bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the Special Section on the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 38th Annual Meeting: Trauma as a transdiagnostic risk factor across the lifespan
Authors: Carter Sierra E. , Sumner Jennifer A.
Published: August 2023

This article serves as an introduction to the special section in the Journal of Traumatic Stress related to the 38th annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, held in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) in November 2022. The theme of this meeting, “Trauma as a Transdiagnostic Risk Factor Across the Lifespan,” provided an opportunity to recognize the far‐reaching impact of trauma and how traumatic experiences can become embedded into the mind, body, and societal spirit. This introductory article outlines the importance of harnessing multiple perspectives to address these wide‐ranging sequelae of trauma and provides an overview of the series of contributions to the special section.
Unmet clinical needs, burden of disease and treatment patterns in hidradenitis suppurativa: Real‐world experience from Spain
Authors: Vilarrasa Eva , Molina‐Leyva Alejandro , Martín Víctor , Coak Emily , Truman Isabel , Wallinger Hayley , Richardson Craig , Martorell Antonio
Published: August 2023

Background

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory, debilitating skin disease. HS is difficult‐to‐treat, and a multifaceted treatment approach is recommended to achieve adequate clinical response. A greater understanding of HS treatment could help identify unmet clinical needs.

Objectives

To evaluate disease characteristics and treatment patterns in a real‐world population of patients with HS in Spain.

Methods

This retrospective analysis utilised data collected from the Adelphi HS Disease Specific Programme between November 2020 and April 2021. Dermatologists completed patient record forms (PRFs) for consulting HS patients. Outcomes included disease severity, HS clinical signs, quality of life measures, medical treatments and previous surgeries.

Results

Overall, 53 dermatologists completed 332 PRFs, each representing one patient with HS. Based on physician‐judged disease severity at sampling, 73.8%, 22.9% and 3.3% of patients were classified as mild, moderate or severe, respectively. Overall, patients presented with 2.8±2.7 (mean±SD) HS symptoms, which increased with worsening disease severity. The most frequently reported symptoms were ‘inflammation/redness of HS lesions/abscess’ (45.9%), general pain/discomfort (39.9%) and pain on sitting (32.3%). Overall, patients reported a mean±SD Dermatology Life Quality Index score of 4.7±4.8, which increased with worsening disease severity (mild, 3.9±4.3; moderate, 8.7±5.1; moderate to severe, 9.0±5.1). When asked what effect HS had on everyday activities, a large proportion of patients reported that HS sometimes or greatly affected personal appearance/self‐confidence (66.0%), mood (60.2%), close personal relationships (60.4%), motivation (38.3%), leisure activities (43.0%) and feelings about the future (33.6%). At the time of HS diagnosis, the most frequently prescribed treatment regimens were topicals (70.7%), antibiotics (57.6%) and antiseptics (32.2%). At the time of sampling, the most common treatment regimens were biologics (43.8%), topicals (34.9%) and antibiotics (32.2%). The mean±SD number of surgical interventions was 0.6±0.8; incision and drainage (31.3%), local or limited excision (13.0%), and wide surgical excision of all hair‐bearing skin (9.9%) were the most common surgeries.

Conclusions

These real‐world data suggest a high disease burden in patients with HS in Spain. Patients received multiple treatments, and a notable proportion underwent surgery. More data are needed to define optimal HS management strategies.
Trends in Twitter Utilization Among Academic Otolaryngologists
Authors: Duggal Radhika , Mehrabi Shadi , Bryson Paul C. , Bowe Sarah N.
Published: August 2023

Objective

To characterize Twitter utilization among academic otolaryngologists and evaluate the relationship between Twitter utilization and research productivity.

Methods

Data were collected manually from accredited US otolaryngology residency programs from July–November 2021. Program and faculty demographics were documented, including citations and H‐index for faculty and Doximity reputation and US News and World Report ranking for programs. Twitter metrics were also recorded. Descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of Twitter utilization.

Results

Currently, 333 (16%) faculty and 70 (62%) programs have a Twitter account. Of these, 36 (11%) and 27 (39%), respectively, were created in 2020. The regression model indicates that for each 5 unit increase in H‐index, the odds of having a Twitter account increase 22% (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.10–1.34, p = 0.0009). The number of faculty with a Twitter account predicts the existence of program Twitter accounts (OR:1.49, 95% CI 1.01–2.19, p = 0.04). Finally, of the 323 faculty with a Twitter account and available Scopus profile, we found that the number of individuals with Twitter use out of proportion to their academic productivity was low (n = 8/323).

