bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lubaina Himid
Authors: Kholeif Omar
Published: May 2024

Dr Omar Kholeif maps out the life and practice of the path-breaking British-artist, Lubaina Himid RA CBE (born, Zanzibar 1954) through a considered engagement of her multivalent creative output—in visual art, writing, and exhibition-making. A leading figure in the British Black Arts Movement, Himid is renowned for her narrative paintings, which interrogate historical representations of Black people’s creativity—from the eighteenth century to the present day. Painted canvasses, cut-out figures, drawers, and found carts find home in exhibitions that reveal the artist’s engagement with opera, performance, and architecture. Kholeif notes that Himid’s expressions have heralded a distinct re-formulation of Black visuality, achieved through a re-imagining of Black life—framed through the lens of the present. In “Do You Want an Easy Life?” Kholeif pays special attention to the artist’s collaborative art making and argues that through these forays that Himid is concerned with “making space” for what official record and history often elides. Kholeif argues that Himid’s artistic realm is constructed through a form of “female worlding” that presages an intertextual palette for art and its history—one which demands crucial revision.
Uncolonialism/Bāb Art
Authors: Gallois William
Published: May 2024

How can we see beyond colonialism? And how might we be able to apprehend the work of those who saw themselves as living and creating the strictures of imperial control? This article argues for an uncolonial approach to knowledge creation, rejecting imperial history’s endless desire to uncover new bodies of evidence, which largely replicate our existing understanding of the ways in which Europeans subjugated Others. Instead, it argues for the ethical imperative of locating lost, forgotten, or erased scripts of Indigenous being and agency that lie largely unexcavated in our archives of the imperial moment. Using a case study of so-called “Bāb Art” from 1920s CE Algeria, the essay explores the manner in which unloved, rough, and ephemeral modes of art possess the potential to serve as touchstones through which we might see unconquered forms of thinking, imagination, and belief that presently lie outside the bounds of our human story. In considering the spiritual and aesthetic significance of these works, it is argued that we are able to open up new vistas, which allow for glimpses of futures that begin again from threads long thought lost to the past.
ATP1A3 regulates protein synthesis for mitochondrial stability under heat stress
Authors: Fujii Fumihiko , Kanemasa Hikaru , Okuzono Sayaka , Setoyama Daiki , Taira Ryoji , Yonemoto Kousuke , Motomura Yoshitomo , Kato Hiroki , Masuda Keiji , Kato Takahiro A. , Ohga Shouichi , Sakai Yasunari
Published: May 2024

Pathogenic variants in ATP1A3, the gene encoding the α3 subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase, cause alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) and related disorders. Impairments in Na+/K+-ATPase activity are associated with the clinical phenotype. However, it remains unclear whether additional mechanisms are involved in the exaggerated symptoms under stressed conditions in patients with AHC. We herein report that the intracellular loop (ICL) of ATP1A3 interacted with RNA-binding proteins, such as Eif4g (encoded by Eif4g1), Pabpc1 and Fmrp (encoded by Fmr1), in mouse Neuro2a cells. Both the siRNA-mediated depletion of Atp1a3 and ectopic expression of the p.R756C variant of human ATP1A3-ICL in Neuro2a cells resulted in excessive phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 (encoded by Rps6) and increased susceptibility to heat stress. In agreement with these findings, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a patient with the p.R756C variant were more vulnerable to heat stress than control iPSCs. Neurons established from the patient-derived iPSCs showed lower calcium influxes in responses to stimulation with ATP than those in control iPSCs. These data indicate that inefficient protein synthesis contributes to the progressive and deteriorating phenotypes in patients with the p.R756C variant among a variety of ATP1A3-related disorders.
Taf1 knockout is lethal in embryonic male mice and heterozygous females show weight and movement disorders
Authors: Crombie Elisa M. , Korecki Andrea J. , Cleverley Karen , Adair Bethany A. , Cunningham Thomas J. , Lee Weaverly Colleen , Lengyell Tess C. , Maduro Cheryl , Mo Victor , Slade Liam M. , Zouhair Ines , Fisher Elizabeth M. C. , Simpson Elizabeth M.
Published: May 2024

