bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Switching from zonisamide to perampanel improved the frequency of seizures caused by hyperthermia in Dravet syndrome: a case report
Authors: Horiuchi Kazuhiro , Kudo Akihiko , Nakamura Shuntaro , Yamada Kazuki , Inoue Takashi , Fujii Shintaro , Oshima Yuki
Published: January 2024

Background

Dravet syndrome is a severe epilepsy disorder characterized by drug-resistant seizures and cognitive dysfunction, often caused by SCN1A gene mutations. It leads to neurodevelopmental delays and motor, behavioral, and cognitive impairments, with a high mortality rate. Treatment options include sodium valproate, clobazam, and newer agents such as cannabidiol and fenfluramine. Zonisamide, which is used in some cases, can cause hyperthermia and oligohydrosis. Herein, we present a case of a patient with Dravet syndrome whose seizures were controlled by treating infections and switching from zonisamide to perampanel.

Case presentation

A 24-year-old Japanese man with Dravet syndrome presented to our department with aspiration pneumonia. The patient had been treated with valproate, sodium bromide, and zonisamide for a long time. His seizures were triggered by hyperthermia. The patient was experiencing a sustained pattern of hyperthermia caused by infection, zonisamide, and persistent convulsions, which caused a vicious cycle of further seizures. In this case, the control of infection and switching from zonisamide to perampanel improved seizure frequency.

Conclusion

Dravet syndrome usually begins with generalized clonic seizures in its infancy because of fever and progresses to various seizure types, often triggered by fever or seizure-induced heat due to mutations in the SCN1A gene that increases neuronal excitability. Seizures usually diminish with age, but the heat sensitivity remains. In this case, seizures were increased by repeated infections, and hyperthermia was induced by zonisamide, resulting in status epilepticus. Perampanel, an aminomethylphosphonic acid receptor antagonist, decreased seizures but caused psychiatric symptoms. It was effective in suppressing seizures of Dravet syndrome in this patient.
Differential gene expression (DGE) analysis in persons with a history of giardiasis
Authors: Saeedi Parnia , Eslami Gilda , Tohidfar Masoud , Jafari-Nodushan AbbasAli , Vakili Mahmood
Published: January 2024

Giardiasis, which is caused by Giardia duodenalis, has clinical symptoms such as steatorrhea and can be very dangerous in children. In addition, some documents reported that this parasite is present inside the tissue of patients with cancer. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of some main genes important to apoptosis and anti-apoptosis in humans.

Expression profile arrays of Genomic Spatial Event (GSE) 113666, GSE113667, and GSE113679 obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus were used for meta-analysis using R commands. Cytoscape and STRING databases used the protein–protein Interaction network. Then, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology analysis was performed. Similar genes in Homo sapiens were identified using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool analysis. The validation was performed on eight people using real-time Polymerase chain reaction. In addition to the candidate genes, the gene expression of some other genes, including Serine/Threonine Kinase 1 (AKT1), Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), Kirsten Rat Sarcoma (KRAS), and Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-Bisphosphate 3-Kinase Catalytic Subunit Alpha (PIK3CA) were also examined. Analysis of the expression of serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), Regenerating Islet-Derived 3 Gamma (REG3G), and REG3A genes did not show any difference between the two groups of healthy and diseased people. Examining the mean expression of the four genes AKT1, CDKN2A, KRAS, and PIK3CA showed that three genes of AKT1, CDKN2A, and KRAS had increased expression in people with a history of giardiasis compared to healthy people. We showed that the gene expression pattern differs in apoptosis and anti-apoptosis signaling in people with a history of giardiasis. Giardia duodenalis seems to induce post-non-infectious symptoms with stimulation of human gene expression.
Deep semantic learning for acoustic scene classification
Authors: Shao Yun-Fei , Ma Xin-Xin , Ma Yong , Zhang Wei-Qiang
Published: January 2024

Acoustic scene classification (ASC) is the process of identifying the acoustic environment or scene from which an audio signal is recorded. In this work, we propose an encoder-decoder-based approach to ASC, which is borrowed from the SegNet in image semantic segmentation tasks. We also propose a novel feature normalization method named Mixup Normalization, which combines channel-wise instance normalization and the Mixup method to learn useful information for scene and discard specific information related to different devices. In addition, we propose an event extraction block, which can extract the accurate semantic segmentation region from the segmentation network, to imitate the effect of image segmentation on audio features. With four data augmentation techniques, our best single system achieved an average accuracy of 71.26% on different devices in the Detection and Classification of Acoustic Scenes and Events (DCASE) 2020 ASC Task 1A dataset. The result indicates a minimum margin of 17% against the DCASE 2020 challenge Task 1A baseline system. It has lower complexity and higher performance compared with other state-of-the-art CNN models, without using any supplementary data other than the official challenge dataset.
Interpretable machine learning model for early prediction of 28-day mortality in ICU patients with sepsis-induced coagulopathy: development and validation
Authors: Zhou Shu , Lu Zongqing , Liu Yu , Wang Minjie , Zhou Wuming , Cui Xuanxuan , Zhang Jin , Xiao Wenyan , Hua Tianfeng , Zhu Huaqing , Yang Min
Published: January 2024

