bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Edaphic diversity of cunaxid mites (Acari: Prostigmata) in different tree formations from northern region of Rio Grande Do Sul State, Brazil
Authors: Wurlitzer Wesley Borges , Da-Costa Tairis , De Azevedo Adria Oliveira , Rocha Matheus dos Santos , Ferla Noeli Juarez
Published: February 2023

Areas of natural vegetation can favor biodiversity since they have a higher number of native plants and less impact of human activities compared to areas with agricultural crops. Orange and pine forestry stand out among the important monoculture crops for Brazilian agribusiness. In the orange crop, agrochemicals are used to control pests; in pine, there is no need to apply agrochemicals as often, however, biodiversity can be impacted by allelopathic effects of the plant. There are some mite families associated with these environments; among them the cunaxid mites present are associated with both the soil and the litter, feeding on springtails, nematodes and other small organisms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cunaxid diversity associated with Natural Vegetation (NV), Pine Forestry (PF) and Orange Cultivation (OC) in the municipalities of Mormaço and Soledade, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Three litter and soil collections were carried out at 12 random sampling points, in previously demarcated areas within each environment. In total, 330 cunaxids were collected, 57.6% in NV, 32.7% in OC and 9.7% in PF. Among the species found, Coleoscirus tuberculatus Den Heyer, Cunaxa n. sp., Neobonzia n. sp. and Pulaeus quadrisolenidius Castro & Den Heyer were exclusively associated with NV, while Rubroscirus sp. only with OF and Dactiloscirus sp. with OC. The most abundant species was Neocunaxoides ovatus Lin, Zhang & Ji, with 130 specimens and the rarest was Neobonzia n. sp., with only one specimen.
A new genus and three new species of eriophyid mites from Eastern Thailand
Authors: Konvipasruang Ploychompoo
Published: February 2023

One new genus and three new species of eriophyid mites (Eriophyidae) from Eastern Thailand were described. They are Khitchakuta chanthaburinae gen. nov. & sp. nov. on Acacia pennata (L.) Willd. (Leguminosae), Abacarus phaitongus sp. nov. on Dendrocalamus asper (Schult.) Backer (Poaceae), and Aculus kafakii sp. nov. on Dendrophthoe pentandra (L.) Miq. (Loranthaceae).
A new species of Galendromus Muma (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from the Caatinga biome, Brazil
Authors: Silva Lídia R.A. , Gondim Jr. Manoel G.C. , Demite Peterson R.
Published: February 2023

A new species, Galendromus (Mugidromus) agreste sp. nov., was described and illustrated, based on adults of both sexes. Specimens were collected on plants in an Altitudinal Atlantic Forest area of the Caatinga biome, located in the Agreste region of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Intraspecific variations in insertion of ventral setae are reported, and an updated identification key for the species of this subgenus is also provided.
Blowing pressure stabilization method for the artificial excitation of reed instruments (L)
Authors: Ukshini Enis , Muyshondt Pieter , Dirckx Joris J. J.
Published: February 2023

To investigate the acoustics of reed instruments without the need for a human player, blowing machines are needed, which can generate air pressures up to 8 kPa and flow rates up to 40 liters per minute. Due to reed flexibility and the changing pressure gradient across the reed, the relationship between flow and pressure is highly non-linear. Since the output pressure of ventilators is highly dependent on flow, non-linear pressure regulation is a difficult task that requires a closed-loop approach. Since reed vibration starts suddenly when blowing pressure is gradually increased, an abrupt change in airflow through the instrument is present, resulting in a change in pressure in the artificial mouth. To avoid that, a method is presented to achieve a fast response to abrupt flow changes, which is tested in an existing blowing machine. The enhanced blowing machine exhibits a settling time below 200 ms, which allows for the generation of blowing pressures with linear responses.
Is it bad, is it good, or is IgG4 just misunderstood?
Authors: Pillai Shiv
Published: February 2023

Repeated doses of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 result in increased proportions of anti-spike antibodies of the IgG4 subclass, which are known to neutralize well and to form mixed immune complexes with IgG1 but, in a pure form, might be less effective than IgG1 or IgG3 antibodies in facilitating opsonization by phagocytes, complement fixation, and NK cell–dependent elimination of infected cells (see related Research Article by Irrgang
et al
.).
Pathogen-associated grooming
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: February 2023

A fungal surface protein elicits grooming in flies.
Using statistical techniques to understand the unique needs of military personnel experiencing mental health difficulties: moving away from assuming patient homogeneity to understanding heterogeneity
Authors: Hendrikx Laura Josephine , Murphy D
Published: February 2023

Gold standard treatments for military personnel seeking support for mental health difficulties are often standardised and manualised to ensure high levels of treatment fidelity. While manualised treatments are preferable to less evidence-based idiosyncratic approaches, they may not fully account for the differences in symptom profiles present in patients with the same psychological diagnosis. Indeed, recent findings have highlighted that a significant proportion of individuals do not benefit from the �gold standard� treatments. This brief report discusses the utility of statistical techniques, specifically latent profile analysis and network analysis, to support the transition to more evidence-based idiosyncratic, personalised care for clinical military, and general, populations. Further incorporation of such analysis methods may support arriving at a framework to support the personalisation of care in terms of the selection and adaption of evidence-based approach treatments based on individual clinical need.
Nicotine pouches: a summary of regulatory approaches across 67 countries
Authors: Duren Michelle , Atella Lara , Welding Kevin , Kennedy Ryan David
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Nicotine pouches are small, permeable pouches containing nicotine. The nicotine may either be derived from tobacco plants or synthetically produced. Nicotine pouches are available worldwide, but little is known as to how various countries regulate these products. This study summarises nicotine pouch regulatory policies across 67 countries.