Conclusion

The H‐index is a significant predictor of faculty Twitter accounts, whereas the number of faculty with Twitter is a significant predictor of program Twitter utilization. Although Twitter utilization is increasing, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, the findings indicate that there is ample room for growth, particularly amongst faculty with strong academic portfolios.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 134:1190–1196, 2024
Soil aggregation and aggregate‐associated organic carbon flows are affected by different restoration patterns on reclaimed mine soil in the Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Bi Yinli , Li Mingchao , Du Xinpeng , Christie Peter
Published: August 2023

Vegetation restoration of land post‐mining can strengthen the development of soil aggregates and promote the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC), and Microbial restoration such as Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can significantly improve the effect of vegetation restoration. However, the effects of different recovery modes (microbial and natural restoration) on soil macroaggregates development and the carbon flows of the organic carbon (OC) have been less studied on reclaimed mine soil. A 4‐year field experiment was conducted on opencast coal reclaimed areas in Inner Mongolia grassland, and three recovery modes were set up: artificial restoration, artificial restoration (inoculated with AMF) and natural restoration. Results showed that compared with the natural restoration, artificial restoration and AMF inoculation increased the OC, total glomalin‐related soil proteins (TGRSP) contents and the value of δ13C in macroaggregates (>0.25 mm) in deep soil (30–50 cm). The shallow roots were the most likely starting points of carbon flow in the natural recovery area surface soil, and artificial restoration inoculation with AMF increased the carbon flows between all levels of aggregates in deep soil, showing a carbon flow pattern from macroaggregates to microaggregates (<0.25 mm). Moreover, significant correlations among the TGRSP, SOC content, and δ13C value were recorded, indicating the SOC sequestration and stability of reclaimed mine soil were potentially associated with TGRSP. In summary, both natural restoration and artificial restoration had advantages and disadvantages on reclaimed mine soil, but the artificial restoration inoculation with AMF showed great potential in promoting the aggregate carbon flow and persistent SOC accumulation.
There is no such thing as a predatory journal
Authors: Downes Mike
Published: August 2023

Key points

A journal is inanimate and incapable of predation, hence there is no such thing as a predatory journal.

The predators are the publishing company CEOs, journal owners and other complicit people.

Those committing fraud and identity theft should be prosecuted.

Less time and effort should be spent on scholarly investigations.

More time and effort should now be devoted to prosecutions.
The physiological response of an Antarctic key phytoplankton species to low iron and manganese concentrations
Authors: Balaguer Jenna , Thoms Silke , Trimborn Scarlett
Published: August 2023

Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) availability and the divergent requirements of phytoplankton species were recently shown to be potential important drivers of Southern Ocean community composition. Knowledge about Antarctic phytoplankton species requirements for Fe and Mn remains, however, scarce. By performing laboratory experiments and additional calculations of the photosynthetic electron transport, we investigated the response of the ecologically important species Phaeocystis antarctica under a combination of different Fe and Mn concentrations. Fe deprivation alone provoked typical physiological characteristics of Fe limitation in P. antarctica (e.g., lowered growth and photosynthetic efficiency). In comparison, under Mn deprivation alone, the growth and carbon production of P. antarctica were not impacted. Its tolerance to cope with low Mn concentrations resulted from an efficient photoacclimation strategy, including a higher number of active photosystems II through which fewer electrons were transported. This strategy allowed us to maintain similar high growth and carbon production rates as FeMn‐enriched cells. Due to its low Mn requirement, P. antarctica performed physiologically as Fe‐deprived cells under the combined depletion of Fe and Mn. Hence, our study reveals that different from other Southern Ocean phytoplankton species, P. antarctica possesses a high capacity to cope with natural low Mn concentrations, which can facilitate its dominance over others, potentially explaining its ecological success across the Southern Ocean.
Spectrum of a q‐deformed Schrödinger equation by means of the variational method
Authors: Doğan Çalışır Ayşe , Turan Mehmet , Sevinik Adıgüzel Rezan
Published: August 2023

In this work, the
‐deformed Schrödinger equations defined in different form of the
‐Hamiltonian for
‐harmonic oscillator are considered with symmetric, asymmetric, and non‐polynomial potentials. The spectrum of the
‐Hamiltonian is obtained by using the Rayleigh‐Ritz variational method in which the discrete
‐Hermite I polynomials are taken as the basis. As applications,
‐harmonic, purely
‐quartic, and
‐quartic oscillators are examined in the class of symmetric polynomial potentials. Moreover, the
‐version of Gaussian potential for an example of a non‐polynomial symmetric potential and a specific example of
‐version of asymmetric double well potential are presented. Numerous results are given for these potentials for several values of
. The limit relation as
is discussed. The obtained results of ground‐ and excited‐state energies of the purely
‐quartic oscillator and the accuracy of the ground‐state energy levels are compared with the existing results. Also, the results are compared with the classical case appearing in the literature in the limiting case
.
A novel support vector machine with generalized pinball loss for uncertain data classification
Authors: Damminsed Vipavee , Panup Wanida , Makmuang Dawrawee , Suppalap Siwakon , Wangkeeree Rabian
Published: August 2023

In real‐world problems, data suffer from measurement errors, data staleness, and repeated measurements, which make data uncertain. To consider the uncertainty of data, the concept of giving each data feature as a multidimensional Gaussian distribution has been utilized. In 2021, support vector machines with an
insensitive zone pinball loss (UPinSVMs) for uncertain data classification was proposed, where
is a positive number. The UPinSVMs bring noise insensitivity, stability for resampling, and increased model sparsity. However, the value of
is known to be specified. In order to improve the performance, we combine the generalized pinball loss ((
‐Mod‐Pin‐SVM) into the uncertain classification, term as UGPinSVMs, where
are two positive numbers. The generalized pinball loss is an optimal insensitive zone pinball loss and is an extension of existing loss functions that also addresses the issues of noise insensitivity and resampling instability. We solve the primal quadratic programming problems by transforming individuals into unconstrained optimization using an efficient stochastic gradient descent algorithm. More specially, we have introduced verified theorems that are related to our approaches and investigated scatter minimization. The results from several benchmark datasets show that our model outperforms the existing classifier in terms of accuracy and statistical analysis. Furthermore, the application of our framework to the crop recommendation dataset is also examined.
Spontaneous and Microbiota‐Driven Degradation of Anthocyanins in an In Vitro Human Colon Model
Authors: Shehata Emad , Day‐Walsh Priscilla , Kellingray Lee , Narbad Arjan , Kroon Paul A.
Published: August 2023