Objective

Sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) is extremely common in individuals with sepsis, significantly associated with poor outcomes. This study attempted to develop an interpretable and generalizable machine learning (ML) model for early predicting the risk of 28-day death in patients with SIC.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we extracted SIC patients from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III), MIMIC-IV, and eICU-CRD database according to Toshiaki Iba's scale. And the overlapping in the MIMIC-IV was excluded for this study. Afterward, only the MIMIC-III cohort was randomly divided into the training set, and the internal validation set according to the ratio of 7:3, while the MIMIC-IV and eICU-CRD databases were considered the external validation sets. The predictive factors for 28-day mortality of SIC patients were determined using recursive feature elimination combined with tenfold cross-validation (RFECV). Then, we constructed models using ML algorithms. Multiple metrics were used for evaluation of performance of the models, including the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), area under the precision recall curve (AUPRC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, recall, and F1 score. Finally, Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) were employed to provide a reasonable interpretation for the prediction results.

Results

A total of 3280, 2798, and 1668 SIC patients were screened from MIMIC-III, MIMIC-IV, and eICU-CRD databases, respectively. Seventeen features were selected to construct ML prediction models. XGBoost had the best performance in predicting the 28-day mortality of SIC patients, with AUC of 0.828, 0.913 and 0.923, the AUPRC of 0.807, 0.796 and 0.921, the accuracy of 0.785, 0.885 and 0.891, the F1 scores were 0.63, 0.69 and 0.70 in MIMIC-III (internal validation set), MIMIC-IV, and eICU-CRD databases. The importance ranking and SHAP analyses showed that initial SOFA score, red blood cell distribution width (RDW), and age were the top three critical features in the XGBoost model.

Conclusions

We developed an optimal and explainable ML model to predict the risk of 28-day death of SIC patients 28-day death risk. Compared with conventional scoring systems, the XGBoost model performed better. The model established will have the potential to improve the level of clinical practice for SIC patients.

Graphical Abstract
Recent updates on central nervous system prophylaxis in patients with high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Chua Bernard Ji Guang , Low Chen Ee , Yau Chun En , Tan Ya Hwee , Chiang Jianbang , Chang Esther Wei Yin , Chan Jason Yongsheng , Poon Eileen Yi Ling , Somasundaram Nagavalli , Rashid Mohamed Farid Bin Harunal , Tao Miriam , Lim Soon Thye , Yang Valerie Shiwen
Published: January 2024

The use of central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains controversial. Although uncommon, CNS relapses are invariably fatal in this otherwise curable disease. Accurate identification of patients at risk and the optimal approach to CNS prophylaxis therefore remains an area of unmet need. The existing literature, largely retrospective in nature, provides mixed conclusions regarding the efficacy of CNS prophylaxis. The utility of CNS prophylaxis has itself been challenged. In this review, we dissect the issues which render the value of CNS prophylaxis uncertain. We first compare international clinical guidelines for CNS prophylaxis. We then interrogate the factors that should be used to identify high-risk patients accurately. We also explore how clinical patterns of CNS relapse have changed in the pre-rituximab and rituximab era. We then discuss the efficacy of CNS-directed approaches, intensification of systemic treatment and other novel approaches in CNS prophylaxis. Improved diagnostics for early detection of CNS relapses and newer therapeutics for CNS prophylaxis are areas of active investigation. In an area where prospective, randomized studies are impracticable and lacking, guidance for the use of CNS prophylaxis will depend on rigorous statistical review of retrospective data.
Regional differences in synaptic degeneration are linked to alpha-synuclein burden and axonal damage in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies
Authors: Frigerio Irene , Bouwman Maud M. A. , Noordermeer Ruby T. G. M. M. , Podobnik Ema , Popovic Marko , Timmermans Evelien , Rozemuller Annemieke J. M. , van de Berg Wilma D. J. , Jonkman Laura E.
Published: January 2024

Regional differences in synaptic degeneration may underlie differences in clinical presentation and neuropathological disease progression in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Here, we mapped and quantified synaptic degeneration in cortical brain regions in PD, PD with dementia (PDD) and DLB, and assessed whether regional differences in synaptic loss are linked to axonal degeneration and neuropathological burden. We included a total of 47 brain donors, 9 PD, 12 PDD, 6 DLB and 20 non-neurological controls. Synaptophysin+ and SV2A+ puncta were quantified in eight cortical regions using a high throughput microscopy approach. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) immunoreactivity, Lewy body (LB) density, phosphorylated-tau and amyloid-β load were also quantified. Group differences in synaptic density, and associations with neuropathological markers and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores, were investigated using linear mixed models. We found significantly decreased synaptophysin and SV2A densities in the cortex of PD, PDD and DLB cases compared to controls. Specifically, synaptic density was decreased in cortical regions affected at Braak α-synuclein stage 5 in PD (middle temporal gyrus, anterior cingulate and insula), and was additionally decreased in cortical regions affected at Braak α-synuclein stage 4 in PDD and DLB compared to controls (entorhinal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus and fusiform gyrus). Synaptic loss associated with higher NfL immunoreactivity and LB density. Global synaptophysin loss associated with longer disease duration and higher CDR scores. Synaptic neurodegeneration occurred in temporal, cingulate and insular cortices in PD, as well as in parahippocampal regions in PDD and DLB. In addition, synaptic loss was linked to axonal damage and severe α-synuclein burden. These results, together with the association between synaptic loss and disease progression and cognitive impairment, indicate that regional synaptic loss may underlie clinical differences between PD and PDD/DLB. Our results might provide useful information for the interpretation of synaptic biomarkers in vivo.
Eco-friendly nano-enabled fertilizers derived from date industry waste for sustainable and controlled-release of P, K and Mg nutrients: sorption mechanisms, controlled-release performance and kinetics
Authors: Elsabagh Samira S. , Elkhatib Elsayed A. , Rashad Mohamed
Published: January 2024