The TATA box-binding protein-associated factor 1 (TAF1) is a ubiquitously expressed protein and the largest subunit of the basal transcription factor TFIID, which plays a key role in initiation of RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription. TAF1 missense variants in human males cause X-linked intellectual disability, a neurodevelopmental disorder, and TAF1 is dysregulated in X-linked dystonia–parkinsonism, a neurodegenerative disorder. However, this field has lacked a genetic mouse model of TAF1 disease to explore its mechanism in mammals and treatments. Here, we generated and validated a conditional cre-lox allele and the first ubiquitous Taf1 knockout mouse. We discovered that Taf1 deletion in male mice was embryonically lethal, which may explain why no null variants have been identified in humans. In the brains of Taf1 heterozygous female mice, no differences were found in gross structure, overall expression and protein localisation, suggesting extreme skewed X inactivation towards the non-mutant chromosome. Nevertheless, these female mice exhibited a significant increase in weight, weight with age, and reduced movement, suggesting that a small subset of neurons was negatively impacted by Taf1 loss. Finally, this new mouse model may be a future platform for the development of TAF1 disease therapeutics.
Traffic theory inspired spatiotemporal and multimodal deep learning models for trustworthy short-term urban traffic forecasting
Authors: Φαφουτέλλης Παναγιώτης
Published: May 2024

Στην παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή προτείνεται ένα πλήρες μεθοδολογικό πλαίσιο και μια συνοδευτική εργαλειοθήκη μεθόδων και εννοιών για την βραχυπρόθεσμη πρόβλεψη της κυκλοφορίας σε αστικά οδικά δίκτυα, που στόχο έχουν να αυξήσουν την ακρίβεια, την αξιοποιστία και τη εφαρμοσιμότητα των μοντέλων Βαθιάς Μάθησης στην διαχέιριση κυκλοφορίας βασιζόμενα σε χαρακτηριστικά όπως η πολυτροπικότητα και η αιτιότητα και σε στοιχεία της θεωρίας της Κυκλοφοριακής Ροής. Συγκεκριμένα αναπτύσσεται ένα πολυτροπικό πλαίσιο πρόβλεψης βασισμένο στην έννοια των Πολυεπίπεδων Δικτύων (Multiplex Networks) για την πρόβλεψη σε αστικά οδικά δικτύα λαμβάνοντας υπόψη χωροχρονικές σχέσεις μεταξύ των δύο εξεταζόμενων μέσων (οδική κυκλοφορία και ζήτηση του μετρό). Προς την κατεύθυνση της διεύρυνσης της πρόβλεψης σε επίπεδο δικτύου, αναπτύσσονται νευρωνικά δίκτυα πολλαπλών εξόδων, βασισμένα στις αρχές της Μάθησης Πολλαπλών Διεργασιών, τα οποία είναι σε θέση να παρέχουν προβλέψεις χρόνων διαδρομής για πολλαπλές διαδρομές σε όλο το δίκτυο, χρησιμοποιώντας ένα ενιαίο μοντέλο και δεδομένα από πολλαπές πηγές κυκλοφοριακών δεδομένων. Ακόμα, για να ενισχυθεί η αξιοπιστία της διαδικασίας πρόβλεψης, εφαρμόζεται η προσαρμογή Βαθιάς Μάθησης της αιτιότητας Granger, το μοντέλο Νευρωνικού Granger, για την ανακάλυψη αιτιωδών σχέσεων μεταξύ των θέσεων του οδικού δικτύου. Επιπλέον, ενσωματώνονται πτυχές της θεωρίας της κυκλοφοριακής ροής σε ένα αιτιώδες και πολλαπλών διεργασιών μοντέλο πρόβλεψης με βάση τη Φυσική (Physics-Informed Neural Network), χρησιμοποιώντας μια καινοτόμο συνάρτηση απωλειών εμπνευσμένη από τη θεωρία της Κυκλοφοριακής Ροής, η οποία, εκτός από το σφάλμα πρόβλεψης, λαμβάνει υπόψη την απόσταση των προβλέψεων από το αντίστοιχο θεμελιώδες διάγραμμα. Το παραπάνω πλάισιο εφαρμόζεται σε δεδομένα τροχιών τμημάτων από την πόλη Xi’an της Κίνας και σε κυκλοφοριακά δεδομένα και δεδομένα ζήτησης μέσων μαζικής μεταφοράς από την ευρύτερη περιοχή των Αθηνών. Τα αποτελέσματα αποκαλύπτουν σημαντικά κυκλοφοριακά μοτίβα που περιγράφουν τη μηχανική του οδικού δικτύου και έχουν τη δυνατότητα να αυξήσουν την προβλεψιμότητα των κυκλοφοριακών συνθηκών, όπως υποδεικνύεται από τα αντίστοιχα πειράματα. Ακόμα, η ανίσχευση σχέσεων αιτίότητας και η ενσωμάτωση βασικών γνώσεων της Κυκλοφορίακής Ροής στην συνάρτηση απωλειών αυξάνει σημαντικά τόσο την ακρίβεια και την αξιοπιστία των βραχυπρόθεσμων προβλέψεων, όσο και την ανθεκτικότητα του μοντέλου σε θορυβώδη δεδομένα. Η μελλοντική έρευνα θα επικεντρωθεί στην αξιολόγηση της δυνατότητας μεταφοράς των παραπάνω δομών σε άλλες τοποθεσίες του ίδιου οδικού δικτύου και σε άλλα οδικά δίκτυα, καθώς και στη χρήση πιο σύνθετων δομών και τεχνικών Βαθιάς Μάθησης, προκειμένου να βελτιωθεί περαιτέρω η απόδοση πρόβλεψης. Τέλος, θα επιχειρηθεί ο συνδυασμός όλων των παραπάνω δομών σε ένα θεωρητικά ενημερωμένο, αιτιώδες, πολυτροπικό και σε επίπεδο δικτύου πλαίσιο πρόβλεψης.
Utilization and associated determinants of multi-sectoral approach in zoonotic disease surveillance among animal and human healthcare workers in Nakuru County, Kenya
Authors: Cheptoyek Levi , Kikuvi Gideon , Gachohi John
Published: May 2024

