bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing an Automatic Treatment Record Review System for Quality Assurance of Patient Treatment Delivery in Radiation Therapy
Authors: Huang Peng , Xu Yingjie , Huan Fukui , Zhang Yanxin , Ma Min , Men Kuo , Dai Jianrong
Published: May 2024

Background and Purpose
Treatment record contains most of information related to treatment plan delivery in radiation therapy. Reviewing treatment record is an important quality assurance (QA) task for safety and quality of patient treatments. This task is usually performed by senior medical physicists. However, it is time-consuming, tedious, and error-prone. To assist this process, a treatment record review system (TRRS) is developed to automatically review items related to treatment delivery record.
Methods
The treatment record is firstly extracted from oncology information system(OIS). Based on the daily patient treatment information, the original plan from the treatment planning system is identified. Then the original plan and the delivered plan are correlated. Eight review categories (parameter consistency, treatment completeness, treatment progression, image guidance, override, treatment couch, documentation, and treatment mode) are defined. Tailored rules are designed for various review items to automate the review process. As a result, for each treatment record on a daily basis, a review flag (pass, failure, warning, and N/A) is determined by TRRS. Finally, this system is evaluated using six months patient treatment records collected in our institute and compared to the manual process on the same database.
Results
TRRS automatically reviewed a total of 76651 treatment fractions from 4230 patients with an average of 574 treatments per day. The average abnormality rate was 0.76%. The average processing time per treatment record was 3.9 seconds and 282 seconds for the automatic and manual processes, respectively. Comparing with the manual process, the time efficiency of TRRS is improved by a factor of 72. The average numbers of anomalies detected by the automatic and manual processes are 21 and 13 per day, respectively. TRRS detects 61.5% more anomalies than those of the manual process.
Conclusion
TRRS is not only efficient in processing a large amount of treatment records on a daily basis but also effective in finding more anomalies than those of physics weekly check. The application of the automatic review system could significantly reduce the work of review physicists and let them focus on more important works related to patient safety.
Evaluating the Predictive Value of the Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5) on Postoperative Outcomes in Patients with High-Grade Gliomas
Authors: Zaki Peter , Herr Sanjeev , Doori Lana Al , Murtha Abigail , Evanson Davin , Nypaver Jakob , Busch Nisha , Beool Ramee , Vyas Praveer , Li Jenna , Leonardo Jody , Yu Alexander , Herbst John , Karlovits Stephen , Wegner Rodney E. , Shepard Matthew J.
Published: May 2024

Purpose: High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are aggressive brain tumors associated with significant morbidity. This study aims to assess the utility of the 5-factor Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5) in predicting postoperative outcomes and overall survival in patients undergoing surgical resection for HGGs.Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 196 patients treated surgically for GBM at our institution from January 2016 to January 2023. Patients were stratified into three groups based on their preoperative mFI-5 scores: prefrail (< 2), frail (= 2), and severely frail (> 2). Primary outcomes included 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year survival and progression-free survival. Secondary outcomes focused on hospital length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmission rates, and discharge status. Univariate and multivariate analyses evaluated the impact of frailty on these outcomes.Results: Frailty was significantly associated with adverse outcomes. The median progression free survival was 9.2 months in the prefrail, 6.9 months in the frail and 3.5 months in severely frail patients (p = 0.01). Furthermore, the 90-day OS was 89%, 91% and 75% for the prefrail, frail and severely frail group respectively (p = 0.03). However, there was no statistically significant difference in 12-month OS (64%, 70%, 58%; p = 0.72). The median survival for the cohort was 17.9 months in the prefrail, 15.4 months in the frail and 15.3 in the severely frail (p = 0.02). Severely frail patients demonstrated lower rates of symptomatic resolution (66%,53%, 33% respectively; p = 0.005), increased non-home discharge rates (24%, 55.9%, 75%, respectively; P < 0.001), and mRS > 2 upon discharge (5%, 26%, and 66% respectively; P < 0.001).Conclusion: The mFI-5 is a valuable tool for preoperative risk stratification in patients with GBM, predicting short-term survival and postoperative outcomes. Integrating frailty assessments into preoperative evaluations can aid in tailoring surgical and adjuvant therapies, potentially improving patient outcomes and optimizing resource allocation. This study supports the adoption of frailty assessments in neuro-oncological practice to enhance personalized care strategies for patients with HGGs.
Adaptation of Resistance Training is impaired in muscle-specific PGC-1α overexpressing mice
Authors: ZHANG Hai Peng , SONG Yan Lin , BAI Rong Yan , DING Ming Chao , XU Sheng Jia , XIA Tie Cheng , ZHAO Han Zhi , WANG Sen , ZHANG Chen Yu , Ma Ji Zheng
Published: May 2024