Development of nano-enabled fertilizers from green waste is one of the effective options to enhance global agricultural productions and minimize environmental pollution. In this study, novel, eco-friendly and cost-effective nano- enabled fertilizers (NEF) were synthesized using the planetary ball milling procedure. The NEF (nDPF1and nDPF2) were prepared by impregnation of nanostructured date palm pits (nDPP) with (KH2PO4 + MgO) at 1:1 and 3:1 (w/w) ratios respectively. The nDPP, nDPF1 and nDPF2 were extensively characterized. The produced nano-fertilizers enhanced soil water retention capacity with nDPF2 being the most effective. The water retention capacity of nDPF2 treated soil was 5.6 times higher than that of soil treated with conventional fertilizers. In addition, the nDPF2 exhibited superior sustained lower release rates of P, K and Mg nutrients for longer release periods in comparison with the conventional fertilizers. For instance, P cumulative release percentages from conventional fertilizers, nDPF1 and nDPF2 in soil reached 22.41%, 10.82 and 8.9% respectively within 384 h. Findings from FTIR and XPS analyses suggested that hydrogen bonding and ligand exchange were the main interaction mechanisms of PO4-K-Mg ions with nDPP surface. The released kinetics data of the NEF revealed that power function was the best suitable model to describe the kinetics of P, K and Mg release data from NEF in water and soil. Pot study ascertained that the nano-enabled fertilizers (nDPF1 and nDPF2) significantly promoted biomass production and nutrient uptake of maize plants as compared to commercial fertilizer treated plants. The present work demonstrated the potential of NEF to increase nutrients uptake efficiency, mitigate moisture retention problem in arid soils and reduce nutrients loss through leaching and safeguard the environment.

Graphical Abstract
Evaluating the resource management and profitability efficiencies of US commercial banks from a dynamic network perspective
Authors: Kweh Qian Long , Lu Wen-Min , Tone Kaoru , Liu Hsian-Ming
Published: January 2024

The central concept of strategic benchmarking is resource management efficiency, which ultimately results in profitability. However, little is known about performance measurement from resource-based perspectives. This study uses the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with a dynamic network structure to measure the resource management and profitability efficiencies of 287 US commercial banks from 2010 to 2020. Furthermore, we provide frontier projections and incorporate five variables, namely capital adequacy, asset quality, management quality, earning ability, and liquidity (i.e., the CAMEL ratings). The results revealed that the room for improvement in bank performance is 55.4%. In addition, we found that the CAMEL ratings of efficient banks are generally higher than those of inefficient banks, and management quality, earnings quality, and liquidity ratios positively contribute to bank performance. Moreover, big banks are generally more efficient than small banks. Overall, this study continues the current heated debate on performance measurement in the banking industry, with a particular focus on the DEA application to answer the fundamental question of why resource management efficiency reflects benchmark firms and provides insights into how efficient management of CAMEL ratings would help in improving their performance.
Business cycle and herding behavior in stock returns: theory and evidence
Authors: Ahn Kwangwon , Cong Linxiao , Jang Hanwool , Kim Daniel Sungyeon
Published: January 2024

This study explains the role of economic uncertainty as a bridge between business cycles and investors’ herding behavior. Starting with a conventional stochastic differential equation representing the evolution of stock returns, we provide a simple theoretical model and empirically demonstrate it. Specifically, the growth rate of gross domestic product and the power law exponent are used as proxies for business cycles and herding behavior, respectively. We find stronger herding behavior during recessions than during booms. We attribute this to economic uncertainty, which leads to strong behavioral bias in the stock market. These findings are consistent with the predictions of the quantum model.
Metformin suppresses proliferation and glycolysis of gastric cancer by modulating ADAMTS12
Authors: Chen Rui , Chen Jianhui , Chen Miaoliang , Zhou Shenkang , Jiang Pinlu
Published: January 2024

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is a common malignancy with its morbidity increasing worldwide. Hence, it is imperative to develop effective treatments. Studies have shown that metformin has potential antitumor effects. The objective of this study was to probe the antitumor mechanism of metformin in GC.