Background Zoonoses are naturally transmissible between humans and animals. Globally, they account for more than 60% of human infections, 75% of emerging infections, 2.7 million human deaths, and 10% of the total DALYs lost yearly in Africa. In the last three decades, Kenya has had sporadic outbreaks of zoonoses. To increase the speed of reporting and efficiencies in detection and control, a multi-sectoral collaboration in zoonotic disease surveillance (MZDS) between human and animal health workers is essential. In an effort, Zoonotic disease unit (ZDU) in Kenya has been established at national and county levels. Methods A cross sectional study was carried out to determine the level of utilization of multisectoral collaboration and its associated determinants in zoonotic disease surveillance among animal and human healthcare workers in Nakuru County. Quantitative data was gathered from 102 participants and quantitative data from 5 key informants. To test for significant differences, Chi-square and independent t-test were used. Results MZDS utilization level was 16% and the factors associated with higher utilization include; knowing what MZDS entails, education level, sector affiliation, trainings, supportive infrastructure and data storage. Lack of financing and poor coordination are hindrances to MZDS. Conclusion There is need to finance MZDS activities, strengthen coordination mechanisms, carry out more sensitization and trainings among animal and human healthcare.
Nowe specjalizacje w zawodzie bibliotekarza – data librarian, blended librarian, embedded librarian
Authors: Wójcik Magdalena
Published: May 2024

New Specialisations within the Profession of the Librarian – Data Librarian, Blended Librarian, Embedded Librarian… The subject of the paper is the transformation of the librarian profession, especially the processes of shaping new specialisations and approaches to defining the role of librarians. The aim is to present competency profiles characteristic of contemporary varieties of the librarian profession, such as: data librarian, metadata librarian, linked data librarian, research librarian, blended librarian, embedded librarian, relational librarian and smart librarian. The method of analysis and criticism of the literature has been used. A systematic search was carried out in databases indexing journals with a high impact factor (IF) and a complementary search was conducted in order to find resources registered by the popular search engine of scientific resources Google Scholar. The collected material, including works published in 2013-2023, was then subjected to selection and qualitative analysis. As a result, conclusions have been formulated regarding the state of research on new specialisations within the librarian profession. Finally, the predictions concerning the further evolution of the profession have been made.
Biblioteki pedagogiczne w mediach społecznościowych. Inwestycja w przyszłość czy strata czasu?
Authors: Jesionek Marta
Published: May 2024