Resistance training (RT) is important for skeletal muscle health. However, compared with RT implemented alone, concurrent training can attenuate RT adaptations. We verify the effects of RT on muscle-enriched or hypertrophy-related miRNAs, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) anabolic signaling proteins, and oxidative metabolism-related proteins in mice with different endurance muscle Phenotype. In the present study, we found that muscle-specific overexpression of PGC-1alpha attenuated RT adaptations and resulted in different expression of miR-222-3p and miR-206-3p after RT. The expression level of miR-206-3p and miR-222-3p in Wt+ mice (wild-type trained mice) was significantly higher than that in Tg+ mice (MCK-PGC-1α transgenic trained mice). This suggested that discordant miR-222-3p and miR-206-3p expression levels after RT may play a role in the mechanism contributing to the interference effects. With regard to protein expression,there was no difference in mTORC1 between the genotypes. Furthermore, the levels of parameters for oxidative metabolism were significantly higher in Tg mice than in Wt mice. Our study indicated miR-222-3p and miR-206-3pas novel molecules that could provide a new research direction into the mechanisms underlying the concurrent training effect.
Real-time mental workload measurement for four break configurations in cognitive tasks using the EEG-based workload index (EWI)
Authors: Arana-De-Las-Casas Nancy Ivette , Sáenz-Zamarrón David , Maldonado-Macías Aidé Aracely , De-La-Riva-Rodríguez Jorge
Published: May 2024

The current real tasks in work environments are complex, they demand a large amount of cognitive work, which causes the need to carry out Mental Workload (MWL) studies during the execution of those tasks. In high-tech manufacturing processes, the human-machine systems adopted are technologically more complex than ever and, consequently, the MWL of employees has increased during their work activities. A high MWL can adversely affect employee well-being, causing new health problems, mainly cognitive. MWL has become a relevant workplace concern due to its relationship with poor performance, low productivity, human errors, accidents, and stress. In this project, a design of experiments framework was created to measure MWL through a graphical user interface (GUI) that contains the Dual N-back method, it is developed by subjects while they performed a set of cognitive tasks; and it is measured physiologically by electroencephalogram (EEG). The design integrated hardware (Cyton© card as EEG measurement equipment) and software (OpenBCI, MATLAB, EEGLAB) that automatically synchronizes the electroencephalogram (EEG) with the activity performed (stimulus), this was done by using the Lab Streaming Layer (LSL)© system, which allows real-time data transmission between applications in a computer. This study validated the EWI model as an index of MWL performance.
Abusive Supervision and Employee Participation in Decision Making as Moderators of Subordinate Silence and Innovative Work Behaviour among Civil Servants in Southeast Nigeria
Authors: Ezeaku Obumneme Timothy Chukwuezugo , Ebeh Richards Ebireonwu , Sydney-Agbor Ngozi
Published: May 2024

Background
The increase in poor service delivery in Nigerian public service and the growing culture of silence have increased the cost of governance and affected national development. In view of this concern, this study examined abusive supervision and employee participation in decision making as predictors of subordinate silence and innovative work behaviour among middle-level civil servants in Southeast Nigeria.
Method
A multistage sampling technique was applied to select 524 middle-level civil servants aged between 36 and 59 years (M = 43.50 years; SD = 3.20). Four instruments were used for data collection: the Subordinate Silence Scale, the Innovative Work Behaviour Scale, the Abusive Supervision Scale and the Employee Participation in Decision Making Scale. A correlation design and moderated regression statistics were used to examine the seven hypotheses of the study.
Results
The results showed that abusive supervision significantly predicted subordinate silence (β = .98, p < .05, n = 524), whereas employee participation in decision making negatively predicted subordinate silence (β = − .18, p < .05, n = 524). Abusive supervision also negatively predicted innovative work behaviour (β = − .93, p < .05, n = 524), while employee participation positively predicted it (β = .63, p < .05, n = 524). Subordinate silence negatively predicted innovative work behaviour (β = − .589*, p < .05, n = 524). In the moderation model, abusive supervision in decision making had a significant effect (β = -1.6*, p < .05, n = 524), as did employee participation (β = 1.2*, p < .05, n = 524), on the relationship between subordinate silence and innovative work behaviour.
Conclusion
The findings imply that supervision abuse accelerated the negative effects of subordinate silence, which hampered innovative work behaviour, while employee participation in decision making reduced the negative effects and improved innovative work behaviour. We recommend that the civil service code be revised to protect bottom-level workers from abuse, while proactive measures are taken for civil service ethical violations.
Health Risk Assessment of Toxic Metals Consumed Through Plant-Based Anti-Diabetic Therapeutics Collected in the Northern Divisional City of Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Nazmul , Zamir Rausan , Faruque Omar
Published: May 2024

The present study investigates human health risks upon consumption of herbal medicines in terms of ten toxic metals in twenty plant-based anti-diabetic therapeutics. The analysis of metals was determined by an atomic absorption spectrometer after microwave-assisted digestion. The computation of hazard quotients (HQ) and hazard indexes (HI) of metals leads to the assessment of non-carcinogenic health risks. Carcinogenic risk was assessed based on cancer slope factor (CSF) and chronic daily intake (CDI) values. Comparison with WHO regulatory cut-off points for each metal: seven samples for Mn, twelve samples for Hg, three samples for Cu, eight samples for Ni, four samples for Cd, two samples for Pb, one sample for Cr, and eight samples for Zn are unsafe to consume. Non-carcinogenic human health risk is predicted for Mn in seven samples, Fe in one sample, Hg in ten samples, Cu in three samples, Ni in one sample, and Pb in two samples. HI values greater than 1 predict non-carcinogenic health risk in thirteen samples. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) remains for Pb in one sample, Cr in one sample, Cd in three samples, and Ni in nine samples. To guarantee consumer safety, the implementation of strict monitoring is suggested.
A modified approach allows for inquiry of previously alien TEPs in peripheral blood, possibly related to lung cancer progress.
Authors: Zu Ruiling , Zeng Dan , Yin Xing , Yao Deng , Ling Han , Zhang Kaijiong , Xu Pingyao , Wang Dongsheng , Li Yuping , Luo Huaichao
Published: May 2024