Methods

The expression of ADAMTS12 in GC tissues and its enrichment pathways were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. ADAMTS12 expression in GC cells was assessed by qRT-PCR. Cell viability and proliferation were analyzed by CCK-8 and colony formation assays, respectively. Extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of GC cells in different treatment groups were analyzed by Seahorse XP 96, and glycolysis metabolites were detected by corresponding kits. Western blot was employed to analyze the level of glycolysis pathway related protein HK-2, and cell functional assays were conducted to verify the functions of metformin on GC cells. A xenograft model was constructed to validate the inhibitory role of metformin in GC.

Results

ADAMTS12 expression was elevated in GC tissues/cells and concentrated in glycolysis pathway. Cell functional assays found that ADAMTS12 promoted the proliferation and glycolysis of GC cells. Rescue experiments showed that metformin could reduce the promoting effect of ADAMTS12 overexpression on the proliferation and glycolysis of GC cells. In vivo studies confirmed that metformin suppressed the proliferation and glycolysis process via ADAMTS12 in GC cells.

Conclusion

Metformin can repress the proliferation and glycolysis of GC cells via ADAMTS12. The results suggest the potential of ADAMTS12 being a target for the metformin therapy of GC.
Predictors of progression of multiple sclerosis in a sample of Egyptian patients
Authors: Shawky Manar A. , Menecie Tarek I. , Saif El Deen Eman M. , Rashad Mohammed H.
Published: January 2024

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative autoimmune disease with a varied clinical course and presentation, which is more frequent than ever in the Middle East. The aim of this work is to investigate potential predictors of MS progression in order to help in early diagnose and predict progressive course of the disease.

Results

This is a retrospective case–control study conducted on a group of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who developed secondary progression of the disease course (SPMS). The cases were matched with control MS patients who did not develop any disease progression (relapsing remitting MS (RRMS)). The matching was done for sex, and age with a ratio 1:1, total of 150 patients were included as cases and were matched with 150 control patients. Significant associations between MS progression and smoking, vitamin D deficiency, disease duration, delay in MS diagnosis, unemployment, site and number of lesions, and number of black holes were reported. About half of SPMS patients (53.3%) had 3 or more spinal lesions compared to only 1.4% of RRMS patients (p < 0.001). Moreover, about 76% of RRMS patients had no black holes in their radiological finding, while it was found that 35.3% of the SPMS patients had more than 5 black holes, compared to 8% of RRMS patients. Additionally, juxta-cortical site lesions were more frequent in SPMS than that in RRMS in a percentage 72.7 and 46%, respectively. Also, infra-tentorial lesions were found to be more frequent in SPMS group rather than RRMS group 92% and 78.7%, respectively.

On the other hand, a lower SDMT scale was associated with a shorter time to SPMS diagnosis in the multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusted to baseline factors and 25-FWT (HR: 0.928, 95% CI: 0.906–0.95).

Conclusions

MS secondary progression can be predicted among MS patients in routine practice comprising exposure history, clinical assessment, laboratory findings, and radiological examinations.
Quality of cultured eels as affected by pollution sources and risk assessment of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls
Authors: Liu Hao , Chen Jianan , Dong Meng , Pang Jie , Qin Lei , Huang Xuhui
Published: January 2024

The aim of this research was to determine the residues of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in cultured eel and find out the source of pollution and the distribution pattern of eels. One hundred samples of eel, 4 fodder samples, and 12 environmental samples (water, plants, and soil) were collected from 4 cities and counties in Jiangxi Province, China. The contents of 17 kinds of dioxins (PCDD/Fs) and 12 kinds of dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) were determined by high-resolution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and the exposure risk was evaluated by using risk index. The total toxicity equivalence quantity (TEQ) of dioxin and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in eel and fodder samples collected in the study area were 0.65 ± 0.31 pg/g and 0.10 ± 0.02 pg/g, respectively. Dl-PCBs were the main dioxin pollution in eel and fodder samples. 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorodiphenyl and 2,3,3',4,4'-pentachlorobiphenyl were the main contributing monomers. The environmental samples were mainly polluted by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), with the main contributing monomer being Octachlorodibenzodioxins (OCDD), while 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl and 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran were the main toxic compounds in eel and fodder. The dioxin pollution of eels cultured in Jiangxi Province was mainly from fodder polluted via dl-PCBs. The meat segment VI (tail) exhibited a strong enrichment effect of polychlorinated benzofurans (PCDFs). It should be the key part for dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls assessment. Further, the results were helpful to improve the edible safety of eel products and the efficiency of the risk assessment of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in fish.