Scope

The consumption of dietary anthocyanins is associated with various health benefits. However, anthocyanins are poorly bioavailable, and most ingested anthocyanins will enter the colon where they are degraded to small phenolic metabolites that are the main absorbed forms. Little is known about the processes of anthocyanin degradation in the gut and the role of the human gut microbiota. This study aims to determine the contribution of spontaneous and microbiota‐dependent degradation of anthocyanins in the human colon.

Methods and results

Purified anthocyanin extracts from black rice and bilberry were incubated in an in vitro human fecal‐inoculated pH‐controlled colon model over 24 h and anthocyanins were analyzed using HPLC‐DAD. The study shows that the loss of anthocyanins occurs both spontaneously and as a consequence of metabolism by the gut microbiota. The study observes that there is high variability in spontaneous degradation but only modest variation in total degradation, which included the microbiota‐dependent component. The degradation rate of anthocyanins is also shown to be dependent on the B‐ring substitution pattern and the type of sugar moiety, both for spontaneous and microbiota‐dependent degradation.

Conclusion

Anthocyanins are completely degraded in a model of the human colon by a combination of spontaneous and microbiota‐dependent processes.
A user independent denoising method for x‐nuclei MRI and MRS
Authors: Christensen Nichlas Vous , Vaeggemose Michael , Bøgh Nikolaj , Hansen Esben S. S. , Olesen Jonas L. , Kim Yaewon , Vigneron Daniel B. , Gordon Jeremy W. , Jespersen Sune N. , Laustsen Christoffer
Published: August 2023

Purpose

X‐nuclei (also called non‐proton MRI) MRI and spectroscopy are limited by the intrinsic low SNR as compared to conventional proton imaging. Clinical translation of x‐nuclei examination warrants the need of a robust and versatile tool improving image quality for diagnostic use. In this work, we compare a novel denoising method with fewer inputs to the current state‐of‐the‐art denoising method.

Methods

Denoising approaches were compared on human acquisitions of sodium (23Na) brain, deuterium (2H) brain, carbon (13C) heart and brain, and simulated dynamic hyperpolarized 13C brain scans, with and without additional noise. The current state‐of‐the‐art denoising method Global‐local higher order singular value decomposition (GL‐HOSVD) was compared to the few‐input method tensor Marchenko‐Pastur principal component analysis (tMPPCA). Noise‐removal was quantified by residual distributions, and statistical analyses evaluated the differences in mean‐square‐error and Bland–Altman analysis to quantify agreement between original and denoised results of noise‐added data.

Results

GL‐HOSVD and tMPPCA showed similar performance for the variety of x‐nuclei data analyzed in this work, with tMPPCA removing ˜5% more noise on average over GL‐HOSVD. The mean ratio between noise‐added and denoising reproducibility coefficients of the Bland–Altman analysis when compared to the original are also similar for the two methods with 3.09 ± 1.03 and 2.83 ± 0.79 for GL‐HOSVD and tMPPCA, respectively.

Conclusion

The strength of tMPPCA lies in the few‐input approach, which generalizes well to different data sources. This makes the use of tMPPCA denoising a robust and versatile tool in x‐nuclei imaging improvements and the preferred denoising method.
The effects of intervention with intravenous edaravone in Study 19 on hospitalization, tracheostomy, ventilation, and death in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Brooks Benjamin Rix , Pioro Erik P. , Sakata Takeshi , Takahashi Fumihiro , Hagan Melissa , Apple Stephen
Published: August 2023

Introduction/Aims

Intravenous (IV) edaravone is a US Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), shown in clinical trials to slow physical functional decline. In this study we compared the effect of IV edaravone (edaravone‐first group) versus placebo followed by IV edaravone (placebo‐first group) on survival and additional milestone events.

Methods

This work is a post hoc analysis of Study 19/MCI186‐19, which was a randomized, placebo‐controlled, phase 3 study investigating IV edaravone versus placebo. Study 19 and its 24‐week extension have been described previously (NCT01492686). Edaravone‐first versus placebo‐first group time to events for specific milestone(s) were analyzed post hoc. Time‐to‐event composite endpoints were time to death; time to death, tracheostomy, or permanent assisted ventilation (PAV); and time to death, tracheostomy, PAV, or hospitalization.