Methods

This research summarises insights obtained through active policy surveillance work in which we requested information on the availability of nicotine pouches and applicable policies and analysed responses from representatives of 67 countries (representatives included subject matter experts in government or civil society organisations). These countries span all WHO regions.

Results

We found significant variation in how countries classify nicotine pouches, with many countries’ current regulatory approach failing to regulate nicotine pouches that used synthetic nicotine. We found 34 countries regulate nicotine pouches with 23 of these countries’ policies encompassing synthetic nicotine. Countries regulating both synthetic and tobacco-derived nicotine pouches generally (1) rely on existing policies for tobacco products and/or medicines or (2) have developed new policies or regulatory classifications that specify nicotine as the substance at issue rather than linking policies solely to tobacco.

Conclusion

Our work offers novel insight into nicotine pouch markets and national regulatory approaches. Policy approaches vary from not regulating nicotine pouches at all to banning both forms of nicotine pouches. Policies used by countries regulating both tobacco-derived and synthetic nicotine pouches offer a roadmap for how other jurisdictions can add effective guardrails to the use of these and other non-medicinal nicotine products.
Functional renormalization group flows of $$\mathcal {N}=1$$ supersymmetric abelian gauge model with one chiral and one vector superfield
Authors: Echeverria Jeremy , Binder Maximiliano , Schmidt Iván
Published: February 2023

We apply the functional renormalization group approach to a $$\mathcal {N}=1$$

N
=
1

supersymmetric gauge model with one chiral superfield coupled to a vector U(1) superfield. We find that the nonrenormalization theorem still works at leading order in the supercovariant derivative expansion of the fields. We also find the beta functions and we study the behavior of its fixed points in the local potential approximation. Regulators are also discussed.
A tectonostratigraphic framework for the late Mesoproterozoic Bylot basins of Laurentia
Authors: Greenman J. Wilder , dos Santos Angelo , Patzke Mollie , Gibson Timothy M. , Ielpi Alessandro , Halverson Galen P.
Published: February 2023

The Bylot basins of northeastern Canada and northwestern Greenland comprise the Borden, Aston-Hunting, Fury and Hecla, and Thule basins. This system of late Mesoproterozoic (
c.
1.27–1.0 Ga) sedimentary basins preserves an important record of present day northeastern Laurentia coincident with the emplacement of the Mackenzie large igneous province, the Shawinigan and Ottawan phases of the Grenville Orogeny, and the development of the Midcontinent Rift. However, establishing correlations between the sedimentary successions of the Bylot basins has been hindered by the absence of robust chronostratigraphic constraints. As a result, the degree to which these basins were interconnected, whether they share a common tectonostratigraphic history, and how their sedimentary patterns relate to regional tectonic events remain open questions. Recent Re–Os geochronology from organic-rich strata has yielded depositional ages from the Borden (1048 and 1046 Ma) and Fury and Hecla (1087 Ma) basins, which we integrate with existing models for the depositional history of these basins to derive three tectonostratigraphic assemblages from the Bylot basins. We project our refined tectonostratigraphic framework for the Borden and Fury and Hecla successions to Greenland to establish a testable hypothesis for how the Thule Supergroup fits into this tectonostratigraphic picture.
DeltaShield: Information Theory for Human- Trafficking Detection
Authors: Vajiac Catalina , Lee Meng-Chieh , Kulshrestha Aayushi , Levy Sacha , Park Namyong , Olligschlaeger Andreas , Jones Cara , Rabbany Reihaneh , Faloutsos Christos
Published: February 2023

Given a million escort advertisements, how can we spot near-duplicates? Such micro-clusters of ads are usually signals of human trafficking (HT). How can we summarize them to convince law enforcement to act? Spotting micro-clusters of near-duplicate documents is useful in multiple, additional settings, including spam-bot detection in Twitter ads, plagiarism, and more.

We present
InfoShield
, which makes the following contributions:
practical
, being scalable and effective on real data;
parameter-free and principled
, requiring no user-defined parameters;
interpretable
, finding a document to be the cluster representative, highlighting all the common phrases, and automatically detecting “slots” (i.e., phrases that differ in every document); and
generalizable
, beating or matching domain-specific methods in Twitter bot detection and HT detection, respectively, as well as being language independent. Interpretability is particularly important for the anti-HT domain, where law enforcement must visually inspect ads.