Graphical Abstract
Novel similarity measure between hesitant fuzzy set and their applications in pattern recognition and clustering analysis
Authors: Gupta Rakhi , Kumar Satish
Published: January 2024

The extension of classical fuzzy sets are hesitant fuzzy sets (HFSs), in which each element has a possible value from [0,1]. Similarity and distance measures are useful implements for solving medical, clustering and pattern-recognition problems. Most of the researchers have suggested their ideas for HFSs using distance measures and extract the similarity measure from distance measure but most of them are getting inadequate results. Therefore, we proposed a new similarity measure to resolve these problems and also satisfied the properties of proposed measure for HFSs. Additionally, numerous examples are taken in consideration using HFS and compared the performance of existing measures with proposed measure for different cases. Furthermore, we have applied proposed measure for pattern recognition problems using three different examples and also calculate performance index (i.e., Degree of Confidence) to explore the behavior of different measures. Finally, we suggested MST based clustering algorithm using HF-environment and contrast the performance of proposed measure with existing ones. All these comparison illustrate that proposed measure is getting efficient and reasonable results and it also verified that proposed measure is not restricted to particular domain, it can be effectively applied for diverse field of application.
Echocardiographic assessment of aortic regurgitation: a narrative review
Authors: Tsampasian Vasiliki , Victor Kelly , Bhattacharyya Sanjeev , Oxborough David , Ring Liam
Published: January 2024

Aortic regurgitation (AR) is the third most frequently encountered valve lesion and may be caused by abnormalities of the valve cusps or the aorta. Echocardiography is instrumental in the assessment of AR as it enables the delineation of valvular morphology, the mechanism of the lesion and the grading of severity. Severe AR has a major impact on the myocardium and carries a significant risk of morbidity and mortality if left untreated. Established and novel echocardiographic methods, such as global longitudinal strain and three-dimensional echocardiography, allow an estimation of this risk and provide invaluable information for patient management and prognosis. This narrative review summarises the epidemiology of AR, reviews current practices and recommendations with regards to the echocardiographic assessment of AR and outlines novel echocardiographic tools that may prove beneficial in patient assessment and management.
Using seismic petrophysical modeling and prestack simultaneous inversion to provide insights into the physical properties of uranium-bearing reservoirs: Implications for favorable sites of sandstone-hosted uranium deposits
Authors: Wu Qubo , Wang Yanchun , Huang Yucheng , Qiao Baoping , Cao Chengyin , Li Ziwei , Yu Xiang
Published: January 2024

Seismic prospecting has been accepted as one of the most widely available methods for exploring sandstone-hosted uranium deposits (SUDs). However, conventional seismic interpretation faces a challenge in the identification and characterization of a uranium reservoir’s complexity. How to characterize in detail a uranium reservoir’s physical complexity and effectively improve uranium reservoir prediction accuracy remain unresolved problems. To address this, we develop a novel combination of petrophysical modeling and prestack simultaneous inversion to understand in detail the physical properties of uranium-bearing reservoirs and efficiently predict favorable SUD sites. First, we develop a workflow of rock-physics modeling for SUD logs using the Xu-White method to calculate the modulus of elasticity of the grain matrix; subsequently, we extend the Walton model for the modulus prediction of the dry rocks and the Gassmann equation for one of the saturated rocks after a massive calculation test; and then, we predict the S-wave data used for the following inversion. Second, we execute a prestack simultaneous inversion to obtain the petrophysical parameters (e.g., P-impedance, density [[Formula: see text]], shear modulus [[Formula: see text]], Lamé coefficient [[Formula: see text]], and Young’s modulus) that can provide insights into the physical properties of a uranium metallogenic environment. Accordingly, we discover that sites bearing uranium mineralization strongly correspond to areas with low elastic-parameter values (especially [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]), whereas nonuranium anomalies occur in high-value sites. This indicates that weakened elastic characteristics are caused by the enhancement of the total organic content and total clay mineral volumes of the uranium-bearing layers. In summary, the developed combination approach can yield an effective and accurate characterization of the geologic properties of uranium-bearing formations, and it can provide prediction factors (e.g., parameters related to the shear modulus) for uranium mineralization.
An effective multiphysics toolkit for lithium prospecting: From geophysics to the static reservoir model in the Pozuelos salt flat, Argentina
Authors: Curcio Ana , Chanampa Eliana , Cabanillas Luis , Piethe Ricardo
Published: January 2024

Energy transition drives the energy sector to renewable energy and electrification, being the critical minerals key players in the industrial development map. They comprise rare-earth elements and 35 other elements, including lithium, which holds 60% of its world reserves in the so-called lithium triangle located in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. The low electrical resistivities, variations in salt concentrations, low acoustic impedances, and dynamics of the hydrogeologic system make brine monitoring a complex geophysical exploratory problem. So, the objective is to find a suitable combination of geophysical techniques that fit the lithium exploration objectives, which are the characterization of the salt flat in-depth, fluid detection, basement delineation, definition of the main structures and main faults, and detection of semifresh water aquifers that contribute to its recharge and that are key to the reservoir water balance of an endorheic basin, which has the resource in solution. For this purpose, the evaluation of several prospecting methods in different salt flats was executed, concluding that full tensor magnetotellurics (MT), electrical resistivity tomography, and gravity comprise a toolkit that fits the objectives set. The methodology was validated at the Pozuelos salt flat. The results show that the fresh water-brines contact and the recharge system were well-defined and imaged by ERT. The full tensor MT detected two ultraconductive units: a shallower multilayer system saturated with brines, has a 400 m thickness, whereas the deeper unit has a 500 m thickness. Both MT and gravity characterized the basement, and gravity successfully delineated the main structures. The geophysical interpretation is in concordance with shallow and deep exploration wells. Finally, the integration of geophysical and well data allowed the construction of a 3D static reservoir model that finds the deepest basement area at approximately 900 m depth and discriminates eight lithofacies.
Subterranean Matters
Authors: Marston Andrea
Published: January 2024

