is strongly advocated.
Xylo‐oligosaccharides improve functional constipation by targeted enrichment of Bifidobacterium
Authors: Yi Wanya , Wang Qinyue , Xue Yuzheng , Cao Hong , Zhuang Ruijuan , Li Dan , Yan Jiai , Yang Ju , Xia Yanping , Zhang Feng
Published: November 2023

Functional constipation (FC) has a negative impact on patients' quality of life. We hypothesized that dietary supplementation with xylo‐oligosaccharides (XOS) or fructo‐oligosaccharides (FOS) would improve constipation symptoms by influencing the gut microbiota. A randomized double‐blind controlled trial was conducted in FC patients. Patients were randomly divided into 6 groups and given a dietary supplement containing XOS at doses of 3, 5, or 10 g/day, FOS at doses of 10 and 20 g/day, or placebo at 5 g/day for one month. We compared improvements in gastrointestinal function after the intervention using the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), Cleveland Clinic Constipation Score (CCCS), and Quality of Life Scale for Patients with Constipation (PAC‐QoL). 16S rRNA sequencing was used to assess changes in the structure of the gut microbiota. Changes in individual bacteria had significant effects in reducing gastrointestinal symptoms during the intervention, even though the flora structure remained unchanged from baseline. Compared to FOS, XOS enriched Bifidobacterium at a lower dose, and patients receiving XOS supplementation showed significant improvements in constipation symptoms without side effects such as diarrhea and flatulence.
Improving the microbial and physicochemical shelf life of yufka paste using Lactobacillus plantarum and calcium propionate
Authors: Bahmanpour Hannaneh , Sowti Khiabani Mahmood , Pirsa Sajad
Published: November 2023

Considering the importance of reducing the use of chemical preservatives in food and the increasing attention of consumers to consume food products with minimal additives, the main goal of this research was to study the effect of use of chemical (calcium propionate) and biological (Lactobacillus plantarum) preservatives on increasing shelf life of yufka paste considering its physicochemical and microbial characteristics. For this purpose, three samples of yufka paste were prepared by adding concentrations of 103, 105, and 107 cfu/mL of L. plantarum individually and three samples of paste were prepared by adding the same amount of bacteria in combination with 0.3% calcium propionate and these samples were compared with the control sample (without preservative) and the sample only containing 0.3% calcium propionate. The obtained results showed that different treatments and time had a significant effect on physicochemical properties including pH, moisture, and protein of yufka paste (p < .05). The results of the survival of L. plantarum showed that with increasing time, the survival rate of bacteria increased (p < .05). The pH of the samples showed that the L. plantarum has a significant effect on controlling the chemical quality of yufka during storage. The count of mold and yeast in the combined use of L. plantarum and 0.3% propionate was lower than the single use of propionate chemical preservative, which indicated the very good effect of the green preservative in controlling the moldy spoilage of yufka. Low concentrations of bacteria showed better antimold results than treatments containing bacteria and propionate in a combined form, propionate or control treatment.
Vincristine exposure impairs mouse oocyte quality by inducing spindle defects and early apoptosis
Authors: Chang Haoya , Cheng Siyu , Xing Guoqiang , Huang Chenyang , Zhang Chunhui , Qian Weiping , Li Jian
Published: November 2023

Vincristine (VCR) is a microtubule‐destabilizing chemotherapeutic agent commonly administered for the treatment of cancers in patients, which can induce severe side effects including neurotoxicity. In context of the effects on female fertility, ovarian toxicity has been found in patients and mice model after VCR exposure. However, the influence of VCR exposure on oocyte quality has not been elucidated. We established VCR exposure in vitro and in vivo model. The results indicated in vitro VCR exposure contributed to failure of oocyte maturation through inducing defects in spindle assembly, activation of SAC, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and early apoptosis, which were confirmed by using in vivo exposure model. Moreover, in vivo VCR exposure caused aneuploidy, reduced oocyte‐sperm binding ability, and the number of cortical granules in mouse oocyte cortex. Taken together, this study demonstrated that VCR could cause meiotic arrest and poor quality of mouse oocyte.
Effect of photobiomodulation at 830 nm on gene expression correlated with JAK/STAT signalling in wounded and diabetic wounded fibroblasts in vitro
Authors: Leyane Thobekile S. , Jere Sandy W. , Houreld Nicolette N.
Published: November 2023