The article is devoted to the subject area of social media in the context of promoting such institutions as pedagogical libraries. Four of the most popular platforms have been presented and analysed – as well as numerical data concerning these platforms – in order to show diverse possibilities of promotion which characterise them. Ways of communication with recipients in particular social media have also been presented. Furthermore, different target groups have been described. The purpose of the article is to analyse the quality and chances for promotion of institutions through social media as well as predictions concerning further development of such a way of popularising pedagogical libraries.
Kompetencje cyfrowe i potrzeby edukacyjne generacji Alpha w kontekście korzystania z bibliotek
Authors: Sanak-Kosmowska Katarzyna
Published: May 2024

This elaboration presents characteristics of the Alpha generation, i.e. persons born after 2010. The first part includes the definition of generations and indicates special educational needs as well as differences between „alfas” and representatives of other generations. Selected features characterising the discussed generation have been analysed. Furthermore, areas which are especially important from the perspective of shaping competences of the future have been identified. According to the author, the process of shaping should be realised not only through formal education and support of the closest environment, but also within engagement in the process of extracurricular and non-formal education, offered by institutions including libraries. The case study of an offer of the Oodi public library in Helsinki illustrates this thesis.
Different course and management of khat-induced autoimmune hepatitis: report on three cases
Authors: Someili Ali
Published: May 2024

Khat is a plant that is commonly used for its stimulating effects and is chewed for its psychoactive properties. It creates feelings of euphoria that are similar to when taking amphetamines. There is an association between khat and liver injury, but the mechanism is not well known. We present three cases of khat-induced liver injury. All cases have elevated IgG and either positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) or anti-smooth muscle antibody (ASMA); each case has a different course and requires different management. One case improved only by stopping khat, one required a short course of steroids and the last case required treatment such as that for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).
Rare case of massive middle cerebral artery infarct after bronchial artery embolisation
Authors: Jaafar Sukaina , Zahoor Tajammal , Bagegni Mosaab , Alzaabi Fatima , Al Mazrouie Mouza , Ibraheem Weaam , Dhou Nourein Maimouna
Published: May 2024

Bronchial artery embolization (BAE) is a procedure that aims to control bleeding from bronchial arteries in massive and chronic haemoptysis. It is considered to be a life-saving measure in severe life-threating haemoptysis. Although it is minimally invasive and has a high success rate, it still carries a list of complications. These include post-embolisation syndrome, chest pain, back pain, dysphagia, vascular injury at the site of the embolisation leading to dissection, perforation, pseudoaneurysm and, very rarely, embolic infarction to non-target vessels. Stroke is one of the rare complications post BAE, and it can be severe and fatal. Few cases of stroke post BAE have been reported in the literature, and they were mainly due to posterior cerebral circulation infarction. Here, we report a case of a stroke post BAE due to massive middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction and to our knowledge it seems to be the first reported case of MCA infarction post BAE. The discussion will cover the possible mechanisms of embolic passage, the outcome of the case including rehabilitation perspectives and the learning points. These will also highlight the importance of early recognition, which can save patients from a disabling stroke in the future.
Strategy for increasing Public Speaking skills through the News Anchor method
Authors: Anisa Sari Eka , Salsabela Kamilla
Published: May 2024

Public speaking skills are a competitive value, which is useful, and they will become an important aspect for teenagers facing the competitive world of work in the future. The additional skills are communication skills, confidence, and learning skills that can be useful for developing soft skills using the news anchor method through the SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Yogyakarta literacy class. These skills are given to students in literacy classes. This activity aims to train public speaking skills and recognize one's potential by identifying rhetorical skills and confidence in appearing in public.   This article aims to find strategies for improving public speaking skills through the news Anchor method with direct field studies from the author in the literacy class at SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Yogyakarta. This writing uses qualitative descriptive research methods based on Aristotle's Rhetorical Theory. The results of this research are that the application of this learning media provides benefits for students in developing communication skills, courage to speak, techniques for conveying news well, as well as providing experience as a news anchor as a whole, both in terms of attitudes, knowledge and complete skills. This learning is good for developing students at SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Yogyakarta and allowing them to face opportunities and challenges in a competitive era like today. Improving public speaking skills through the news anchor method, including the following aspects: body language, tone of voice, or aspects of vocal processing including articulation, intonation, tempo, pauses, visual cues, or using visual cues in this case through the visual medium of a camera supported by the aspect of will to achieve ability in terms of increasing public speaking capacity using the news anchor method, it is supported by the element of willingness to gain the ability to increase public speaking capacity using the news anchor method.
The Assessment of Heat-treated Turkish Type Dry Fermented Sausage (Sucuk) with Some Mixed Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria
Authors:   Department of Food Processing, Burdur Food, Agriculture and Livestock Vocational School, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur 15030, Turkiye, Ertürkmen Pelin , Yalçın Halil ,   Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur 15030, Turkiye, Milli Nursel Söylemez ,   Scientific Industrial and Technological Application and Research Center, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu 14030, Turkiye
Published: May 2024