Background
While the PRP (platelet-rich plasma) method was the most widely used in the tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) research, there were still platelets in peripheral blood unextracted which are whose histology and function are currently alien.
Objectives
To prove the unextracted platelets existed, and to explore the correlation of the unextracted platelets with lung cancer progression.
Methods
A second centrifugation step was used to establish a modified approach, which was compared with the PRP method based on the PRR (platelet recovery rate). Sequencing analysis was used to explore the function of unextracted platelets.
Results
The modified approach improved the PRR to 100%, while the PRP method got the PRR at 70%. The PRR was negatively correlated with platelet volume, and positively correlated with platelet counts. Those results indicated that about 30% of platelets with larger sizes were unextracted in the PRP method. The Sequencing analysis revealed that those platelets are abundant in RNA and might be more pertinent to the progression of lung cancer connected with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway.
Conclusions
This research raised a modified approach to collect the unextracted platelets omitted by the PRP method in peripheral blood, which provided technical support for TEPs’ application in liquid biopsy. We also proved those alien platelets might play a role in lung cancer progression, which would allow further mechanistic exploration.
Omics Based Screening of novel inhibitors against malignant pleural mesothelioma
Authors: Saleem Maryam , Waqas Muhammad , Ahmad Bilal , Afzal Muhammad , Abdel-Maksoud Mostafa A. , Almutairi Saeedah Musaed , Razzaq Roha , Azeem Farrukh
Published: May 2024

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer affecting the pleural membrane. It is characterized by its rarity and lethality, presenting limited treatment avenues. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is a crucial signaling protein that binds to and activates the VEGFR-2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2). This interaction initiates a signaling cascade promoting endothelial cell proliferation and migration, fostering the formation of new blood vessels and fueling tumor growth. In this study, immunogenic approaches were employed to predict potential antigenic epitopes targeting the VEGFR-2 receptor. These epitopes were utilized to construct a multi-epitope peptide, which was subsequently docked against VEGFR-2 receptors to assess binding capabilities and interactions. Three optimal epitopes from the vaccine construct were selected based on binding interactions. Peptides derived from these epitopes were then predicted and docked with VEGFR-2 receptors to analyze their binding abilities and interactions further. Moreover, three distinct datasets for MPM were selected, each representing a different condition: a normal dataset, a diseased dataset, and a dataset from treated individuals (using K-975 - Kirin). Common genes across these datasets were identified through Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis conducted on an online Galaxy server. Additionally, upregulated genes in malignant pleural mesothelioma were detected through NGS analysis, with sulf-1 identified as an upregulated gene protein. Molecular docking analysis against a phytochemical library was performed using sulf-1, leading to the selection of novel drugs acting as inhibitors against malignant pleural mesothelioma. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic properties of selected compounds were analyzed. This study aims to screen potential inhibitors targeting VEGFA, block the VEGFR-2 receptor using immunogenic and non-toxic peptides derived from VEGFA, and identify differentially expressed genes in malignant mesothelioma through RNA sequencing for virtual screening of potential inhibitors.
An Ensemble Event Extraction Method on News
Authors: Liu Lihua , Chen haiwen , Ge Ningchao , Xiao Kaiming , Wu Jibing , Li Xuan , Huang hongbin
Published: May 2024

Navigating through the complexities of news to extract pivotal events demands innovative methodologies to ensure accurate and reliable outcomes. This paper introduces a novel ensemble approach for event extraction, synergizing multiple models to enhance accuracy and reliability amidst the strategic and operational intricacies of news. A key metric, the Confidence Score (CS), quantifies the reliability and credibility of extracted events, serving as a robust indicator of a model's assurance in its predictions and providing a mechanism to navigate through ambiguities in the data. The paper offers a holistic representation and estimation of the confidence of individual model outputs. A comprehensive CS evaluation method is introduced, integrating consistency and prior confidence of multi-model output, and is augmented by an iterative update algorithm, enhancing CS evaluation accuracy by comparing consistency of pairwise outputs of identical arguments and updating the CS in a weighted manner based on prior scores.Experiments conducted on a dataset compiled from online news underscore the notable improvement of our method in comparison to both singular model and prevalent ensemble strategies, demonstrating its efficacy and potential applicability in practice.
Automated Design of State Transition Rules in Ant Colony Optimization by Genetic Programming: A Comprehensive Investigation
Authors: Lin Bocheng , Mei Yi , Zhang Mengjie
Published: May 2024