Our experiments on real data show that
InfoShield
correctly identifies Twitter bots with an F1 score over 90% and detects HT ads with 84% precision. Moreover, it is scalable, requiring about 8 hours for 4 million documents on a stock laptop. Our incremental version,
DeltaShield
, allows for fast, incremental updates, with minor loss of accuracy.
Recent Trends in Task and Motion Planning for Robotics: A Survey
Authors: Guo Huihui , Wu Fan , Qin Yunchuan , Li Ruihui , Li Keqin , Li Kenli
Published: February 2023

Autonomous robots are increasingly served in real-world unstructured human environments with complex long-horizon tasks, such as restaurant serving and office delivery. Task and motion planning (TAMP) is a recent research method in Artificial Intelligence Planning for these applications. TAMP integrates high-level abstract reasoning with the low-level geometric feasibility check and thus is more comprehensive than traditional task planning methods. While regular TAMP approaches are challenged by different types of uncertainties and the generalization of various applications when implemented in real-world scenarios. This article systematically reviews the most relevant approaches to TAMP and classifies them according to their features and emphasis; it categorizes the challenges and presents online TAMP and machine learning-based TAMP approaches for addressing them.
Self-contained Entity Discovery from Captioned Videos
Authors: Ayoughi Melika , Mettes Pascal , Groth Paul
Published: February 2023

This article introduces the task of visual named entity discovery in videos without the need for task-specific supervision or task-specific external knowledge sources. Assigning specific names to entities (e.g., faces, scenes, or objects) in video frames is a long-standing challenge. Commonly, this problem is addressed as a supervised learning objective by manually annotating entities with labels. To bypass the annotation burden of this setup, several works have investigated the problem by utilizing external knowledge sources such as movie databases. While effective, such approaches do not work when task-specific knowledge sources are not provided and can only be applied to movies and TV series. In this work, we take the problem a step further and propose to discover entities in videos from videos and corresponding captions or subtitles. We introduce a three-stage method where we (i) create bipartite entity-name graphs from frame–caption pairs, (ii) find visual entity agreements, and (iii) refine the entity assignment through entity-level prototype construction. To tackle this new problem, we outline two new benchmarks,
SC-Friends
and
SC-BBT
, based on the
Friends
and
Big Bang Theory
TV series. Experiments on the benchmarks demonstrate the ability of our approach to discover which named entity belongs to which face or scene, with an accuracy close to a supervised oracle, just from the multimodal information present in videos. Additionally, our qualitative examples show the potential challenges of self-contained discovery of any visual entity for future work. The code and the data are available on GitHub.

1
Is this a Gender Issue?
Authors: Joshi K. D.
Published: February 2023

This editorial's purpose is twofold. First, I urge the authors who submit Gender and IT manuscripts to The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems to be mindful of the lessons shared in this editorial. My hope is that these lessons from my unpublished manuscript would encourage junior scholars who study Gender and IT to persevere and not become discouraged by multiple rejections. Second, I call on fellow IS scholars to submit opinion pieces to this journal where they share lessons learned from their unpublished manuscripts.
Limited Effectiveness of IT/IS Investments in an Emerging Economy
Authors: Thakurta Rahul , Guha Deb Soumya
Published: February 2023

The business value of investments in information technology/information system (IT/IS) has been the subject of active research over several decades. Even though a plethora of similar studies analyzing the impact of promised IT/IS investments on firm performance exists, the results, largely inconclusive, mostly concentrate on the developed countries. In this backdrop, and with an expected manifold rise in IT/IS investments in India in the coming years, an assessment of the relationship between investments and firm performance can be noteworthy. The study explores this important issue by analyzing the impact of IT/IS investments on the firm's performance in India based on data of around 6500 IT/IS investments during 2000-2016. We deploy a series of univariate and multivariate analyses and complement those with several robustness tests. Our principal findings indicate that IT/IS investments on the average in India have been mostly unsuccessful in impacting firm performance positively, in line with "productivity paradox" phenomenon previously documented in the U.S. and other markets. We substantiate our principal results using several robustness tests. We offer several possible explanations of our results spanning across both IS as well as finance literature and discuss the implications of future investment prospects for firms. The results highlight the need for adoption of caution by firms operating in emerging economies like India while considering future IT/IS investment decisions. These suggestions are likely to serve as a good reference point in other emerging economies as well.
A leaky human colon model reveals uncoupled apical/basal cytotoxicity in early Clostridioides difficile toxin exposure
Authors: Ok Meryem T. , Liu Jintong , Bliton R. Jarrett , Hinesley Caroline M. , San Pedro Ekaterina Ellyce T. , Breau Keith A. , Gomez-Martinez Ismael , Burclaff Joseph , Magness Scott T.
Published: February 2023

Novel human colonocyte monolayer cultures, benchmarked by transcriptomics for physiological relevance, detect early cytopathic impacts of Clostridioides difficile toxins TcdA and TcdB. A fluorescent ZO-1 reporter in primary human colonocytes is used to track epithelial barrier disruption in response to TcdA. Basal TcdA/B exposure generally caused more rapid onset and cytotoxicity than apical exposure. Transcriptomics demonstrate changes in tight junction, chemokine, and cytokine receptor gene expression post-TcdA exposure. Diclofenac-induced leaky epithelium enhanced apical exposure toxicity.
Location matters: cellular heterogeneity in the hepatic lobule and hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Cunningham Rory P. , Kang Sun Woo Sophie , Porat-Shliom Natalie
Published: February 2023