In Subterranean Matters, Andrea Marston examines the ongoing history of Bolivian mining cooperatives, an economic formation that has been central to Bolivian politics and to the country’s economy. Marston outlines how mining cooperatives occupy a contradictory place in Bolivian politics. They were major backers of left-wing president Evo Morales in 2006 and participated significantly in the crafting of the constitution that would declare Bolivia a plurinational state. At the same time, many Bolivians regard mining cooperatives as thieves because they derive personal profits from the subterranean mineral resources that are the legal inheritance of all Bolivians. Through extensive fieldwork underground in Bolivian cooperative mines, Marston explores how these miners—and the subterranean spaces they occupy—embody the tensions at the heart of Bolivia’s plurinational project. Marston shows how persistent commitment to nation and nationalism is a shared feature of left-wing and right-wing politics in Bolivia, illustrating how bodies, identities, and resources fit into this complex political matrix.
Landslide Risk Management in Areas Affected by Wildfires or Floods: A Comprehensive Framework Integrating GIS, Remote Sensing Techniques, and Regional Climate Models
Authors: Nefros Constantinos , Loupasakis Constantinos
Published: January 2024

Over the past few decades, numerous studies and technical surveys have documented a significant number of landslides activated in areas that had recently been affected by wildfires or floods, thereby suggesting a potential link between landslides and these phenomena. With the climate crisis exacerbating the intensity and frequency of wildfires and floods, understanding this link has nowadays become even more crucial and requires further exploration. This study proceeds along this path and establishes a comprehensive framework for rapidly evaluating the effect of a wildfire or a flood on the local landslide mechanism, as well as for effectively managing landslide hazards in the affected area. The proposed framework incorporates advanced Geographical Information System (GIS) tools, remote sensing techniques, and state of the art regional climate models, to assess landslide hazard and risk from wildfires and floods on the impacted area, as well as to offer vital tools for landslide management. Consequently, it provides a comprehensive and thorough assessment of the impact of these catastrophic phenomena on affected areas. Remote sensing and GIS techniques offer a cost-effective solution, as these methods, contrary to traditional in-situ methods, can be easily and rapidly applied even on large and complex areas. The integration of regional climate models also ensures the long-term viability of the proposed approach, as it takes under consideration the impacts of the climate crisis. As a result, the proposed framework contributes to scientists’ ongoing efforts in understanding the dynamic character of the landslides phenomenon that evolves and interacts with other natural disasters. Simultaneously, the results of the proposed methodology can effectively contribute to the local stakeholders’ efforts to promptly assess the relative impact and make informed decisions regarding the required mitigation measures. Wildfires that ravaged the Chania regional unit in western Crete, Greece, in 2021, are selected as a case study to highlight the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed framework.
Just Wars Theory as a Key Element of Germany’s New Sonderweg
Authors: Kashnikov Boris , Glaser Marina
Published: January 2024

The article traces the evolution and key characteristics of the German Sonderweg – Germany’s special path starting from the end of the 19th – the middle of the 20th century. The article considers geopolitical, ideological, and historical reasons for its emergence, transformation, and the specificity of its normative constitution, designed to morally justify the use of military force as an indispensable lever for Germany to achieve its goal of creating a “German Europe.” We develop a hypothesis of a possible remake at the beginning of the 21st century of a new German Sonderweg, focused on creation of the “European Germany,” stemming from liberalism and just war theory. It is demonstrated that Zeitenwende, announced in 2022, facilitated the possible resort to arms and made militant solution of political dilemmas a reality again. The discourse analysis of the German political speeches makes it possible to claim that the political elites in Germany are preconcerted with normative justification of the possible war. The article considers two major lines of transformation of the contemporary just war theory and their possible implication in the German military and defense policy. One of these is the emergence of human rights paradigm of the just war doctrine, another – the growing tendency of the theory to stick to national cultural tradition instead of moral universalism. The combination of the two tendencies may trigger an array of very special and unpredictable normative developments of the military policy in Germany. The further movement alongside the idea of jus ad bellum may provoke specific national perceptions of the justice of the war, which may merge the idea of just war with traditional German realism if not militarism. This tendency may lure Germany into a trap of, what we term, “human rights militarism.” To what extent the trap is viable depends on the normative constitution of the key elements of Sonderweg.
Προγράμματα παρέμβασης στην κρίση. Συγκριτική αξιολόγηση της αποτελεσματικότητάς τους με την ενδονοσοκομειακή νοσηλεία. Ο ρόλος των Κοινωνικών Λειτουργών
Authors: Κουρέτα Αικατερίνη , Ξυδιά Σταυρούλα , Μπισμπίκη Ελισάβετ , Παπαζαφείρη Θεοδώρα , Γρηγοριάδου Μαρία , Λεούση Αντωνία , Ζαχαριάδη Φωτεινή
Published: January 2024