The automated design of Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithms has become increasingly significant, particularly in addressing complex combinatorial optimization problems. Although existing methods have achieved some success, they still face limitations, particularly the high dependency on expert knowledge, pre-solved data, and challenges in interpretability. Genetic Programming (GP), as a proven technology, has shown potential in optimizing the automated design state transition rules of ACO. However, existing research on GP-ACO is insufficient, particularly in terms of experimental validation and systematic evaluation. To address these issues, this study conducts comprehensive experiments to explore several key questions: the generality of GP-ACO on homogeneously distributed maps, the impact of different ACO variants on the learning capabilities of GP-ACO, the effect of 2-opt local search on the learning capabilities of GP-ACO, the enhancement of learning capabilities through the addition of more global information, and the interpretability of GP-ACO. The findings indicate that GP-ACO exhibits robust generality; variations among ACO variants have minimal impact on learning performance; 2-opt local search can somewhat diminish the performance of GP-ACO in the Max-Min Ant System (MMAS); additional global information can significantly enhance the learning capabilities of GP-ACO; and GP-ACO has good interpretability.
Ixeris polycephala extract alleviates progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats
Authors: Baek Eun Bok , Hwang Youn-Hwan , Hong Eun-Ju , Won Young-Suk , Kwun Hyo-Jung
Published: May 2024

Purpose
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a urogenital disorder that is common in aging men. Ixeris polycephala (IP) is used in traditional medicine and contains pharmacologically active compounds. We herein evaluated the impact of IP on a testosterone-induced model of BPH in rats.
Methods
To generate the BPH model, daily subcutaneous administration of testosterone was applied for 4 weeks. During this period, the rats were also given a daily oral gavage of IP (150 mg/kg), finasteride (positive control, 10 mg/kg), or vehicle.
Results
Testosterone treatment was associated with a significantly higher prostate-to-body weight ratio, serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) level, and prostatic gene expression of 5α-reductase compared to untreated controls. Notably, IP plus testosterone co-treatment was associated with decreased epithelial thickness, down-regulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin D1, and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic signaling molecules, including caspase-3 and Bax. IP co-treatment also down-regulated inflammatory mediators, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and decreased inflammatory cell infiltration compared to the levels seen in the testosterone-induced BPH.
Conclusion
IP appears to protect rats against the progression of testosterone-induced BPH by inhibiting prostatic proliferation and inflammatory responses, and thus may have potential for clinical use against BPH progression.
Interaction capacity of 2, 10, 16, 24-tetrakis(benzhydryloxy) Zn(II) phthalocyanine complex with DNA
Authors: Arslantaş Ali , Ağırtaş Mehmet Salih
Published: May 2024

The mechanism of interaction of peripheral tetra-substituted zinc (II) phthalocyanine complex with DNA was evaluated by various procedures in the present study. The DNA interaction capacity of 2, 10, 16, 24-tetrakis (benzhydryloxy) zinc (II) phthalocyanine complex was probed together with the electronic absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra, electrophoresis, thermal denaturation and study of viscosity. DNA binding constant (Kb) and changes in the thermal melting profile of DNA by addition of ZnPc compound revealed that the complex has the capability to attach to CT-DNA by an intercalative binding mechanism. The binding constant Kb that is a crucial parameter for getting information on the binding mechanism, it was estimated to be 1.392 106 M− 1 owing to the electronic absorption analysis and else prominent instrument is fluorescence spectroscopy to clear up the interaction capacity of ZnPc with the DNA. Fluorescence spectrophotometric data provide the evidence that the compound can reacts with DNA thru an intercalative coupling formation pathway. By the outcomes of electrophoresis assays, the declines in the intensity of CT-DNA bands demonstrated that the ZnPc complex interacts with DNA. Further, the data of viscosity measurements demonstrated that the reaction of ZnPc with DNA is most likely via the intercalative binding pathway. All these experimental data revealed that the ZnPc compound interacts with DNA and the compound may be appropriate drugs for the treating cancer due to its DNA interaction activity.
Scalable camera traps for measuring the attractiveness of sugar baits to control malaria and dengue mosquitoes
Authors: Meza Felician C , Tenywa Frank C , Ashall Simon , Okumu Fredros O , Moore Sarah , Tripet Frederic
Published: May 2024