Tumor heterogeneity is a hallmark of cancer but a challenging problem to dissect mechanistically. Less recognized is that cells within normal tissues are also remarkably diverse. Hepatocytes are a great example because their spatial positioning and the local microenvironment govern their genetic heterogeneity. Recent studies show that primary liver tumors display heterogeneity similar to that observed in the normal tissue providing clues to the cellular precursor of the tumor and how variations in the lobule microenvironment support tumor formation and aggressiveness. Identifying the principles that control cellular diversity in a healthy liver may highlight potential mechanisms driving hepatic tumor heterogeneity.
Molecular Study of Nonequilibrium Transport Mechanism for Proton and Water in Porous Proton Exchange Membranes
Authors: Wang Gang , Liu Zhi , Liu Chang , Chen Wei
Published: February 2023

The transport process of proton and water through a porous proton exchange membrane (PEM) under pressure difference is significant to fuel cell performance. Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to investigate the diffusion mechanisms of hydronium ions and water molecules under pressure differences. Here, different driving forces (0.15 kcal/(mol·Å)–0.45 kcal/(mol·Å)) were applied to hydronium ions and water molecules as they transported through Nafion 117 membrane at temperatures between 300 K and 350 K. Results indicated that the transport diffusion coefficient of water molecules was larger than that of hydronium ions under different pressure drops due to the lower molecular weight and diffusion activation energy of water molecules (20.25 kJ/mol). Hydronium ions formed stronger hydrogen bonds with sulfonic acid groups than water molecules, which resulted in a higher diffusion activation energy for hydronium ions (21.15 kJ/mol). The proton conductivity rose with the increase in pressure difference. Moreover, the transport diffusion coefficient of water molecules and hydronium ions were positively correlated with temperature. This is because the kinetic energy of molecules increased and the pore size of the Nafion membrane enlarged at high temperatures. In addition, the dynamics of the hydrogen bond between hydronium ions and sulfonic acid groups/water molecules were accelerated at elevated temperatures, which further promoted proton transfer.
Research Progress of Macrophages in Bone Regeneration
Authors: Zhang Dingmei , Dang Yi , Deng Renli , Ma Yaping , Wang Jing , Ao Jun , Wang Xin
Published: February 2023

Bone tissue regeneration plays an increasingly important role in contemporary clinical treatment. The reconstruction of bone defects remains a huge challenge for clinicians. Bone regeneration is regulated by the immune system, in which inflammation is an important regulating factor in bone formation and remodeling. As the main cells involved in inflammation, macrophages play a key role in osteogenesis by polarizing into different phenotypes during different stages of bone regeneration. Considering this, this review mainly summarizes the function of macrophage in bone regeneration based on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and vascular cells. In conclusion, anti-inflammatory macrophages (M2) have a greater potentiality to promote bone regeneration than M0 and classically activated proinflammatory macrophages (M1). In the fracture and bone defect models, tissue engineering materials can induce the transition from M1 to M2, alter the bone microenvironment, and promote bone regeneration through interactions with bone-related cells and blood vessels. The review provides a further understanding of macrophage polarization behavior in the evolving field of bone immunology.
Placental Insertion into the Cervix with Cervical Shortening as a Clinical Sign to Suspect Cervico-Isthmic Pregnancy: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Ito Chisa , Suzuki Hirotada , Amano Yusuke , Kijima Shigeyoshi , Ohkuchi Akihide , Takahashi Hironori , Fujiwara Hiroyuki
Published: February 2023

The clinical signs of cervico-isthmic pregnancy during pregnancy remain unknown. We herein report a case of cervico-isthmic pregnancy showing placental insertion into the cervix with cervical shortening, with a final diagnosis of placenta increta at the uterine body and cervix. A 33-year-old multiparous woman with a history of cesarean section was referred to our hospital at 7 weeks of gestation with suspected cesarean scar pregnancy. Cervical shortening with a cervical length of 14 mm was noted at 13 weeks of gestation. The placenta is gradually inserted into the cervix. An ultrasonographic examination and magnetic resonance imaging strongly suggested placenta accreta. We planned elective cesarean hysterectomy at 34 weeks of gestation. The pathological diagnosis was cervico-isthmic pregnancy with placenta increta at the uterine body and cervix. In conclusion, placental insertion into the cervix with cervical shortening in the early pregnancy period may be a clinical sign to suspect cervico-isthmic pregnancy.
Bryophyllum pinnatum and Improvement of Nocturia and Sleep Quality in Women: A Multicentre, Nonrandomised Prospective Trial
Authors: Mirzayeva Nurlana , Forst Susanne , Passweg Daniel , Geissbühler Verena , Simões-Wüst Ana Paula , Betschart Cornelia
Published: February 2023