Τα προγράμματα παρέμβασης στην Κρίση (ΠΠΚ) αποτελούν από τα πιο πρόσφατα παραδείγματα των εξελίξεων που διαδραματίζονται, τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες, στο χώρο της ψυχικής υγείας και προβάλλουν σε προεξάρχουσας σημασίας υπηρεσίες για ασθενείς με σοβαρή ψυχική διαταραχή. Σύμφωνα με ερευνητικά δεδομένα, τα ΠΠΚ (ομάδες επίλυσης κρίσεων, κινητές μονάδες, Νοσοκομεία ημέρας για οξείες ψυχοπαθολογικές καταστάσεις, κέντρα αντιμετώπισης κρίσεων), φαίνεται να είναι  αποτελεσματικά στη μείωση των ενδονοσοκομειακών εισαγωγών/επανεισαγωγών και του μέσου χρόνου νοσηλείας, στη βελτίωση της κλινικής εικόνας και της λειτουργικότητας των ασθενών, στη μείωση της επιβάρυνσης των φροντιστών και την αύξηση της ικανοποίησης των χρηστών των υπηρεσιών τους ενώ δεν υπάρχουν ικανοποιητικά δεδομένα αναφορικά με τον αντίκτυπο τους στην ποιότητα ζωής των ασθενών. Το παρόν άρθρο στοχεύει στην παρουσίαση των ευρημάτων διεθνών εμπειρικών ερευνών σχετικά με την αποτελεσματικότητα των ΠΠΚ αλλά και στην συγκριτική αξιολόγηση τους με την ενδονοσοκομειακή νοσηλεία. Ειδική μνεία γίνεται στις παρεμβάσεις και το ρόλο του κοινωνικού λειτουργού στο πλαίσιο μιας οξείας ψυχοπαθολογικής κατάστασης.
From classroom to global goals: A bibliometric analysis of Universitas Indonesia’s student projects addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3
Authors: Garnita Dita , Rahmi Rahmi , Joho Hideo , Kadir Abdul
Published: January 2024

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a vital contribution to both developed and developing nations. It is imperative to assess SDG-related activities to discern the impact of such initiatives across various domains, including health and education. While current bibliometric analyses on SDGs predominantly encompass peer-reviewed articles, it is paramount to acknowledge that SDGs are universally pertinent and necessitate universal engagement. Consequently, there is a compelling need to broaden the bibliometric scope concerning SDGs, surpassing the realm of peer-reviewed papers. This research introduces a pioneering examination of SDG-associated academic undertakings, encompassing undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral research projects on an expansive scale. The evaluative framework stems from a decade’s culminating research endeavours published by Universitas Indonesia (UI). The emphasis of this study was directed towards Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), given its intricate set of indicators. Furthermore, there remains a paucity of research probing the influence of libraries in the context of SDG 3 indicators within the Indonesian milieu. Through a bibliometric approach, we employed a descriptive analysis to scrutinize the publications’ breadth and evolution. Science mapping facilitated an exploration of inter-topic relationships and spotlighted prominent research themes. The diverse range of research predilections unearthed through our analysis underscores the significance of integrating student research projects into the bibliometric discourse on SDGs. This inquiry aims to heighten recognition of the extensive scholarly contributions by students and ideally will galvanize a younger demographic to immerse themselves in SDG-aligned research pursuits.
A guide to selecting high-performing antibodies for Serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2A 56 kDa regulatory subunit delta isoform (PPP2R5D) for use in Western Blot, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence
Authors: Ayoubi Riham , Fotouhi Maryam , Alende Charles , Southern Kathleen , Laflamme Carl ,   NeuroSGC/YCharOS/EDDU collaborative group,   ABIF consortium
Published: January 2024

Protein phosphatase 2A is a serine/threonine phosphatase with activity dependent on an associated regulatory subunit, serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2A 56 kDa regulatory subunit delta (δ) isoform (PPP2R5D). PPP2R5D is the δ isoform in the B56 family of regulatory subunits. Abundantly expressed in the brain and involved in a broad range of cellular processes, PPP2R5D plays an essential role in modulating key neuronal pathways and signalling. Pathogenic mutations in the PPP2R5D gene are linked to clinical symptoms characterized by neurodevelopmental delay, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorders. The etiology of these genetic disorders remains unknown, which can partly be due to the lack of independently characterized antibodies. Here we have characterized six PPP2R5D commercial antibodies for Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls. These studies are part of a larger, collaborative initiative seeking to address antibody reproducibility by characterizing commercially available antibodies for human proteins and publishing the results openly as a resource for the scientific community. While use of antibodies and protocols vary between laboratories, we encourage readers to use this report as a guide to select the most appropriate antibodies for their specific needs.
Content Length Limit: How Does It Matter for a Consumer-to-Consumer Media Platform?
Authors: (Jane) Gu Zheyin , Zhao Xuying
Published: January 2024