Background
Attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) are one of the new promising interventions that can complement existing vector control tools. However, there is need to provide reproducible and quantitative information on the level of attractiveness of ATSBs under field conditions. To do so, we customized camera traps for close-up imaging and integrated them into a rugged ATSB monitoring station for day and night-time recording of mosquitoes landing on the baits.
Methods
The camera traps were evaluated, in a semi-field system and then in the field in rural Tanzania. In semi-field 2m x 5m x 2m net chambers, the camera trap was set up to record mosquitoes landing on either an attractive sugar bait (ASB), a blank ASB or 20% sucrose (w/v). Next, 198 mosquitoes (33 males and 33 females of Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles funestus and Aedes aegypti) were released into each chamber and allowed to seek a sugar-meal for 72h, with the camera recording images of mosquitoes present on the ASB at 1min intervals. In the field 16 camera traps were set in 16 households, 7 with ASB attractant, 7 with ASB blank and 2 with 20% sucrose (w/v). Human landing catch (HLC) was performed on the same nights as the camera trap recordings.
Results
Under the semi-field conditions, there were significantly more mosquitoes that visited the ASBs than the blank baits, with An. funestus visiting more frequently than An. arabiensis. There were no significant differences between females and male An. arabiensis visits, but female An. funestus visited more than their conspecific males. The duration of visits did not vary between the ASB and the blanks, nor between the mosquito species. Moreover, mosquitoes visited the ASB or sucrose equally, with An. arabiensis visiting the baits more than An. funestus. Female mosquitoes visited the baits more than the males. There was no significant difference in visit duration between all species. In the field study, a mean of 70 An. arabiensis were caught per person per night by HLC compared to 1 individual recorded per night on ASBs. There were significantly more visits by mosquitoes to the ASB than the ASB blanksand sucrose solution, with more An. arabiensisvisiting the baits than An. funestus or C. quinquefasciatus. Females of all species visited baits significantly more than males. Again, the duration of visits was similar between An. arabiensis, An. funestusand C. quinquefasciatus. Ae. aegypti very rarely visited ASBs in the semi-field experiments and none were observed on baits in the field.
Conclusions
The use of camera traps to record still images of mosquitoes present on ASBs provides robust, reproducible and quantitative information on their attractiveness under different environmental conditions. Therefore, camera traps are powerful tools for evaluating and improving the ATSB technology.
Associations of diagnostic awareness with psychosocial symptoms and survival time in patients with advanced lung cancer
Authors: Abali Hulya , Onur Seda Tural , Baser Yusuf , Demir Dilara , Bicen Aslı
Published: May 2024

Background
Disclosing diagnosis to lung cancer patients is a critical issue. The psychosocial consequences of diagnostic awareness and its impact on life expectancy are issues of curiosity. We intended to evaluate the effects of diagnostic awareness on psychosocial symptomatology and survival time in advanced lung cancer patients.
Methods
This prospective cohort study was conducted on 126 advanced lung cancer patients admitted to the oncology department between Feb 2016 and Aug 2021. A face-to-face survey, including questions on age, gender, marital/employment statuses, comorbidities, and symptom checklist (SCL-90-R) assessment, was applied to patients. Diagnostic awareness was recorded by asking patients about comorbidities and obtaining confirmation from their relatives. Survival data was collected from the national death notification system on Feb 2023, and survival time was calculated from admission until Feb 2023.
Results
Of the patients, 104 were males, and 86 were non-survivors. Survival time and scores of SCL-90-R subscale dimensions were compared between diagnosis-aware (79.4%) and diagnosis-unaware groups (20.6%). Somatization, depression, psychoticism, additional scales, general symptoms, Positive Symptom Total, and Positive Symptom Distress Index scores were significantly higher in the diagnosis-unaware group (p=0.00, p=0.01, p=0.01, p=0.00, p=0.01, p=0.02, p=0.01, respectively). No significant associations were found between survival time and diagnostic awareness, gender, and marital/employment statuses.
Conclusions
Advanced lung cancer patients aware of such a serious disease experienced less psychosocial burden. However, no significant difference was found in survival time between diagnosis-aware and diagnosis-unaware patients. The diagnosis should be disclosed to lung cancer patients after the confirmation of diagnosis.
Laboratory validation of a clinical metagenomic next-generation sequencing assay for respiratory virus detection and discovery
Authors: Chiu Charles , Tan Jessica , Servellita Venice , Stryke Doug , Kelly Emily , Streithorst Jessica , Sumimoto Nanami , Foresythe Abiodun , Huh Hee Jae , Nguyen Jenny , Oseguera Miriam , Brazer Noah , Tang Jack , Ingebrigsten Danielle , Fung Becky , Reyes Helen , Hillberg Melissa , Chen Alice , Guevara Hugo , Yagi Shigeo , Morales Christina , Wadford Debra , Mourani Peter , Langelier Charles , de Lorenzi-Tognon Mikaël , Benoit Patrick
Published: May 2024

Tools for rapid identification of novel and/or emerging viruses are urgently needed for clinical diagnosis of unexplained infections and pandemic preparedness. Here we developed and clinically validated a largely automated metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) assay for agnostic detection of respiratory viral pathogens from upper respiratory swab and bronchoalveolar lavage samples in <24 hours. The mNGS assay achieved mean limits of detection of 543 copies/mL, viral load quantification with 100% linearity, and 93.6% sensitivity, 93.8% specificity, and 93.7% accuracy compared to gold-standard clinical multiplex RT-PCR. Performance increased to 97.9% overall predictive agreement after discrepancy testing and clinical adjudication, which was superior to that of RT-PCR (95.0% overall agreement). To enable discovery of novel, sequence-divergent human viruses with pandemic potential, de novo assembly and translated nucleotide algorithms were incorporated into the automated SURPI+ computational pipeline used by the mNGS assay for pathogen detection. Using in silico analysis, we showed after removal of all human viral sequences from the reference database that 70 (100%) of 70 representative human viral pathogens could still be identified based on homology to related animal or plant viruses. Our assay, which was granted breakthrough device designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August of 2023, demonstrates the feasibility of routine mNGS testing in clinical and public health laboratories, thus enabling a robust and rapid response to the next viral respiratory pandemic.
Aerodigestive Tract Invasion by Well-differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma presenting as Anemia: A Case Report
Authors: Sutradhar Arpita , Khan Enam Murshed , Chakrapani Anupam
Published: May 2024