Treatment of chronic diabetic wounds is an ongoing socio‐economic challenge. Dysregulated signalling pathways characterise cells from chronic diabetic wounds. Photobiomodulation (PBM) stimulates healing by eliciting photochemical effects that affect gene regulation. JAK/STAT signalling is a primary signal transduction pathway involved in wound healing. This in vitro study aimed to determine if PBM at 830 nm and a fluence of 5 J/cm2 regulates genes related to JAK/STAT signalling in wounded and diabetic wounded fibroblast cells. A continuous wave diode laser (12.53 mW/cm2) was used to irradiate cells. Forty‐eight hours post‐PBM, RT‐qPCR was used to analyse 84 genes related to JAK/STAT signalling. Five genes were upregulated and four downregulated in wounded cell models, while six genes were downregulated in diabetic wounded models. The results show drastic gene expression differences between wounded and diabetic wounded cell models in response to PBM using 830 nm.
Early in vivo detection of denervation‐induced atrophy by luminescence transient nanothermometry
Authors: Lifante José , Moreno‐Rupérez Álvaro , Ximendes Erving , Marin Riccardo , Priego Teresa , López‐Calderón Asunción , Martín Ana Isabel , Nieto‐Bona María Paz , Nebot Elena , Lifante‐Pedrola Ginés , Jaque Daniel , Monge Luis , Fernández Nuria , Granado Miriam
Published: November 2023

Denervation induces skeletal muscle atrophy due to the loss of control and feedback with the nervous system. Unfortunately, muscle atrophy only becomes evident days after the denervation event when it could be irreversible. Alternative diagnosis tools for early detection of denervation‐induced muscle atrophy are, thus, required. In this work, we demonstrate how the combination of transient thermometry, a technique already used for early diagnosis of tumors, and infrared‐emitting nanothermometers makes possible the in vivo detection of the onset of muscle atrophy at short (<1 day) times after a denervation event. The physiological reasons behind these experimental results have been explored by performing three dimensional numerical simulations based on the Pennes' bioheat equation. It is concluded that the alterations in muscle thermal dynamics at the onset of muscle atrophy are consequence of the skin perfusion increment caused by the alteration of peripheral nervous autonomous system. This work demonstrates the potential of infrared luminescence thermometry for early detection of diseases of the nervous system opening the venue toward the development of new diagnosis tools.
Gradient‐based adaptive wavelet de‐noising method for photoacoustic imaging in vivo
Authors: Li Xinke , Ge Peng , Shen Yuting , Gao Feng , Gao Fei
Published: November 2023

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has been applied to many biomedical applications over the past decades. However, the received PA signal usually suffers from poor SNR. Conventional solution of employing higher‐power laser, or doing long‐time signal averaging, may raise the system cost, time consumption, and tissue damage. Another strategy is de‐noising algorithm design. In this paper, we propose a gradient‐based adaptive wavelet de‐noising method, which sets the energy gradient mutation point of low‐frequency wavelet components as the threshold. We conducted simulation, ex‐vivo and in‐vivo experiments using acoustic‐resolution PAM. The quality of de‐noised PA image/signal by our proposed algorithm has improved by at least 30%, in comparison to the traditional signal denoising algorithms, which produces better contrast and clearer details. Moreover, it produces good results when dealing with multi‐layer structures. The proposed de‐noising method provides potential to improve the SNR of PA signal under single‐shot low‐power laser illumination for biomedical applications in vivo.
Reverse stable isotope labelling with Raman spectroscopy for microbial proteomics
Authors: Karlo Jiro , Dhillon Ashish Kumar , Siddhanta Soumik , Singh Surya Pratap
Published: November 2023

Global proteome changes in microbes affect the survival and overall production of commercially relevant metabolites through different bioprocesses. The existing methods to monitor proteome level changes are destructive in nature. Stable isotope probing (SIP) coupled with Raman spectroscopy is a relatively new approach for proteome analysis. However, applying this approach for monitoring changes in a large culture volume is not cost‐effective. In this study, for the first time we are presenting a novel method of combining reverse SIP using 13C‐glucose and Deuterium to monitor the proteome changes through Raman spectroscopy. The findings of the study revealed visible changes (blue shifts) in proteome related peaks that can be used for monitoring proteome dynamics, that is, synthesis of nascent amino acids and its turnover with time in a non‐destructive, cost‐effective, and label‐free manner.
Experimental study on the mechanical properties and thermal damage of laser welding the ruptured flexor digitorum longus tendons
Authors: Huang Jun , Wu Jinjin , Chen Yuxin , Xu Tongyu , Wang Kehong , Rui Yunfeng
Published: November 2023