Nocturia is a pathologic condition that significantly affects the quality of sleep. The aetiology of nocturia is multifactorial, and the evidence available on its management remains limited. Besides behavioural measures, validated pharmaceutical treatment options exist but are, however, associated with marked side effects. Prospective clinical studies with tablets prepared from the leaf press juice of the plant Bryophyllum pinnatum revealed a tendency towards reduction of micturition in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) and several improvements in sleep quality. These observations are in part supported by in vitro and in vivo data. In the present study, we investigated the effectiveness of Bryophyllum 50% chewable tablets in the treatment of nocturia and associated sleep disorders. Altogether, 49 women with idiopathic OAB and nocturia of ≥2 voids/night were treated with Bryophyllum 50% tablets for 3 weeks (350 mg chewable tablets, dosage 0‐0‐2‐2 oral tablets; WELEDA AG, Arlesheim, Switzerland). Nocturia, voiding volumes at night (ml), quality of life, sleep quality, and daily sleepiness were assessed before and after treatment with a 3‐day micturition diary, the International Consultation on Incontinence evaluating overactive bladder and related impact on quality of life (QoL) [ICIQ‐OAB], the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), respectively. The age of the study population was 68.5 ± 11.6 y. After treatment, nocturia diminished from 3.2 ± 1.4 to 2.3 ± 1.3 (P  <  0.001) and the PSQI score decreased from 7.7 ± 3.7 to 6.6 ± 3.4 (P = 0.004). Urgency, the ICIQ score, and the ESS lowered significantly, and the micturition volume showed a tendency to increase. No serious adverse drug reactions were reported, and compliance was good. The results show a beneficial effect on the nocturnal voids and sleep quality of women with OAB. Bryophyllum 50% tablets can be regarded as a well‐tolerated alternative in the treatment of nocturia and broaden the repertoire of standard management.
[Retracted] Telehealth for COVID‐19: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Yousaf Waqas , Umar Arif Iqbal , Shirazi Syed Hamad , Fayaz Muhammad , Assam Muhammad , Khan Javed Ali , Rasheed Asad , Mehmood Gulzar
Published: February 2023

The world has been going through the global crisis of the coronavirus (COVID‐19). It is a challenging situation for every country to tackle its healthcare system. COVID‐19 spreads through physical contact with COVID‐positive patients and causes potential damage to the country’s health and economy system. Therefore, to overcome the chance of spreading the disease, the only preventive measure is to maintain social distancing. In this vulnerable situation, virtual resources have been utilized in order to maintain social distance, i.e., the telehealth system has been proposed and developed to access healthcare services remotely and manage people’s health conditions. The telehealth system could become a regular part of our healthcare system, and during any calamity or natural disaster, it could be used as an emergency response to deal with the catastrophe. For this purpose, we proposed a conceptual telehealth framework in response to COVID‐19. We focused on identifying critical issues concerning the use of telehealth in healthcare setups. Furthermore, the factors influencing the implementation of the telehealth system have been explored in detail. The proposed telehealth system utilizes artificial intelligence and data science to regulate and maintain the system efficiently. Before implementing the telehealth system, it is required that prearrangements be made, such as appropriate funding measures, the skills to know technological usage, training sessions, and staff endorsement. The barriers and influencing factors provided in this article can be helpful for future developments in telehealth systems and for making fruitful progress in fighting pandemics like COVID‐19. At the same time, the same approach can be used to save the lives of many frontline workers.
A Pharmacological Review of Tanshinones, Naturally Occurring Monomers from Salvia miltiorrhiza for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Yang Ye , Shao Mingyan , Cheng Wenkun , Yao Junkai , Ma Lin , Wang Yong , Wang Wei
Published: February 2023

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a set of heart and blood vessel disorders that include coronary heart disease (CHD), rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has definite effects on CVDs due to its multitarget and multicomponent properties, which are gradually gaining national attention. Tanshinones, the major active chemical compounds extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza, exhibit beneficial improvement on multiple diseases, especially CVDs. At the level of biological activities, they play significant roles, including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-apoptosis and anti-necroptosis, anti-hypertrophy, vasodilation, angiogenesis, combat against proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), as well as anti-myocardial fibrosis and ventricular remodeling, which are all effective strategies in preventing and treating CVDs. Additionally, at the cellular level, Tanshinones produce marked effects on cardiomyocytes, macrophages, endothelia, SMCs, and fibroblasts in myocardia. In this review, we have summarized a brief overview of the chemical structures and pharmacological effects of Tanshinones as a CVD treatment to expound on different pharmacological properties in various cell types in myocardia.
White Matter Injury: An Emerging Potential Target for Treatment after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Liu Yibo , He Yezhao , Zhang Jiahao , Wang Xiaoyu , Zhang Anke , Yu Qian , Wang Kaikai , Fang Yuanjian , Jiang Qingsong , Chen Sheng
Published: February 2023

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) refers to vascular brain injury mainly from a ruptured aneurysm, which has a high lifetime risk and imposes a substantial burden on patients, families, and society. Previous studies on SAH mainly focused on neurons in gray matter (GM). However, according to literature reports in recent years, in-depth research on the mechanism of white matter (WM) is of great significance to injury and recovery after SAH. In terms of functional recovery after SAH, all kinds of cells in the central nervous system (CNS) should be protected. In other words, it is necessary to protect not only GM but also WM, not only neurons but also glial cells and axons, and not only for the lesion itself but also for the prevention and treatment of remote damage. Clarifying the mechanism of white matter injury (WMI) and repair after SAH is of great importance. Therefore, this present review systematically summarizes the current research on WMI after SAH, which might provide therapeutic targets for treatment after SAH.
Association between Aqueous Humor Cytokines and Structural Characteristics Based on Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema
Authors: Chen Yan , Zheng Bin , Li Haidong , Lin Li , Fan Yuanyuan , Wu Mengai
Published: February 2023