Papillary thyroid carcinoma, is the commonest histologic subtype of thyroid malignancies .It is also renowned for its best prognosis.Invasion of aero digestive tract is commoner with the anaplastic histologic variant.This invasion leads to obstructive (dysphagia) or erosive(hematemesis) symptoms commonly. Invasion of aero digestive tract by well differentiated thyroid cancer presenting with anemia is one of the rarest occurrence. We, report a case of 68 year old female presented with features of iron deficiency anemia and stool Occult Blood Test positive. On further evaluation was observed to have an esophageal growth, which when biopsied was confirmed as papillary carcinoma of thyroid gland.
Assessing payment for ecosystem services to improve lake water quality using the InVEST model
Authors: Supriyanto Supriyanto , Nowo Martono Dwi , Sari Hasibuan Hayati , Mulyo Hartono Djoko
Published: May 2024

Payment for ecosystem services is a conservation strategy designed to offer farmers financial incentives for managing land to provide ecological benefits without disturbing livelihoods. However, the distribution of spatial financial feasibility is challenging when implementing this strategy on watershed scale. This study aimed to develop payment for ecosystem services model to improve quality in lake water catchment. The model estimated incentive values based on the costs of farmers’ losses, water yields, and pollution loads. The potential loss was calculated by determining the income of farmers in lake water catchment spent on land conversion from intensive agriculture to agroforestry. Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) modeling tool was used to calculate water yield and pollution load. The model was tested with case study approach at Lake Rawa Pening in Indonesia, consisting of nine sub-basins and 75 village administrations. The results showed that the reference compensation for farmers was 1,255.97 USD/ha/year. Considering the spatial distribution of water yields, the incentive for each village varied widely from 891.54 USD/ha/year to 1,557.06 USD/ha/year, even within the same sub-basin. Ten villages had an incentive above 1,450.00 USD/ha/year. However, considering the water pollution load, 26 villages had an incentive above 1,450.00 USD/ha/year with a maximum of 2,024.17 USD/ha/year. Therefore, village boundary should be an analysis unit for determining spatial incentive feasibility rather than a sub-basin boundary. Moreover, the level of water pollution load can become an additional variable to justify the amount of incentives received by farmers.
Technological Features of the Group of Nev’yansk Icons from Nev’yansk Icon Museum
Authors:   State Research Institute for Restoration, Lavrentyeva Elena V. , Kadikova Irina F. ,   State Research Institute for Restoration
Published: May 2024

The article is devoted to the technological examination of eight icons from the largest collection of Ural icon painting in Russia. For the first time the subject of study is the material component of Nev’yansk icons of the first half of the 18th century. The authors determined the painting techniques and artistic materials used by the first icon painters of the mining and metallurgical Ural. The phenomenon of the Old Believers’ Ural Region icon school of this period is doubted and questioned by some modern experts, but in fact this phenomenon is confirmed by the coincidence of technological features of the Nev’yansk icon “Our Lady of Egypt” (1734) and other icons of that period (identical processing of wooden panels, composition of prime and paints, style of so-called lichnόe (painting of exposed body parts) and dolíchnoe (painting of clothing), as well as the painting stratigraphy). The icons were obviously painted in a very small workshop. One technological factor speaks in favor of their Ural Region origin: the use of anhydrite as a filler for the prime. The technique of lichnόe is also very special — alternating layers of white paint and ocher when painting a carnation; in some cases applying the first modeling layer (white) directly over the sankir (proplasmos). The second point indicates the early Nev’yansk icon painters’ familiarity with the techniques of the court icon painters in the Armory in Moscow. The latter in turn agrees with the historical facts that from the 20–30s of the 18th century masters from the Volga Region who had previously been employed by the Armoury then moved to the Ural Region. In addition, the blue pigments are the most important chronological indicator for the icons of this period. The synthetic azurite predominates among the author’s paints; also, indigo and smalt are found, while Prussian blue is completely absent.
Humor in spontaneous media speech in 2017–2022: Language models and pragmatic effects
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Mazikova Natalya Yu.
Published: May 2024