To investigate the influence of laser parameters on the performance of tendon tissue, experiments were conducted and the process of laser‐assisted tendon welding was studied. Several conclusions were drawn by analyzing the effects of laser parameters on the tensile strength, microstructure, and collagen content of tendon tissue incisions. The optimal parameters for laser welding tendon tissue were found to be a laser power of 5 W, a scanning speed of 150 mm/s, and a defocus amount of 0 mm, resulting in a laser energy density of 32.164 J/cm2. At these parameters, the percentage of inactivated cells due to thermal damage was only 23.78%, and the tensile strength of the tendon tissue incisions reached 0.61 MPa. Additionally, the collagen content around the incision was measured to be 33.679%, composed of type I and type III collagens, with the latter accounting for 50.714% of the total collagen content.
In vivo photoacoustic flow cytometry‐based study of the effect of melanin content on melanoma metastasis
Authors: Pang Kai , Liu Qi , Zhu Yuxi , Wei Xunbin
Published: November 2023

A major cause of death in cancer patients is distant metastasis of tumors, in which circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are an important marker. Photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC) can monitor CTCs in real time, non‐invasively, and label‐free; we built a PAFC system and validated the feasibility of PAFC for monitoring CTCs using in vivo animal experiments. By cultivating heavily‐pigmented and moderately‐pigmented melanoma cells, more CTCs were detected in mice inoculated with moderately‐pigmented tumor cells, resulting in more distant metastases and poorer survival status. Tumor cells with lower melanin content may produce more CTCs, increasing the risk of metastasis. CTC melanin content may be down‐regulated during the metastatic which may be a potential indicator for assessing the risk of melanoma metastasis. In conclusion, PAFC can be used to assess the risk of melanoma metastasis by dynamically monitoring the number of CTCs and the CTC melanin content in future clinical diagnoses.
Flow cytometry: Aspects and application in plant and biological science
Authors: Jyoti Thakur Prava , Chandel Shivani , Singh Rajveer
Published: November 2023

Flow cytometry is a potent method that enables the quick and concurrent investigation of several characteristics of single cells in solution. Photodiodes or photomultiplier tubes are employed to detect the dispersed and fluorescent light signals that are produced by the laser beam as it passes through the cells. Photodetectors transform the light signals produced by the laser into electrical impulses. A computer then analyses these electrical impulses to identify and measure the various cell populations depending on their fluorescence or light scattering characteristics. Based on their fluorescence or light scattering properties, cell populations can be examined and/or isolated. This review covers the basic principle, components, working and specific biological applications of flow cytometry, including studies on plant, cell and molecular biology and methods employed for data processing and interpretation as well as the potential future relevance of this methodology in light of retrospective analysis and recent advancements in flow cytometry.
Returns behavior of ESG ETFs in the COVID‐19 market crash: Are green funds more resilient?
Authors: ElBannan Mona A.
Published: November 2023

This study explores the importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in explaining the returns and volatility of returns of exchange‐traded funds (ETFs) during the market crash induced by the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study uses an unbalanced panel of monthly data during the period 2005–2021 for a diversified sample of 160 iShares Morgan Stanley Capital International conventional and ESG/socially responsible investment (SRI) equity funds. To obtain robust results, a variety of analyses are conducted, including multiple panel regressions based on one‐way clustering, standard error estimates obtained from different covariance matrix estimators that are heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation consistent, simultaneous quantile and inter‐quantile regressions, weighted least square regressions with alternative weights for the regression coefficients, and tests of coefficient equality with bootstrapped standard error of difference in subsample regressions. All the sensitivity analyses give similar results, confirming their validity. The results provide strong evidence for the resilience of sustainable funds during the crash, with ETF returns showing persistence during the market downturn. This study suggests that ESG/SRI investments may help ETFs to outperform their counterparts, indicates that sustainability investments matter in times of crisis, and implies the adoption of strategies that promote sustainable investment development.
Effectiveness of a randomized intervention by a geriatric team in frail hospital inpatients in non‐geriatric settings: FRAILCLINIC project
Authors: Checa‐López Marta , Costa‐Grille Alba , Álvarez‐Bustos Alejandro , Carnicero‐Carreño Jose A. , Sinclair Alan , Scuteri Angelo , Landi Francesco , Solano‐Jaurrieta Juan José , Bellary Srikanth , Rodríguez‐Mañas Leocadio
Published: November 2023

Background

Little research has been undertaken on the benefits of frailty management within different hospital settings. The objective of this study is to provide evidence on the viability and effectiveness of frailty management in non‐geriatric hospital settings on mortality and functional decline after discharge.