Purpose. To investigate the relationship between aqueous humor cytokines and structural characteristics based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods. Forty eyes of 28 patients with DME diagnosed in the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University at Hangzhou were included. All patients collected aqueous humor during anti‐VEGF treatment, and the IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐10, VEGF, VCAM‐1, ICAM‐1, TGF‐β1, FGF, and MCP‐1 concentrations were detected. OCT examination was performed before anti‐VEGF treatment and 1 month after anti‐VEGF operation. Central macular thickness (CMT), macular volume (MV), choroidal thickness (CT), and the number of hyperreflective foci (HRF) were obtained for analysis. Each eye was determined whether there is subretinal effusion (SRD), cystoid macular edema (CME), and diffuse retinal thickening (DRT). Results. The levels of IL‐6 and FGF in DME patients with SRD were significantly higher than those without SRD (all P < 0.05). The level of VEGF in DME patients with CME was significantly higher than that in DME patients without CME (P = 0.005); IL‐6, TGF‐β1, and MCP‐1 were significantly higher in DME patients with DRT than that without DRT (all P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between aqueous humor cytokines and retinal thickness and retinal volume. However, the thinner the CT, the higher the level of aqueous humor cytokines IL‐6 (r = −0.313, P = 0.049) and FGF (r = −0.361, P = 0.022). A multivariate linear regression analysis showed that IL‐6 was significantly correlated with CT (P = 0.002) and SRD (P = 0.017), FGF was also significantly correlated with CT (P = 0.002) and SRD (P = 0.005), and TGF‐β1 was correlated with triglycerides (P = 0.030) and HRF (P = 0.021). Conclusion. DME patients with significant macular cystoid edema changes may be related to high VEGF concentrations and thin CT; meanwhile, the presence of SRD or a high number of HRF on OCT macular scans in DME patients may indicate high levels of intraocular inflammatory factors. Thus, OCT morphology characteristics to some extent reflect intraocular inflammatory factors and VEGF levels and may guide treatment alternatives.
Mutation Screening of MED27 in a Large Dystonia Cohort
Authors: Lin Junyu , Li Chunyu , Hou Yanbing , Zhang Lingyu , Ou Ruwei , Wei Qianqian , Liu Kuncheng , Xiao Yi , Jiang Qirui , Shang Huifang
Published: February 2023

Objectives. Recently, biallelic variants in MED27 have been identified to correlate with complex dystonia. However, no replicative study has been conducted in larger dystonia cohorts. In this study, we aimed to systematically evaluate the genetic associations of MED27 with dystonia in a large dystonia cohort. Materials and Methods. We analyzed rare variants (minor allele

frequency
<
0.01

) of MED27 in a large Chinese dystonia cohort with whole exome sequencing. The overrepresentation of rare variants in patients was examined with Fisher’s exact test at allele and gene levels. Results. A total of 688 patients with dystonia were included in the study, including 483 isolated dystonia, 133 combined dystonia, and 72 complex dystonia. The average age at onset (SD) was 34.3 (19.1) years old. After applying filtering criteria, five rare variants, namely, p.R247H, p.P174A, p.P123A, p.L120F, and p.F56C, were identified in six individuals. All of them carried the variant in the heterozygous form, and no patients with compound heterozygous or homozygous alleles were identified. At allele level, no variant was associated with risk of dystonia. Gene-based burden analysis did not detect enrichment of rare variants of MED27 in dystonia either. Conclusion. Variants of MED27 were rare in Chinese dystonia patients, probably because that mutations in MED27 are more associated with more complex neurodevelopmental disorders that can also include dystonia among the various neurological features. Further studies are needed to confirm the role of MED27 in dystonia and other neurological disorders.
Factors Affecting Terahertz Emission from InGaN Quantum Wells under Ultrafast Excitation
Authors: Saleem Muhammad Farooq , Ashraf Ghulam Abbas , Iqbal Muhammad Faisal , Khan Rashid , Javid Muhammad , Wang Tianwu
Published: February 2023

InGaN quantum wells (QWs) grown on c-plane sapphire substrate experience strain due to the lattice mismatch. The strain generates a strong piezoelectric field in QWs that contributes to THz emission under ultrafast excitation. Physical parameters such as QW width, period number, and Indium concentration can affect the strength of the piezoelectric field and result in THz emission. Experimental parameters such as pump fluence, laser energy, excitation power, pump polarization angle, and incident angle can be tuned to further optimize the THz emission. This review summarizes the effects of physical and experimental parameters of THz emission on InGaN QWs. Comparison and relationship between photoluminescence properties and THz emission in QWs are given, which further explains the origin of THz emission in InGaN QWs.
Design and Application of College Student Management System Based on Big Data Technology
Authors: He Shuping , Li Ying
Published: February 2023