The work is devoted to the study of modern mechanisms for creating a joke in spontaneous, natural, unprepared Russian speech. One of the objectives of the study was to identify the most common language models for creating the funny in spontaneous dialogic media speech. Seven video programs (in the genre of interviews, podcasts, entertainment shows) on YouTube video channels were considered — from 2017 to 2022. These are programs that position themselves as entertainment content: “Evening Urgant”, “Comedy Club”, “Seryozha and Microphone”, “Night Story”. The analysis made it possible to identify 104 dialogic unities containing humorous statements, which were then carefully studied from the semantic, pragmatic and structural points of view. The pragmatic perlocutionary effects of these speech acts are described separately. Of particular interest were such remarks-reactions of the speakers, which are born “here and now”, spontaneously, are not prepared jokes, but a lively and quick response to the words of the interlocutor. The study of the material showed that the main source of humor in spontaneous dialogue are tropes, the main ones being allusion, allegory and hyperbole. Means of polysemy and cases of violation of style (low burlesque) are also frequent. In addition, significant indicators are in repetitions that perform an auxiliary function. The main pragmatic perlocutionary effect in media speech can be considered the joy of recognizing a new meaning, a new look at familiar phenomena. The creative manifestations of the person creating a humorous statement include “a sense of success, triumph”, “the pleasure of the creator who created a unique product”. A joke in a dialogue can perform the function of “preventing the opponent’s aggressive behavior”. The request of the viewer, who massively watches such programs, suggests that this content reduces the level of their life stress, anxiety, tension from the challenges of the real world.
Prospects for the use of interdisciplinary methods in discourse analysis of political text using the example of the P. A. Stolypin’s speech
Authors:   Kazan Federal University, Ivanova Tatiana K. , Bushkanetz Liya E. ,   Kazan Federal University
Published: May 2024

The study deals with the main and relevant directions and approaches to the discourse analysis of domestic and foreign scientists, structuring and building a scheme for analyzing media texts of a political orientation in order to identify the main ideological content, as well as the specifics of its expression in the text. The purpose of this study is to establish interdisciplinary approaches and methods of working with politically oriented text and the prospects of their use to assess the results of influence on the addressee. The authors present the main approaches to such analysis, give an overview of domestic and foreign methods used in discourse analysis, and consider the prospects of their use for assessing the effectiveness of impact, both on the part of the author of the discourse text and on the part of the addressee. Depending on the tasks being solved, both classical and interdisciplinary methods were used as research methods: when creating a historical review, a descriptive-comparative method was used in combination with a classification of approaches to discourse analysis; for developing the problem of impact, the method of critical discourse analysis was used in combination with content analysis of the text. In the course of the work, the sequence of performing certain well-known techniques of analyzing a politically directed text was clarified and the content of P. A. Stolypin according to the scheme proposed by the authors, taking into account the specifics of the linguistic content. In the course of solving this problem and in order to increase the degree of objectivity of the results obtained, machine word processing was additionally used (text information processing programs such as VAAL, Wordstat Yandex, etc.). The authors come to the need for a complex application of traditional methods and automated processing for the objectification of the results obtained.
Silencing HEATR1 Rescues Cisplatin Resistance of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer by Inducing Ferroptosis via the p53/SAT1/ALOX15 Axis
Authors: Ma Xing , Gan Yifan , Mai Zhongchao , Song Yanan , Zhang Miao , Xia Wei
Published: May 2024

Background:

Cisplatin (DDP) is a commonly used chemotherapy agent. However, its
resistance to the drug is a major challenge in its clinical application. Earlier research has suggested
a connection between HEATR1 and chemoresistance in cancer. However, additional investigation
is needed to better understand its involvement in resistance to DDP. In this study, we aimed
to determine the regulatory effect of HEATR1 on the resistance of cisplatin in NSCLC.

Methods:

We collected specimens of both DDP-resistant and non-resistant NSCLC to examine
the expression of HEATR1. Additionally, we established cisplatin-resistant cells of NSCLC using
the A549 cell line. Cell ability was examined by CCK-8 assay. Cell apoptosis and lipid ROS were
examined by flow cytometry. The expressions of HEATR1, p53, SAT1, and ALOX15 were determined
by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The tumor xenograft experiment was conducted to assess
the impact of silencing HEATR1 on cisplatin resistance in vivo in NSCLC.

Results:

The expression levels of HEATR1 were found to be significantly elevated in DDP-resistant
tissues and cells of NSCLC as compared to non-resistant counterparts. Conversely, the expression
levels of p53, SAT1, and ALOX15 were observed to be reduced in DDP-resistant cells.
Through the inhibition of HEATR1, the proliferation of DDP-resistant cells was significantly suppressed,
while the generation of lipid ROS was enhanced. This effect was achieved by activating
ferroptosis and the p53/SAT1/ALOX15 pathway, as demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Conversely,
the overexpression of HEATR1 exhibited opposite effects. Furthermore, the silencing of
p53 and ALOX15 reversed the oncogenic effects of HEATR1 and inhibited ferroptosis in DDP-resistant
NSCLC cells, suggesting the involvement of p53 and ALOX15 in HEATR1-mediated
DDP resistance.