Results

The risk for death, tracheostomy, PAV, or hospitalization was 53% lower among patients in the edaravone‐first vs placebo‐first groups (hazard ratio = 0.47 [95% confidence interval 0.25 to 0.88], P = .02). The overall effect of IV edaravone on ALS progression could be seen in the significant separation of time‐to‐event curves for time to death, tracheostomy, PAV, or hospitalization. ALS survival composite endpoint analyses (ALS/SURV) suggested a treatment benefit (least‐squares mean difference) for the edaravone‐first versus the placebo‐first group at week 24 (0.15 ± 0.05 [95% confidence interval 0.06 to 0.25], P < .01) and week 48 (0.11 ± 0.05 [95% confidence interval 0.02 to 0.21], P = .02).

Discussion

These analyses illustrate the value of timely and continued IV edaravone treatment, as earlier initiation was associated with a lower risk of death, tracheostomy, PAV, or hospitalization in patients with ALS.
Engaging a new generation of donors: A relationship management theory approach to communication between nonprofits and millennials
Authors: Parker Kimberly A. , Geegan Sarah A. , Pfeiffer Samantha N. , George Ansley M. , Jaffe Danielle E. , Grumbein Adriane , Scheuer Sylvia , Brown Allison D.
Published: August 2023

Current evidence on philanthropic giving to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) suggests that NPOs are not successfully cultivating relationships with prospective donors in the millennial generation; this has negative implications for the organizations' future financial sustainability. The current investigation employed a framework grounded in relationship management theory to explore how NPOs can better engage with this target audience. A series of focus groups revealed nuanced factors that facilitated relationship‐building between millennials and NPOs, rooted in the theoretical constructs of trust and openness. These results can be used to guide NPOs' donor‐engagement strategies focused specifically on millennials, thus guiding long‐term donor relations efforts.
Solar parks as livestock enclosures can become key to linking energy, biodiversity and society
Authors: Zaplata Markus K.
Published: August 2023

The expansion of renewable energy generation sites in the landscape is controversial, as is repopulation by large predators, particularly wolves. Both range extensions are recent phenomena, and both lead to harsh incompatibilities that arise from exclusions.

Regarding solar parks, the problems would be solvable by a paradigm shift, namely towards inclusions. The required changes sound trivial: First, it would be more multifunctional to make use of the valuable plant growth in solar parks. Second, it would be more sustainable to rely on grazing rather than mowing for solar park maintenance. Grazing livestock would need to be protected from wolves by strong fencing.

If these changes become the reality, this could locally remove large predators like the wolf from the line of fire of social resistance. In addition, implementation would bring benefits across sectors by bringing together previously divergent and hardened utilization concepts, which would ultimately have positive impacts for renewable energy generation, biodiversity and society.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Effect of disaggregation and activation of sepiolite on interfacial interaction and mechanical properties of natural rubber/sepiolite composites prepared by latex compounding method
Authors: Hou Zhanfeng , Wang Zhibin , Chen Qi , Xin Zhenxiang
Published: August 2023

The demand for environmentally friendly and non‐petroleum based natural rubber products is on the rise. Sepiolite, a one‐dimensional clay mineral, has been found to be a suitable reinforcement for natural rubber through latex compounding. However, the aggregation of fibers and minerals may impact the overall properties of natural rubber composites. To overcome this challenge, the study utilized ultrasonic disaggregation and oxalic acid activation to prepare stable sepiolite suspensions with varying specific surface areas and surface activities. These suspensions were then mixed with natural rubber latex to prepare NR/sepiolite composites. The results showed that the dispersibility and bonding ability of sepiolite with natural rubber were improved due to the increased specific surface area and surface activity, resulting in more bonding sites. The mechanical properties of the composites were also found to be improved, with a significant increase in tear strength (from 61.9 to 67.6 N·mm−1) and tensile strength (from 23.0 to 29.5 MPa). This research lays a strong foundation for the utilization of sepiolite in rubber materials.
State‐of‐the‐art review on developing lightweight fiber‐metal laminates based on synthetic/natural fibers
Authors: Ng Lin Feng , Yahya Mohd Yazid , Leong Hui Yi , Parameswaranpillai Jyotishkumar , Muthukumar Chandrasekar , Syed Hamzah Syed Mohd Saiful Azwan , Dhar Malingam Sivakumar
Published: August 2023

The development of hybrid materials consisting of alternating layers of metal alloys and polymeric composites has revolutionized the engineering field. These metal‐composite laminates combine the merits of each individual component, forming advanced and promising structures which could be employed for structural applications. The low fatigue crack growth rate and high damage tolerance of these materials are particularly fascinating. When developing metal‐composite laminates with superb functional properties, the combination of several metal surface treatment techniques is a common practice to ensure optimum metal‐composite adhesion. Today, a new cutting‐edge manufacturing technique utilizing nano‐porous network film has been established to get rid of the massive infrastructure of conventional autoclave techniques and produce first‐rate materials. Even though various techniques can be adopted to manufacture metal‐composite laminates, the selection of the techniques is highly dependent on the nature of the polymer matrix. After the manufacture of the metal‐composite laminates, post‐stretching is considered a critical step to alleviate the unfavorable residual stress to ensure the optimum performance of these materials for long‐term service. When dealing with natural fibers, it is worth mentioning that the processing temperature should be limited to below 200°C regardless of manufacturing technique to avoid fiber degradation. Metal‐composite laminates consisting of synthetic/natural fibers are considered a viable option to offset the demerits of each kind of fibers. By incorporating fatigue‐resilient natural fibers in the laminates, it is expected that the overall fatigue resistance of the laminates can be apparently enhanced, which is in line with the initial goal of developing metal‐composite laminates.