In order to effectively manage the employment information of colleges and universities and improve the employment ratio of college graduates, the employment information management system of colleges and universities under the big data environment is designed. The graduate management platform in the system is used for graduates to edit personal information, understand employment-related information, and check recruitment information. The enterprise information management platform is used for enterprises to edit their own materials and publish recruitment information, so as to find graduates meeting the job requirements. The personalized recommendation platform uses the recommendation method based on users’ historical information to achieve offline employment recommendation and uses the recommendation method based on real-time user behavior data to achieve online real-time employment recommendation and improve the employment ratio. The employment information tracking management platform is responsible for recording graduates’ employment information and verifying the authenticity of recruitment information. The experimental results show that the system has a fast response time and low resource occupancy rate when the number of concurrent users is different. The employment rate of college graduates is effectively increased.
The Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Strain Analysis in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Zhang Shiwen , Zhou Yufei , Han Shuguang , Ma Yanfang , Wang Cheng , Hou Yinglong
Published: February 2023

Background. Strain analysis of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is critical for the diagnosis and prognosis of heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Our study aimed to identify the diagnostic and prognostic value of strain analysis revealed by CMR in HFpEF. Methods. Participants in HFpEF and control were recruited according to the guideline. Baseline information, clinical parameters, blood samples were collected, and echocardiography and CMR examination were performed. Various parameters, including global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain (GCS) and global radial strain in left ventricle (LV), right ventricle (RV), and left atrium, were measured from CMR. Receiver operator curve (ROC) was established to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of strains in HFpEF. Results. Seven strains, with the exception of RVGCS, were employed to generate ROC curves after t-test. All strains had significant diagnostic value for HFpEF. The area under curve (AUC) of LV strains was greater than 0.7 and the AUC of the combined analysis of LV strains was 0.858 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.798–0.919, sensitivity: 0.713, specificity: 0.875,

P
<
0.001

), indicating that they had a higher diagnostic value than individual LV strains. However, individual strains had no predictive value in identifying end-point events in HFpEF, the AUC of coanalysis of LV strains was 0.722 (95% CI: 0.573–0.872, sensitivity: 0.500, specificity: 0.959,

P
=
0.004

), indicating its prognostic relevance. Conclusion. Individual strain analysis in CMR may be useful for diagnosing HFpEF, the combination of LV strain analysis had the highest diagnostic value. Moreover, the prognostic value of individual strain analysis in predicting HFpEF outcome was not satisfactory while the combined usage of LV strain analysis was prognostically valuable in HFpEF outcome prediction.
Identification of Differentially Methylated Genes Associated with Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Their Prognostic Values
Authors: Wan Bin , Yang Yang , Zhang Zhuo
Published: February 2023

Objective. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a heterogeneous disease comprising histologically defined subtypes among which clear cell RCC (ccRCC) accounts for 70% of all RCC cases. DNA methylation constitutes a main part of the molecular mechanism of cancer evolution and prognosis. In this study, we aim to identify differentially methylated genes related to ccRCC and their prognostic values. Methods. The GSE168845 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ccRCC tissues and paired tumor-free kidney tissues. DEGs were submitted to public databases for functional and pathway enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, promoter methylation analysis, and survival correlation analysis. Results. In the setting of |log2FC| ≥ 2 and adjusted

p

value <0.05 during differential expression analysis of the GSE168845 dataset, 1659 DEGs between ccRCC tissues and paired tumor-free kidney tissues were sorted out. The most enriched pathways were “T cell activation” and “cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction.” After PPI analysis, 22 hub genes related to ccRCC stood out, among which CD4, PTPRC, ITGB2, TYROBP, BIRC5, and ITGAM exhibited higher methylation levels, and BUB1B, CENPF, KIF2C, and MELK exhibited lower methylation levels in ccRCC tissues compared with paired tumor-free kidney tissues. Among these differentially methylated genes, TYROBP, BIRC5, BUB1B, CENPF, and MELK were significantly correlated with the survival of ccRCC patients (

p
<
0.001

). Conclusion. Our study indicates the DNA methylation of TYROBP, BIRC5, BUB1B, CENPF, and MELK may be promising results for the prognosis of ccRCC.
Oral IRAK-4 Inhibitor CA-4948 Is Blood-Brain Barrier Penetrant and Has Single-Agent Activity against CNS Lymphoma and Melanoma Brain Metastases
Authors: Von Roemeling Christina A. , Doonan Bently P. , Klippel Kelena , Schultz Daniel , Hoang-Minh Lan , Trivedi Vrunda , Li Chenglong , Russell Rylynn A. , Kanumuri Raju S. , Sharma Abhisheak , Tun Han W. , Mitchell Duane A.
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

An ongoing challenge in cancer is the management of primary and metastatic brain malignancies. This is partly due to restrictions of the blood-brain barrier and their unique microenvironment. These challenges are most evident in cancers such as lymphoma and melanoma, which are typically responsive to treatment in systemic locations but resistant when established in the brain. We propose interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-4 (IRAK-4) as a potential target across these diseases and describe the activity and mechanism of oral IRAK-4 inhibitor CA-4948.