T his study aims to obtain a combination of probiotic strains resistant to stress conditions, which good effect the qualitative properties of heat-treated sausage. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) after phenotypic evaluation and evaluated for probiotic potential including acid and bile salt tolerance, antibiotic resistance, and antibacterial activity. All tested Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains showed high antibacterial activity. L. plantarum (PeE2) and additionally two Enterococcus strains with the best probiotic properties were selected among the strains. Except for the control group, 6 different sucuk doughs were prepared using them as mixed cultures. The ripened sucuk doughs (18 h, 4 ºC) were subjected to fast-drying (30 min, 60 ºC), heat-treated (64 ºC of inner temperature) and rapid-drying (10 min, 75 ºC) stages. The quality characteristics of samples were determined during storage (days 7, 14, and 21). Coliform bacteria growth ≤1 log cfu/g determined on the final day of storage. The lowest TBARS value was determined in L. plantarum +E. faecium (1:1 ratio) mixed culture. Regarding L* and a* color values, lower results were observed in the control group during storage. Using probiotic culture significantly affected textural values, taste and general acceptability (p<0.05) and contributed to the quality parameters. The result of the study may support the development of a new approach for using new probiotics in meat products.
Metabolic dynamics in chronic gastritis: Examining urinary profiles post Helicobacter pylori eradication
Authors: Musharaf Imshaal , Nashwan Abdulqadir J
Published: May 2024

Chronic gastritis is the persistent and insidious inflammation of the gastric lining. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) has been identified as the most common cause of chronic gastritis and consequently elimination of H. pylori can lead to its cure. This editorial explores the use of urinary metabolic profiles before and after eradication to identify biomarkers that can aid in prognosis and treatment. Despite providing promising insights, there are limitations such as a small sample size (17 patients), a narrow treatment period of 2 wk, and treatment heterogeneity, which raise concerns. Nevertheless, these findings have opened a gateway to enhancing the treatment and prognosis of chronic gastritis through urinary metabolomics.
Pearls of meta-analyses and systematic review in scientific evidence
Authors: Au Sunny Chi Lik
Published: May 2024

Scientific evidence develops bit by bit from case reports, case series; to larger case-control, case-cohort; and further escalate to randomized controlled trials. This echoed the importance of continue publishing World journal of Clinical Cases , where novel and advancing discoveries start from a single case. In contrast, at the other end of the realm of evidence synthesis, systematic review and meta-analysis represent distinct yet interconnected processes. Butorphanol in epidural labor analgesia has long been studied since 1989, and with 70 publications from MEDLINE searches. However, there was no meta-analysis, nor any systematic review published so far. The latest in-press article published by Tang et al. on the protocol for the systematic review and meta-analysis on the safety and effectiveness of butorphanol in epidural labor analgesia is encouraging. We believe the findings of this study will be valuable for clinical practice as well as for future research.
Treatment for paraganglioma with stereotactic radiotherapy
Authors: Pontoriero Antonio , Critelli Paola , Zeppieri Marco , Angileri Filippo Flavio , Ius Tamara
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

Paragangliomas (PG) are rare neoplasms of neuroendocrine origin that tend to be highly vascularized, slow-growing, and usually sporadic. To date, common treatment options are surgical resection (SR), with or without radiation therapy (RT), and a watch-and-wait approach.

AIM

To evaluate the local control and effectiveness of exclusive fractionated stereotactic RT (FSRT) treatment in unresectable PG (uPG).