Methods

Data from the FRAILCLINIC (NCT02643069) study were used. FRAILCLINIC is a randomized controlled trial developed in non‐geriatric hospital inpatient settings (emergency room, cardiology and surgery) from Spain (2), Italy (2) and the United Kingdom (1). Inpatients must met frailty criteria (according to the Frailty Phenotype and/or FRAIL scale), ≥75 years old. The control group (CG) received usual care. The intervention group (IG) received comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and a coordinated intervention consisting in recommendations to the treating physician about polypharmacy, delirium, falls, nutrition and physical exercise plus a discharge plan. The main outcomes included functional decline (worsening ≥5 points in Barthel Index) and mortality at 3 months. We used multivariate logistic regression models adjusted by age, gender and the Charlson index. Intention‐to‐treat (ITT) and per‐protocol (PP) analyses were used.

Results

Eight hundred twenty one participants (IG: 416; mean age 83.00 ± 4.91; 51.44% women; CG: 405; mean age 82.46 ± 6.03; 52.35% women) were included. In the IG, 77.16% of the participants followed the geriatric team's recommendations as implemented by the treating physicians. The intervention showed a benefit on functional decline and mortality [OR: 0.67(0.47–0.96), P‐value 0.027 and 0.29(0.14–0.57), P‐value < 0.001, respectively) when fully followed by the treating physician. A trend to benefit (close to statistical significance) in functional decline and mortality were also observed when any of the recommendations were not followed [OR (95% CI): 0.72 (0.51–1.01), P‐value: 0.055; and 0.64 (0.37–1.10), P‐value: 0.105, respectively].

Conclusions

An individualized intervention in frail in‐patients reduces the risk of functional deterioration and mortality at 3 months of follow‐up when a care management plan is designed and followed.
The behavioral origins of phylogenic responses and ontogenic habits
Authors: Stahlman W. David , Leising Kenneth J.
Published: November 2023

An examination of innate behavior and its possible origins suggests parallels with the formation of habitual behavior. Inflexible but adaptive responses—innate reflexive behavior, Pavlovian conditioned responses, and operant habits—may have evolved from variable behavior in phylogeny and ontogeny. This form of “plasticity‐first” scientific narrative was unpopular post‐Darwin but has recently gained credibility in evolutionary biology. The present article seeks to identify originating events and contingencies contributing to such inflexible but adaptive behavior at both phylogenic and ontogenic levels of selection. In ontogeny, the development of inflexible performance (i.e., habit) from variable operant behavior is reminiscent of the genetic accommodation of initially variable phylogenic traits. The effects characteristic of habit (e.g., unresponsiveness to reinforcer devaluation) are explicable as the result of a conflict between behaviors at distinct levels of selection. The present interpretation validates the practice of seeking hard analogies between evolutionary biology and operant behavior. Finding such parallels implies the validity of a claim that organismal behavior, both innate and learned, is a product of selection by consequences. A complete and coherent account of organismal behavior may ultimately focus on functional selective histories in much the same way evolutionary biology does with its subject matter.
Outcomes among patients with hepatorenal syndrome based on hospital teaching and transplant status: Analysis of 159 845 hospitalizations
Authors: Sohal Aalam , Chaudhry Hunza , Dukovic Dino , Kowdley Kris V.
Published: November 2023

Background and Aim

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a life‐threatening complication of advanced liver disease. This study aimed to examine the impact of hospital teaching/transplant status and availability of liver transplantation on survival among hospitalized patients with HRS in the United States.