Our study is inspired by the rapid growth of consumer-to-consumer (C2C) media platforms such as TikTok. There are three key findings. First, we show that when content pieces on the platform are longer, viewers set a higher standard of match value in selecting content to view, leading to a lower click-through rate of contributed content on the platform. This finding suggests that a tight limit on content length increases click-through rate. Second, we show that extended content length on the platform first enhances platform performance but then hurts its performance, following an inverted U-shape curve. This pattern holds true for short-term performance measured by viewer traffic and total viewing time, as well as for long-term performance measured by total consumer surplus. This finding suggests the existence of an optimal content length. Third, we find that the optimal content length maximizing viewer traffic is smaller than the one maximizing total viewing time, which is further smaller than the one maximizing consumer surplus. As such, a platform that switches the strategic focus from short-term advertising revenue to long-term growth will benefit from extending the content length limit.
Investor Regret and Stock Returns
Authors: Arisoy Y. Eser , Bali Turan G. , Tang Yi
Published: January 2024

We introduce a measure of regret for stock market investors and investigate its cross-sectional asset pricing implications. According to our regret-based framework, investors experience regret due to not achieving the highest possible return from a similar set of stock investments, and equity portfolios with high regret generate 6.84% more annualized alpha than portfolios with low regret. Using investor-trading activity of 78,000 households at a large U.S.-based brokerage firm, we develop an investor-based regret index and show that this household-level regret measure predicts stock returns in a similar way to our proposed regret measure. We also show that regret is not spanned by established risk or behavioral factors that have been documented to be robust predictors of equity returns.

This paper was accepted by David Sraer, finance.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.03389 .
History of Treatments Used to Treat Gout and Hyperuricemia
Authors: Chikhale Hemant , Patki Chaitanya , Shinde Sagar , Morkar Vidya , Avhad Shweta , Borse Laxmikant
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: Treatment of arthritis has been gaining momentum most recently with new advancement in technology and various modes of treatment available. But; with changing life-style and unhealthy dietary habits; cases of hyperuricemia and gout are increasing at an alarming rate. Gout attacks joints and the Heat, inflammation, discomfort, inflammation, and intense discomfort are a few symptoms. Inhibitors of Xanthine Oxidase used in treatment for hyperuricemia and arthritis which reduce the serum urate level. Study on further applications of medications to combat hyperuricemia and gout is currently under way which has a scope for further development. synthesis of inhibitors of Xanthine Oxidase has been showing for preventing tophaceous deposits from accumulating. Many different methods have been used to combat hyperuricemia throughout the history and many different modes of treatment are currently employed which provide relief from hyperuricemia and gout due to the advancement in technology. The advancement in modern science has ensured that the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout has developed rapidly to effectively treat the disease which has been increasing at an alarming rate in the last two decades. Emphasis has also been given to find out new breakthroughs in the discovery of alternatives for traditional drugs that are used to treat hyperuricemia and gout which will provide relief to patients.
Review on Essential Oils and Ways to Use Them for the Treatment of Arthritis
Authors: Mahajan Mohit , Vaidya Vaibhav , Farande Prachi , Bhagde Shrutika , Jadhav Rohit
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: In order to study the existing information about the positive uses of essential oils (EOs) in treating arthritis, this review gives an overview of how natural essential oils, which have various characteristics like natural occurrence, commending penetration ability and partitioning action into skin, are used in the treatment of arthritis, also which can help various drugs penetrate the skin more effectively for the same. While reviewing various scientific experiments, we found that various oils were used alone or in combination, in different ways/methods on patients suffering from arthritis or on animals induced with arthritis (in-vivo study) & the results were quiet positive & effective in treating types of arthritis. As a result of our scientific literature survey, we found number of studies evaluating potential anti-arthritic activity of EOs and their major constituents has increased giving hope to an interesting new therapeutic applications of EOs in the future.
Beyond Silicon: The Advent of Biomolecular Computing
Authors: Panchal Neil B.
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: Bio computing is an emerging interdisciplinary field that harnesses the information processing capabilities of biological substrates like DNA, proteins and cells to perform computational tasks. Rather than relying solely on conventional silicon-based computers, bio computing leverages the innate computational properties of biomolecules to encode, store, process and transmit information in unconventional ways. Core approaches include DNA computing, which uses DNA biochemistry to solve problems in a massively parallel fashion. Protein computing utilizes protein conformational dynamics to implement logic gates and communication modules for molecular information processing. Cellular computing focuses on engineering gene circuits and synthetic biology tools to program computational behaviours in living cells. Neural computing builds artificial neural networks inspired by biological brains. Key application areas include biomedicine, smart drug delivery systems, biosensing, hybrid organic-inorganic electronics, and biomolecular manufacturing. While still facing challenges around biocompatibility, programming complexity and ethical concerns, bio computing has achieved major technical milestones demonstrating its promise. Continued progress at the interface of biology and computing could enable future technologies like bio processors, in-vivo biocomputers, living materials and bio-intelligent systems. With responsible development, bio-inspired computation may catalyse the next revolution in human technological capabilities. This emerging field thus warrants enthusiastic attention as computation further converges with the living world.