Conclusion:

Finally, the findings revealed that HEATR1 silencing reduced DDP resistance in NSCLC
by inducing ferroptosis via the p53/SAT1/ALOX15 axis. HEATR1 might become a potential
target for overcoming DDP resistance in NSCLC treatment.
Effects of Psychological Stress on Multiple Sclerosis via HPA Axis-mediated Modulation of Natural Killer T Cell Activity
Authors: Gao Yafei , Liu Wenying , Liu Paiyu , Li Min , Ni Bing
Published: May 2024

:

The involvement of psychological stress and Natural Killer T (NKT) cells in the pathophysiology
of multiple sclerosis has been identified in the progression of this disease. Psychological
stress can impact disease occurrence, relapse, and severity through its effects on the Hypothalamic-
Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and immune responses. NKT cells are believed to play a pivotal role
in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, with recent evidence suggesting their distinct functional
alterations following activation of the HPA axis under conditions of psychological stress. This review
summarizes the associations between psychological stress, NKT cells, and multiple sclerosis
while discussing the potential mechanism for how NKT cells mediate the effects of psychological
stress on this disease.
Azepines and their Derivatives as Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Authors: Tiwari Aditi , Bendi Anjaneyulu , Bhathiwal Anirudh Singh , Dharma Rao G. B.
Published: May 2024

Heterocyclic compounds are of great interest today for scientists and
chemists because of their various pharmaceutical applications. They have an
exceptional ability to present both biomimetic and active pharmacophores, which
makes them versatile pharmacophores for numerous drugs. Azepines are among the
nitrogen-containing heterocyclic moieties with boundless medicinal and biological
applications. This chapter is mainly focused on the synthesis and isolation of a variety
of azepine based heterocyclic compounds with their anti-inflammatory activities.
Gender, Sexuality and Non-Academic Impact: Exploring the Role of Gender and Sexuality (Studies) in the 2021 “Research Excellence Framework”
Authors: Vanlee Florian
Published: May 2024

By analyzing a purposeful sample of ‘Impact Cases’ submitted for the 2021 iteration of the UK’s ‘Research Excellence Framework’ (REF2021), this study first demonstrates how gender and sexuality feature in constructions of UK universities’ ‘non-academic impact’. It highlights how both are key ‘secondary impact areas’, mobilized across disciplines to articulate the ‘breadth’ of their contribution. Then, it establishes gender and sexuality studies’ prominence as an ‘impactful field’ in the social sciences and humanities, illustrating how associated research is understood as particularly valuable beyond academia. Finally, studying how Impact Cases thematically focused on gender and/or sexuality motivate their ‘impact need’ and report on their ‘impact arguments’ highlights key narrative elements – reflecting commonplace pathways to impact for gender and sexuality studies. Critically reviewing the findings in the light of today’s growing emphasis on ‘impact’ in research governance, the paper reflects on what is at stake for the field.
MEGA PROJECTS AS A BIG PUSH FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFORMATION: A CASE STUDY OF TANJUNG KUPANG, JOHOR
Authors: Rashid Mohamad Fadhli , Kamarudin Khairul Hisyam , Abdul Rashid Mohd Fadzil , Mohd Zulkifli Nadia
Published: May 2024

Mega projects are currently seen as a catalyst for Malaysia’s development as they can provide various benefits both in the city and the countryside. However, if the desired progress does not consider the socio-economic aspects of the community, the development will ignore their quality of life. Therefore, the impact of a mega project development in the Tanjung Kupang subdistrict became a research medium. This study examines the impact of a mega project development on the rural communities of the Tanjung Kupang subdistrict. A quantitative approach method was adopted, employing a questionnaire survey involving 61 heads of households as the study sample. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data collected. The findings identified several factors that greatly affected the socio-economic level of Tanjung Kupang rural communities, such as employment, income, and development location. The findings also indicate that the mega project in Tanjung Kupang has had an impact on the rural community in the subdistrict in terms of increased side income (4.48), increased communication and infrastructure networks (4.43), loss of income from agricultural source activities (4.33), and competition of foreign workers with local people (4.23). Therefore, this study may serve as a reference for assessing the impact of a mega project and giving awareness to the construction sector on the importance of social community involvement in any development planning.
Pengaruh Bauran Promosi Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Sepeda Motor Pada PT. Honda Nusantara Sakti Cabang Mandonga Kendari
Authors: Hamida La Ode , Hakim Abdul , Rahmatia Rahmatia
Published: May 2024

Dewasa kini, kemajuan teknologi informasi mendorong tingkat persaingan di berbagai industri semakin ketat dan berlomba-lomba untuk mendapatkan pangsa pasar yang luas tidak terkecuali dengan industri otomotif kendaraan roda dua. Para pelaku industri otomotif melakukan berbagai cara untuk mendorong keunggulan kompetitifnya melalui berbagai macam bauran pemasaran, salah satunya ialah PT. Honda Nusantara Sakti Cabang Mandonga Kendari. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh bauran promosi dan bauran promosi yang paling berpengaruh terhadap keputusan pembelian sepeda motor pada PT. Honda Nusantara Sakti Cabang Mandonga Kendari. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah deskriptif dan kuantitatif. Pengambilan sampel sebanyak 38 responden dengan menggunakan teknik sampel non-probability sampling. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian yang telah dilakukan menunjukkan bahwa nilai signifikansi = 0,000 < 0,05 sehingga Ho ditolak dan Ha diterima, berarti bauran promosi mempunyai pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap keputusan pembelian. Selain itu hasil dari analisis deskriptif diketahui bahwa bauran promosi yang paling mempengaruhi keputusan pembelian adalah periklanan