Methods

Patients with HRS were identified from the national inpatient sample 2016–2019. Information was collected regarding patient demographics, hospital characteristics, liver disease etiology, presence of liver disease decompensations, Elixhauser comorbidities, and interventions. Patients were classified as being treated at three hospital groups: non‐teaching hospitals (NTHs), teaching non‐transplant centers (TNTCs), and teaching transplant centers (TTCs). The relationship between hospital teaching/transplant status and in‐hospital mortality and transplant‐free mortality was examined using multivariable linear and logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 159,845 patients met the criteria for HRS. Of these, 24% were admitted to NTHs, 50.8% to TNTCs, and 25.2% to TTCs. Admission to a TTC was independently associated with a lower mortality risk compared to admission to non‐TTCs (aOR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.68–0.83, P <0.001). Patients at TTCs had a lower transplant‐free mortality risk than those at NTHs (aOR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.67–0.83, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in all‐cause or transplant‐free mortality between TNTCs and NTHs.

Conclusion

Patients with HRS admitted to TTCs have higher disease severity, but significantly improved outcomes compared to those admitted to NTHs. These data suggest opportunities for increased disease awareness and education among NTHs and support early referral for liver transplant evaluation among hospitalized patients with HRS.
Endoscopic papillectomy could be rewarding to patients with early stage duodenal ampullary carcinoma?
Authors: Suzuki Ko , Kurita Yusuke , Kubota Kensuke , Fujita Yuji , Tsujino Seitaro , Koyama Yuji , Tsujikawa Shintaro , Tamura Shigeki , Yagi Shin , Hasegawa Sho , Sato Takamitsu , Hosono Kunihiro , Kobayashi Noritoshi , Iwashita Hiromichi , Yamanaka Shoji , Fujii Satoshi , Endo Itaru , Nakajima Atsushi
Published: November 2023

Background/Purpose

There is currently no consensus on the use of endoscopic papillectomy (EP) for early stage duodenal ampullary adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of EP for patients with early stage duodenal ampullary adenocarcinoma.

Methods

Patients who underwent EP for ampullary adenocarcinomas were investigated. Complete and clinical complete resection rates were evaluated. Clinical complete resection was defined as either complete resection or resection with positive or unknown margins but no cancer in the surgically resected specimen, or no recurrence on endoscopy after at least a 1‐year follow‐up.

Results

Adenocarcinoma developed in 30 patients (carcinoma in situ [Tis]: 21, mucosal tumors [T1a(M)]: 4, tumors in the sphincter of Oddi [T1a(OD)]: 5). The complete resection rate was 60.0% (18/30) (Tis: 66.7% [14/21], T1a[M]: 50.0% [2/4], and T1a[OD]: 40.0% [2/5]). The mean follow‐up period was 46.8 months. The recurrence rate for all patients was 6.7% (2/30). The clinical complete resection rates of adenocarcinoma were 89.2% (25/28); rates for Tis, T1a(M), and T1a(OD) were 89.4% (17/19), 100% (4/4), and 80% (4/5), respectively.

Conclusions

EP may potentially achieve clinical complete resection of early stage (Tis and T1a) duodenal ampullary adenocarcinomas.
Mentorship in TANDEM with Leadership in Higher Education
Authors: Thompson Herb , Rodríguez‐Arroyo Sandra , Schaffer Connie
Published: November 2023

The current article introduces the perspectives of three faculty members who together lead a mentorship program for new faculty at a Midwestern public higher education institution. These faculties offer their leadership experiences from the viewpoint of a mentee, mentor, and administrator, respectively. Together, their layered experiences outline the formation, development, and evaluation of the TANDEM (Thoughtful Advice, Nurtured Diversity, Engaged Mentorship) program. From their unique perspectives, the authors discuss effective practices, challenges faced, and future frontiers of exploration in faculty mentoring and leadership development.
Advances in Neuroimaging and Multiple Post‐Processing Techniques for Epileptogenic Zone Detection of Drug‐Resistant Epilepsy
Authors: Yao Lei , Cheng Nan , Chen An‐qiang , Wang Xun , Gao Ming , Kong Qing‐xia , Kong Yu
Published: November 2023