Highlights

Fiber bridging offers fiber‐metal laminates with superior fatigue properties.

Metal surface treatment is vital to ensure an optimum fiber‐bridging mechanism.

A novel out‐of‐autoclave method can produce first‐grade fiber‐metal laminates.

Post‐stretching is needed to lessen residual stress in fiber‐metal laminates.

Hybrid fiber‐metal laminates are feasible for structural applications.
One‐pot three‐step synthesis of PDMAEMA‐b‐PMMA‐b‐PNIPAM triblock block copolymer for preparing pH and thermal dual‐responsive PVDF blend membranes
Authors: Luo Xin , Wang Zhuqing , Yan Mengxia , Xin Jianhui , Yang Yongqi
Published: August 2023

Functional membranes based on stimuli‐responsive block copolymers have attracted significant attention in the field of membrane separations, which can adjust the pore sizes and the surface properties in response to environmental stimuli. However, it was inconvenient to synthesize stimuli‐responsive block copolymers due to the complexity and inefficiency of the synthesis process. In this work, pH‐ and thermal‐responsive triblock copolymers were synthesized by the one‐pot method to modify PVDF membranes. The modified membranes exhibit good hydrophilicity, and the contact angle of M2 decreased from 74° to 0° within 20 s. Surprisingly, the water flux of the blend membrane is approximately 24 times and 33 times higher than that of the pure membrane, respectively. Besides, the modified membranes also exhibit good pH and thermal response, and superior fouling‐tolerant performance. Overall, these multi‐responsive block copolymers synthesized by a simple one‐pot method have enormous potential for controlled size separation, flux regulation, and many other fields.
The effects of extracellular vesicles and their cargo on metabolism and its adaptation to physical exercise in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
Authors: Mastrototaro Lucia , Roden Michael
Published: August 2023

Lifestyle modification represents the first‐line strategy for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is frequently associated with obesity and characterized by defective pancreatic insulin secretion and/or insulin resistance. Exercise training is an essential component of lifestyle modification and has been shown to ameliorate insulin resistance by reducing body fat mass and by enhancing skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and insulin‐independent glucose uptake. Additionally, exercising stimulates the release of exerkines such as metabolites or cytokines, but also long non‐coding RNA, microRNAs, cell‐free DNA (cf‐DNA), and extracellular vesicles (EVs), which contribute to inter‐tissue communication. There is emerging evidence that EV number and content are altered in obesity and T2DM and may be involved in several metabolic processes, specifically either worsening or improving insulin resistance. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the metabolic effects of exercise training and on the potential role of humoral factors and EV as new biomarkers for early diagnosis and tailored treatment of T2DM.
A random forest model for predicting exosomal proteins using evolutionary information and motifs
Authors: Arora Akanksha , Patiyal Sumeet , Sharma Neelam , Devi Naorem Leimarembi , Kaur Dashleen , Raghava Gajendra P. S.
Published: August 2023

Non‐invasive diagnostics and therapies are crucial to prevent patients from undergoing painful procedures. Exosomal proteins can serve as important biomarkers for such advancements. In this study, we attempted to build a model to predict exosomal proteins. All models are trained, tested, and evaluated on a non‐redundant dataset comprising 2831 exosomal and 2831 non‐exosomal proteins, where no two proteins have more than 40% similarity. Initially, the standard similarity‐based method Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) was used to predict exosomal proteins, which failed due to low‐level similarity in the dataset. To overcome this challenge, machine learning (ML) based models were developed using compositional and evolutionary features of proteins achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) of 0.73. Our analysis also indicated that exosomal proteins have a variety of sequence‐based motifs which can be used to predict exosomal proteins. Hence, we developed a hybrid method combining motif‐based and ML‐based approaches for predicting exosomal proteins, achieving a maximum AUROC of 0.85 and MCC of 0.56 on an independent dataset. This hybrid model performs better than presently available methods when assessed on an independent dataset. A web server and a standalone software ExoProPred (https://webs.iiitd.edu.in/raghava/exopropred/) have been created to help scientists predict and discover exosomal proteins and find functional motifs present in them.
A practical guide to botulinum neurotoxin treatment of teres major muscle in shoulder spasticity: Intramuscular neural distribution of teres major muscle in cadaver model
Authors: Yi Kyu‐Ho , Lee Kang‐Woo , Hu Hye‐Won , Lee Ji‐Hyun , Lee Hyung‐Jin
Published: August 2023

Background

Botulinum neurotoxin treatment typically focuses on the teres major muscle as a primary target for addressing shoulder spasticity. The muscle is located deep within a large muscle group and optimal injection locations have not been identified.

Objective

To identify the preferred location for administering botulinum toxin injections in the teres major muscle.

Methods

Teres major specimens were removed from 18 cadaveric models and stained with Sihler's method to reveal the neural distribution within the muscle. The muscles were systematically divided into equal lengths from origin to insertion. The neural density in each section was evaluated to determine the location that would be likely to increase effectiveness of the injection.