Experimental Design:

Human primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and melanoma brain metastases (MBM) samples were analyzed for expression of IRAK-4 and downstream transcription pathways. We next determined the central nervous system (CNS) applicability of CA-4948 in naïve and tumor-bearing mice using models of PCNSL and MBM. The mechanistic effect on tumors and the tumor microenvironment was then analyzed.

Results:

Human PCNSL and MBM have high expression of IRAK-4, IRAK-1, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). This increase in inflammation results in reflexive inhibitory signaling. Similar profiles are observed in immunocompetent murine models. Treatment of tumor-bearing animals with CA-4948 results in the downregulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in addition to decreased NF-κB. These intracellular changes are associated with a survival advantage.

Conclusions:

IRAK-4 is an attractive target in PCNSL and MBM. The inhibition of IRAK-4 with CA-4948 downregulates the expression of important transcription factors involved in tumor growth and proliferation. CA-4948 is currently being investigated in clinical trials for relapsed and refractory lymphoma and warrants further translation into PCNSL and MBM.
Impact of Genomic and Clinical Factors on Outcome of Children ≥18 Months of Age with Stage 3 Neuroblastoma with Unfavorable Histology and withoutMYCNAmplification: A Children's Oncology Group (COG) Report
Authors: Pinto Navin , Naranjo Arlene , Ding Xiangming , Zhang Fan F. , Hibbitts Emily , Kennedy Rebekah , Tibbetts Rachelle , Wong-Michalak Shannon , Craig David W. , Manojlovic Zarko , Hogarty Michael D. , Kreissman Susan , Bagatell Rochelle , Irwin Meredith S. , Park Julie R. , Asgharzadeh Shahab
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

Patients ≥18 months of age with International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage 3 unfavorable histology (UH), MYCN-nonamplified (MYCN-NA) tumors have favorable survival rates compared with other high-risk neuroblastoma populations. The impact of select clinical and biological factors on overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were evaluated.

Experimental Design:

Patients enrolled on Children's Oncology Group (COG) A3973 (n = 34), ANBL0532 (n = 27), and/or biology protocol ANBL00B1 (n = 72) were analyzed. Tumors with available DNA (n = 65) and RNA (n = 42) were subjected to whole-exome sequencing (WES) and RNA sequencing. WES analyses and gene expression profiling were evaluated for their impact on survival. Multivariate analyses of EFS/OS using significant factors from univariate analyses were performed.

Results:

5-year EFS/OS for patients treated with high-risk therapy on A3973 and ANBL0532 were 73.0% ± 8.1%/87.9% ± 5.9% and 61.4% ± 10.2%/73.0% ± 9.2%, respectively (P = 0.1286 and P = 0.2180). In the A3973/ANBL0532 cohort, patients with less than partial response (PR; n = 5) at end-induction had poor outcomes (5-year EFS/OS: 0%/20.0% ± 17.9%. Univariate analyses of WES data revealed that subjects whose tumors had chromosome 1p or 11q loss/LOH and chromosome 5 or 9 segmental chromosomal aberrations had inferior EFS compared with those with tumors without these aberrations. Multivariate analysis revealed that 11q loss/LOH was an independent predictor of inferior OS [HR, 3.116 (95% confidence interval, 1.034–9.389), P = 0.0435].

Conclusions:

Patients ≥18 months of age at diagnosis who had tumors with UH and MYCN-NA INSS stage 3 neuroblastoma assigned to high-risk therapy had an 81.6% ± 5.3% 5-year OS. Less than PR to induction therapy and chromosome 11q loss/LOH are independent predictors of inferior outcome and identify patients who should be eligible for future high-risk clinical trials.
An Eye Tracking Investigation of Young People’s Gaze Behaviour to Gambling and Non-Gambling Moving Adverts
Authors: Onwuegbusi Tochukwu , Roberts Amanda , Sharman Stephen , Hogue Todd
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Data from several areas of public health (e.g., harmful alcohol and tobacco) are consistent with the assertion that children’s exposure to advertising strategies increases intention to consume such products. Most studies have measured self-rated impact of gambling advertising using questionnaires. Given that gambling advertisements come in different forms such as print media/television advertising and contain variable content, it is difficult to understand using subjective measures which aspects of the gambling advertisements increase craving and desire to trigger a gambling session. In the present study, we applied a novel data-driven methodology that directly tracks eye movements to reveal attentional biases towards gambling adverts and promotions by examining differences in young people’s eye gaze behaviour when watching gambling and non-gambling (control) moving adverts. Method: A total of 98 (16–18 years old) children who self-identify as having a low or high craving to gambling watched gambling and non-gambling (control) television adverts, while their eye movements were recorded. Results: The results show that the data-driven method can isolate video clips that best distinguish people on the low-high craving spectrum, reveal the type of each video clip with the largest group differences, and accurately predict young people’s gambling craving on the basis of eye movement patterns. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that young people’s craving for gambling can be predicted based on their eye movements to video clips of gambling advertisements and that certain features of gambling advertisements may be more appealing to some group of viewers, particularly those with high craving for gambling.