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated patients with uPG (medically inoperable or refused SR) treated with FSRT with a Cyberknife System (Accuray Incorporated, Sunnyvale, California). Toxicity and initial efficacy were evaluated.

RESULTS

From May 2009 to January 2023, 6 patients with a median age of 68 (range 20-84) were treated with FSRT. The median delivered dose was 21 Gy (range 20-30 Gy) at a median isodose line of 75.5% (range 70%-76%) in 4 fractions (range 3-5 fractions). The median volume was 13.6 mL (range 12.4-65.24 mL). The median cumulative biological effective dose and equivalent dose in 2-Gy fractions were 70 Gy and 37.10 Gy respectively. Site of origin involved were the timpa-nojugular glomus (4/6), temporal bone, and cervical spine. In 1 of the 6 patients, the follow-up was insufficient; 5 of 6 patients showed a 5-year overall survival and 5-year progression-free survival of 100%. We observed negligible toxicities during and after RT. The majority of patients showed stable symptoms during follow-up. Only 1 patient developed spine metastases.

CONCLUSION

Our preliminary results on this small cohort of patients suggest that FSRT could be an effective and safe alternative to SR.
Effect of endoscopic full-thickness resection assisted by distal serosal turnover with floss traction for gastric submucosal masses
Authors: Liu Tian-Wen , Lin Xiao-Feng , Wen Shu-Ting , Xu Jing-Yi , Fu Zhao-Li , Qin Shu-Min
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

Complex and high-risk surgical complications pose pressing challenges in the clinical implementation and advancement of endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR). Successful perforation repair under endoscopy, thereby avoiding surgical intervention and postoperative complications such as peritonitis, are pivotal for effective EFTR.

AIM

To investigate the effectiveness and safety of EFTR assisted by distal serosal inversion under floss traction in gastric submucosal tumors.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients with gastric and duodenal submucosal tumors treated with EFTR assisted by the distal serosa inversion under dental floss traction from January 2023 to January 2024 was conducted. The total operation time, tumor dissection time, wound closure time, intraoperative bleeding volume, length of hospital stay and incidence of complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 93 patients, aged 55.1 ± 12.1 years. Complete tumor resection was achieved in all cases, resulting in a 100% success rate. The average total operation time was 67.4 ± 27.0 min, with tumor dissection taking 43.6 ± 20.4 min. Wound closure times varied, with gastric body closure time of 24.5 ± 14.1 min and gastric fundus closure time of 16.6 ± 8.7 min, showing a significant difference (P < 0.05). Intraoperative blood loss was 2.3 ± 4.0 mL, and average length of hospital stay was 5.7 ± 1.9 d. There was no secondary perforation after suturing in all cases. The incidence of delayed bleeding was 2.2%, and the incidence of abdominal infection was 3.2%. No patient required other surgical intervention during and after the operation.

CONCLUSION

Distal serosal inversion under dental-floss-assisted EFTR significantly reduced wound closure time and intraoperative blood loss, making it a viable approach for gastric submucosal tumors.
Causal relationships between gut microbiota and dementia: A two-sample, bidirectional, Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Ren Zhao-Lin , Zhou Hai-Hong , Chen Chu-Pei , He Hao , Wang Duo-Lao , Liu Zhou
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

Existing evidence suggests that gut microbiota represent a significant environmental risk factor for various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's dementia, vascular dementia, and dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere. However, the exact causal relationships between gut microbiota and the different forms of dementia or their subtypes remain unclear.

AIM

To investigate putative causal relationships between gut microbiota and dementia or its subtypes using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

METHODS

A bidirectional, two-sample, MR analysis was conducted utilizing publicly available gut microbiota-related genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data from the MiBioGen consortium alongside GWAS summary statistics for dementia and its subtypes from the FinnGen consortium. Instrumental variables were selected according to the fundamental tenets of MR and their strengths were evaluated using the F -statistic. Five MR methods were employed, and the robustness of our findings was validated. To account for multiple comparisons, we applied the Bonferroni method for P -value adjustment.