Results

The greatest density of intramuscular nerve endings was located in the middle 20% of the muscle. The tendinous portion was observed at the ends of the muscle.

Conclusions

The results suggest that botulinum neurotoxin should be delivered in the middle 20% of the teres major muscle.
Activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress by harmine suppresses the growth of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Fan Ronghui , Wang Senzhen , Wu Yalan , Feng Yongli , Gao Mengke , Cao Yue , Ma Xiaoxuan , Xie Songqiang , Wang Chaojie , Gao Lei , Wang Yanming , Dai Fujun
Published: August 2023

The worldwide overall 5‐year survival rate of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients is less than 20%, and novel therapeutic strategies for these patients are urgently needed. Harmine is a natural β‐carboline alkaloid, which received great interest in cancer research because of its biological and anti‐tumor activities. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of harmine on ESCC and its mechanism. We investigated the effects of harmine on proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and tumor growth in vivo. RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq), real‐time PCR, and western blotting were used to detect the mechanism. Harmine inhibited ESCC cell growth in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Differentially expressed genes in harmine‐treated ESCC cells were mainly involved in protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Real‐time PCR and western blotting confirmed harmine‐induced cellular ER stress. CRISPR‐Cas9 knockout of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) abolished harmine‐induced expression of death receptor 5 and apoptosis. Harmine also induced the expression of CHOP‐mediated sestrin‐2, which in turn contributes to autophagosome formation via suppressing the AMP‐activated protein kinase‐protein kinase B‐mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that harmine inhibits the growth of ESCC through its regulation of ER stress, suggesting that it is a promising candidate for ESCC treatment.
Apigenin inhibits macrophage pyroptosis through regulation of oxidative stress and the NF‐κB pathway and ameliorates atherosclerosis
Authors: Weng Xiuzhu , Luo Xing , Dai Xinyu , Lv Ying , Zhang Shan , Bai Xiaoxuan , Bao Xiaoyi , Wang Ying , Zhao Chen , Zeng Ming , Hu Sining , Li Ji , Jia Haibo , Yu Bo
Published: August 2023

Pyroptosis plays an important role in inflammatory diseases such as viral hepatitis and atherosclerosis. Apigenin exhibits various bioactivities, particularly anti‐inflammation, but its effect on pyroptosis remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of apigenin on pyroptosis and explore its potential against inflammatory diseases. THP‐1 macrophages treated by lipopolysaccharides/adenosine 5′‐triphosphate were used as the in vitro pyroptosis model. Western blot was used to detect the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome components and key regulators. Immunofluorescence was used to observe ROS production and intracellular location of p65. The potential of apigenin against inflammatory diseases was evaluated using atherosclerotic mice. Plaque progression was observed by pathological staining. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome components in plaques. The results showed that apigenin inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Apigenin reduced ROS overproduction and inhibited p65 nuclear translocation. Additionally, apigenin decreased the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome components in the plaque. Plaque progression was inhibited by apigenin. In conclusion, apigenin exhibited a preventive effect on macrophage pyroptosis by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting the NF‐κB pathway. Apigenin may alleviate atherosclerosis at least partially by inhibiting macrophage pyroptosis. These findings suggest apigenin to be a promising therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases.
Association between cannabis use and risk of diabetes mellitus type 2: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Mousavi Seyed Ehsan , Tondro Anamag Farhad , Sanaie Sarvin
Published: August 2023

Background

Cannabis consumption exerts multiple effects on metabolism via various pathways, including glucose regulation and insulin secretion. Studies concerning the association between cannabis use and diabetes mellitus type 2 are discrepant.

Objective

This study was conducted to evaluate the association between cannabis use and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Search Methods

We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Proquest, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library with no time, language or study types restriction until July 1, 2022, using various forms of “cannabis” and “diabetes mellitus” search terms.

Selection Criteria

Randomized control trials, cohort, and case–control studies investigating the relationship between cannabis consumption and diabetes mellitus type 2 were included.

Data Collection and Analysis

The Newcastle–Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of studies. We pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using the random‐effects model, generic inverse variance method, DerSimonian and Laird approach.

Main Results

A meta‐analysis of seven studies, containing 11 surveys and 4 cohorts, revealed that the odds of developing T2DM in individuals exposed to cannabis was 0.48 times (95% CI: 0.39 to 0.59) lower than in those without cannabis exposure.

Conclusions

A protective effect of cannabis consumption on the odds of diabetes mellitus type 2 development has been suggested. Yet given the considerable interstudy heterogeneity, the upward trend of cannabis consumption and cannabis legalization is recommended to conduct studies with higher levels of evidence.
Extremely late‐onset chronic graft‐versus‐host disease presenting with bronchiolitis obliterans and pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis
Authors: Akiyama Sae , Murayama Chisa , Aizawa Saori , Mizushima Arei , Maeda Yukiko , Taniguchi Natsuko , Nagai Katsura , Harada Toshiyuki
Published: August 2023