Among the approximately 20 million patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE) worldwide, the vast majority can benefit from surgery to minimize seizure reduction and neurological impairment. Precise preoperative localization of epileptogenic zone (EZ) and complete resection of the lesions can influence the postoperative prognosis. However, precise localization of EZ is difficult, and the structural and functional alterations in the brain caused by DRE vary by etiology. Neuroimaging has emerged as an approach to identify the seizure‐inducing structural and functional changes in the brain, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have become routine noninvasive imaging tools for preoperative evaluation of DRE in many epilepsy treatment centers. Multimodal neuroimaging offers unique advantages in detecting EZ, especially in improving the detection rate of patients with negative MRI or PET findings. This approach can characterize the brain imaging characteristics of patients with DRE caused by different etiologies, serving as a bridge between clinical and pathological findings and providing a basis for individualized clinical treatment plans. In addition to the integration of multimodal imaging modalities and the development of special scanning sequences and image post‐processing techniques for early and precise localization of EZ, the application of deep machine learning for extracting image features and deep learning‐based artificial intelligence have gradually improved diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. These improvements can provide clinical assistance for precisely outlining the scope of EZ and indicating the relationship between EZ and functional brain areas, thereby enabling standardized and precise surgery and ensuring good prognosis. However, most existing studies have limitations imposed by factors such as their small sample sizes or hypothesis‐based study designs. Therefore, we believe that the application of neuroimaging and post‐processing techniques in DRE requires further development and that more efficient and accurate imaging techniques are urgently needed in clinical practice.

Level of Evidence

5

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
Effects of inhibition of Nav1.3, Nav1.7, and Nav1.8 channels on pain‐related behavior in Speke's hinge‐back tortoise (Kinixys spekii)
Authors: Makau Christopher M. , Towett Philemon K. , Kanui Titus I. , Abelson Klas S. P.
Published: November 2023

Comparative studies using reptiles as experimental animals in pain research could expand our knowledge on the evolution and adaptation of pain mechanisms. Currently, there are no data reported on the involvement of voltage‐gated sodium ion channels on nociception in reptiles. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of Nav1.3, Nav1.7, and Nav1.8 ion channels in nociception in Speke's hinge‐back tortoise. ICA 121341 (selective blocker for Nav1.1/Nav1.3), NAV 26 (selective blocker for Nav1.7), and A803467 (selective blocker for Nav1.8) were used to investigate the involvement of Nav1.3, Nav1.7, and Nav1.8, respectively. The chemicals were administered intracoelomically thirty minutes before the start of nociceptive tests. ICA 121341 did not cause a significant decrease in the time spent in pain‐related behavior in all the nociceptive tests. NAV 26 and A8034667 caused a statistically significant decrease in the mean time spent in pain‐related behavior in the formalin and capsaicin tests. Only A803467 caused a statistically significant increase in the mean latency to pain‐related behavior in the hot plate test. NAV 26 and A803467 had no observable side effects. In conclusion, Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 are involved in the processing of chemically induced inflammatory pain in Speke's hinge back tortoise. In addition, Nav1.8 are also significantly involved in the development of thermal‐induced pain‐related behavior in this species of reptile. However, our results do not support the involvement of Nav1.3 on the development of chemical or thermal induced pain‐related behavior in the Speke's hinge back tortoise.
Subacute postoperative atrial fibrillation after heart surgery: Incidence and predictive factors in cardiac rehabilitation
Authors: Rizza Vincenzo , Maranta Francesco , Cianfanelli Lorenzo , Cartella Iside , Maisano Francesco , Alfieri Ottavio , Cianflone Domenico
Published: November 2023

Background

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is the most common arrhythmia following cardiac surgery (CS). It may occur between the 1st and the 4th postoperative day as acute POAF or between the 5th and the 30th as subacute (sPOAF). sPOAF is associated with higher thromboembolic risk, which consistently increase patients' morbidity. Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a low‐cost inflammatory index proposed as possible POAF predictor. Identification of patients' risk categories might lead to improved postoperative outcomes.

Methods

The aim was to assess the incidence of sPOAF and to identify possible predictors in patients performing cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) after CS. A single‐center cohort study was performed on 737 post‐surgical patients admitted to CR on sinus rhythm. Continuous monitoring with 12‐lead ECG telemetry was performed. We evaluated the predictive role of anamnestic, clinical, and laboratory data, including baseline NLR.

Results

Subacute POAF was documented in 170 cases (23.1%). At the multivariate analysis, age (OR 1.03; p = .001), mitral valve surgery (OR 1.77; p = .012), acute POAF (OR 2.97; p < .001), and NLR at baseline (OR 1.13; p = .042) were found to be independent predictive factors of sPOAF following heart surgery.

Conclusions

sPOAF is common after CS. Age, mitral valve procedures, acute POAF, and preoperative NLR were proved to increase sPOAF occurrence in CR. NLR is an affordable and reliable parameter which might be used to qualify the risk of arrhythmias at CR admission. Identification of new predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation may allow to improve patients' prognosis.