A 35‐year‐old woman experienced left back pain after a 2‐h flight. She reported coughing and left back pain 1 day later when she presented to our hospital. Chest computed tomography showed pneumothorax of the left lung, bronchiectasis, thickening of the bronchial wall, nodules, and cavity lesions in both lungs. A pulmonary function test revealed obstructive ventilation disorder with normal lung diffusing capacity. She had a history of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) at 2 years and 3 months of age during the second disease remission of acute myeloid leukaemia. She was diagnosed with chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (cGVHD) presenting with bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) and pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE). To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of BO and PPFE diagnosed more than 30 years after HSCT.
Progress toward SDG‐2: Assessing food security in 93 countries with a multidimensional indicator system
Authors: Peng Bangrong , Shuai Chenyang , Yin Chaojing , Qi Haotian , Chen Xi
Published: August 2023

The second goal of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (SDG‐2: zero hunger), which integrates food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture, is the common aim of human beings. Assessment of food security performance is the premise of understanding the global food security to tailor strategies toward SDG‐2. This study quantitatively assesses the food security of 93 countries using a multiple‐dimensional indicator system (MDIS) with five dimensions (i.e., availability, access, utilization, stability, and other) consisting of 34 indicators using the data for the years 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The results show imbalance in global food security, which is generally high in Europe, Oceania, and North America, fair in East Asia and South America, and low in Africa and South Asia. In the dimensions, countries with low availability are mainly owing to the bad performances of indicators related to energy, protein, and meat supply; the low utilization is expressed in the number of obese adults, stunted children, prevalence of anemia of women, obese adults and overweight children; the low food access showed in the low GDP per capita and rail line density; and the low‐stability countries mainly have the high food import dependency and low political stability. Policy implications include promoting the adoption of agricultural technologies to boost food production, implementing inclusive finance among vulnerable groups to enhance health equality, developing national economy and transport systems to increase access to food, and encouraging local food reserves and calling for world peace to stable food supply. This study provides national governments and international organizations with a new MDIS, status quo, and possible solutions to eliminating hunger.
Highly Efficient Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells on Polyethylene Terephthalate Films via Dual Halide and Low‐Dimensional Interface Engineering for Indoor Photovoltaics
Authors: Skafi Zeynab , Xu Jie , Mottaghitalab Vahid , Mivehi Leila , Taheri Babak , Jafarzadeh Farshad , Podapangi Suresh Kumar , Altamura Davide , Guascito Maria Rachele , Barba Luisa , Giannini Cinzia , Rizzo Aurora , De Rossi Francesca , Javanbakht Lomeri Hamed , Sorbello Luca , Matteocci Fabio , Brunetti Francesca , Brown Thomas M.
Published: August 2023

Flexible perovskite solar cells are lightweight, bendable, and applicable to curved surfaces. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has become the substrate of choice compared to other plastic substrates like polyethylene naphthalate. PET is not only stable but also much cheaper to manufacture, an important factor for photovoltaics (PV). Herein, highly efficient devices on PET are demonstrated using a dual low‐temperature (≤100 °C) approach, first by anion mixing (replacing I with Br) of the lead‐containing perovskite composition, increasing bandgap (42% improvement), and then by interfacial engineering with tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) (a further 26% improvement), reaching efficiencies of 28.9% at 200 lx and a record 32.5% at 1000 lx. The TBA+cation intercalates into the structure, substituting formamidinium cations at the perovskite/TBAB interface, inducing the formation of large‐sized, lower dimensional structures over the 3D perovskite matrix. The resulting PV cell has 1.4 times higher carrier lifetime, one order of magnitude lower leakage currents, and 3 times lower defect densities, suppressing recombination. Importantly, stability (ISOS‐D1 protocol) improves by more than double with treatment. Highly efficient and stable cells on PET films enable seamless integration with wearable, portable, smart building, and Internet of Things electronic devices, expanding the reach of indoor applications.
Preliminary investigation into the housing of dwarf hamsters
Authors: Hedley Joanna E. , Pettitt Adam , Abeyesinghe Siobhan M.
Published: August 2023

Background

Although pet hamsters are widely available, the literature on their husbandry and health is limited, and guidelines for the care of hamsters are variable. This study investigated housing in different dwarf hamster species, focusing on factors affecting co‐housing failure.

Methods

An online cross‐sectional survey shared on social media investigated potential factors influencing co‐housing failure of dwarf hamsters in captivity, such as sex, species and resources provided.

Results

The majority of hamsters had not received veterinary care and were provided with fewer food and water sources than animal numbers, while 12% were kept in enclosures less than 75 cm in length. Co‐housing failure was more likely in dwarf hamsters older than 6 months (odds ratio 4.75, p = 0.005, 95% confidence interval = 1.607–14.13). There was no association found between sex or species and co‐housing failure.

Limitations

There was likely a degree of selection bias as the owners who completed the questionnaire may have had more knowledge of dwarf hamster husbandry than the general population of owners.

Conclusion

Key welfare concerns regarding dwarf hamster care in captivity were identified as inadequate enclosure sizes, a high prevalence of co‐housing failure arising from aggression, especially in hamsters more than 6 months old, and inadequate resource provision for many pair‐ or group‐housed animals. Further investigation of the welfare impacts of resource provision deficits is required.
Advances in macrocyclic chelators for positron emission tomography imaging
Authors: Li Mengting , Wang Sheng , Kong Qunshou , Cheng Xinyi , Yan Huanhuan , Xing Yao , Lan Xiaoli , Jiang Dawei
Published: August 2023

In recent years, radiometals have been successfully applied to medicine because of their breadth of decay properties and increased production and availability. Bifunctional chelators play a key role in radiometal‐based radiopharmaceuticals, affecting the labeling, targeting, and pharmacokinetics of bioconjugations and ensuring the stable complexation of the metal in vivo. The capacity of macrocycles to form complexes with extremely high thermodynamics, kinetics, and stability compared to acyclic chelators continues to pique the curiosity of pharmacists and biochemists among all prospective chelators utilized for the radiometal chelation. As new imaging modalities and therapeutic targets develop, the discovery of novel ligand structures with suitable chemical and biological features encourages the modification of chelators with charge and chemical properties. Herein, we present a comprehensive review of developments of macrocyclic chelators for PET radiopharmaceuticals, including innovative chelating agents with new structures and known chelating agent modifications, and their physical‐chemical properties, as well as their biological characteristics and applications in vivo.
Analyzing groundwater level trend by hybrid approach in 37 districts of Bihar State, India
Authors: Sinha Subha
Published: August 2023

In the eastern Indian state of Bihar, the majority of the people depends on groundwater for irrigation. Bihar is mainly an agricultural area; over time, groundwater levels have been dropping due to rising water demands from different industries. Therefore, analyzing groundwater levels and their trends is essential for ensuring the safe use of groundwater resources. This study determines the groundwater level trend by a novel hybrid approach of Mann‐Kendall–Sen's innovative trend analysis in 37 districts of Bihar State, India. In May 2019, August 2019, November 2019, and January 2020, the normalized test statistics (P) were determined using Mann‐Kendall‐trend analysis for 37 districts. According to the results, in May 2019, there was a decrease in the groundwater depth level observed in 28 districts, an increase in seven districts, and no noticeable trend in two districts. The trend of groundwater depth level decreased in 29 districts, increased in five districts, and had no trend in three districts in August 2019. In November 2019, the groundwater depth level showed a decreasing trend in 30 districts, an increasing trend in five districts, and no discernible trend in two districts. Similarly, in January 2020, the groundwater depth level decreased in 29 districts, with an increasing trend in five districts and no trend in three districts. The study's findings are significant for the sustainable management of groundwater resources in Bihar State, India.
Textverarbeitung
Authors: Schrills Tim
Published: August 2023

Dieses Kapitel adressiert KI-Systeme, die sich mit der Verarbeitung, dem Verständnis und der Veränderung von Text in seinen verschiedenen Formen beschäftigen. Ziel ist es, ein besseres Verständnis für diese Art Systeme zu ermöglichen, die Grundlage der eingesetzten Methoden darzulegen und so die Beurteilung der Leistungsfähigkeit textverarbeitender KI zu unterstützen. Dazu werden grundlegende Technologien und Konzepte vorgestellt, sowie ein Einblick in konkrete Anwendungsfälle wie bspw. Einfache Sprache gegeben.
KI & Recht
Authors: Dhungel Anna-Katharina
Published: August 2023

In diesem Kapitel werden die rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen rund um den Einsatz von KI-Systemen aufgeführt. Zunächst werden erste Regulierungsansätze vorgestellt (12.2). Anschließend werden die grundsätzlichen Prinzipien der Datenschutz-Grundverordnung beschrieben (12.3). Mittels einer kleinen Übung wird das Bewusstsein zur Kategorisierung personenbezogener Daten geschärft (12.4). Es folgt eine Diskussion über die Vereinbarkeit von KI-Systemen und Datenschutz am Beispiel des Einsatzes von Chatbots (12.5). Schließlich wird der rechtlich anspruchsvolle Anwendungsfall des vollständig automatisierten Verwaltungsakts analysiert (12.7). Das angeeignete Wissen kann in der Übung reflektiert (12.7) und im eigenen Anwendungsfall eingesetzt werden (12.8).
Erratum to: Symmetries and charges of general relativity at null boundaries
Authors: Chandrasekaran Venkatesa , Flanagan Éanna É. , Prabhu Kartik
Published: August 2023

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP11(2018)125
Imagining machine vision: Four visual registers from the Chinese AI industry
Authors: de Seta Gabriele , Shchetvina Anya
Published: August 2023

Machine vision is one of the main applications of artificial intelligence. In China, the machine vision industry makes up more than a third of the national AI market, and technologies like face recognition, object tracking and automated driving play a central role in surveillance systems and social governance projects relying on the large-scale collection and processing of sensor data. Like other novel articulations of technology and society, machine vision is defined, developed and explained by different actors through the work of imagination. In this article, we draw on the concept of sociotechnical imaginaries to understand how Chinese companies represent machine vision. Through a qualitative multimodal analysis of the corporate websites of leading industry players, we identify a cohesive sociotechnical imaginary of machine vision, and explain how four distinct visual registers contribute to its articulation. These four registers, which we call computational abstraction, human–machine coordination, smooth everyday, and dashboard realism, allow Chinese tech companies to articulate their global ambitions and competitiveness through narrow and opaque representations of machine vision technologies.