RESULTS

We identified several gut microbiota taxa exhibiting putative causal relationships with dementia or its subtypes, potentially serving as risk or protective factors for the disease. In addition, reverse MR analysis indicated that the relative abundance of several gut microbiota taxa might be influenced by dementia or its subtypes. An exhaustive sensitivity analysis confirmed the absence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. After applying correction for multiple testing, we observed that the order Bacillales (odds ratio: 0.830, 95% confidence interval: 0.740-0.932, P = 0.00155, P adjust = 0.0311) exhibited a strong association with Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that gut microbiota is causally associated with dementia. Our findings provide novel insights into the pathophysiology of dementia and have important implications for its treatment and prevention.
Computed tomography three-dimensional reconstruction in the diagnosis of bleeding small intestinal polyps: A case report
Authors: Zhang Shu-Hui , Fan Ming-Wei , Chen Yan , Hu Ying-Bin , Liu Cheng-Xia
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

Computed tomography (CT) small bowel three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction is a powerful tool for the diagnosis of small bowel disease and can clearly show the intestinal lumen and wall as well as the outside structure of the wall. The horizontal axis position can show the best adjacent intestinal tube and the lesion between the intestinal tubes, while the coronal position can show the overall view of the small bowel. The ileal end of the localization of the display of excellent, and easy to quantitative measurement of the affected intestinal segments, the sagittal position for the rectum and the pre-sacral lesions show the best, for the discovery of fistulae is also helpful. Sagittal view can show rectal and presacral lesions and is useful for fistula detection. It is suitable for the assessment of inflammatory bowel disease, such as assessment of disease severity and diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the small bowel and mesenteric space-occupying lesions as well as the judgment of small bowel obstruction points.

CASE SUMMARY

Bleeding caused by small intestinal polyps is often difficult to diagnose in clinical practice. This study reports a 29-year-old male patient who was admitted to the hospital with black stool and abdominal pain for 3 months. Using the combination of CT-3D reconstruction and capsule endoscopy, the condition was diagnosed correctly, and the polyps were removed using single-balloon enteroscopy-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography without postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

The role of CT-3D in gastrointestinal diseases was confirmed. CT-3D can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases in combination with capsule endoscopy and small intestinal microscopy.
Uterine epithelioid trophoblastic tumor with the main manifestation of increased human chorionic gonadotropin: A case report
Authors: Huang Li-Na , Deng Xi , Xu Jian
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT) is an extremely rare malignant gestational trophoblastic neoplasm commonly presenting with abnormal vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, and increased human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This study reported a case of uterine ETT with the main manifestation being increased hCG.

CASE SUMMARY

A 39-year-old female was referred to the Ningbo Maternal and Child Hospital of China in December 2022, complaining of increased hCG levels for 1 month. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed gestational trophoblastic tumor, and hysteroscopic electrotomy and curettage of intrauterine hyperplasia were performed. The patient was diagnosed with uterine ETT through postoperative pathological examination and immunohistochemical results. Total laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy were performed, and hCG levels returned to normal. The patient was without recurrence during the postoperative 3-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This study reported a case of uterine ETT with the main manifestation being increased hCG, highlighting that ETT should be considered in the presence of abnormal hCG. A total laparoscopic hysterectomy is recommended.
Primary thoracolumbar intraspinal malignant melanoma: A case report
Authors: Huang Jie-Bin , Xue Hou-Jun , Zhu Bai-Yong , Lei Yu , Pan Lei
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

Primary intraspinal malignant melanoma is a very rare tumor that most often occurs in the cervical, thoracic, or thoracolumbar segment.

CASE SUMMARY

A rare case of primary thoracolumbar malignant melanoma is described. A 45-year-old female patient complained of low back pain with numbness and fatigue in both lower limbs. MR revealed an intradural space-occupying lesion at the thoracic 12 to lumbar 1 level. The tumor was partially excised, and a malignant melanoma was confirmed by histopathology.

CONCLUSION

Primary intraspinal malignant melanoma has rarely been reported, and surgical resection and related characteristics and diagnoses have been discussed.
Women and Welfare Conditionality
Authors: Wright Sharon
Published: May 2024

This book offers a feminist analysis of welfare conditionality. A series of harsh welfare reforms have raised the expectation that women, as well as men, will fulfil full-time paid employment as their primary citizenship obligation. Since 2012, the penalties for non-compliance with job-search requirements have included lengthy and open-ended benefit sanctions. This punitive approach has been justified using a gender-neutral rationale that foregrounds the fiscal necessity of cutting social-security spending, based on austerity narratives, and conceptualises moral responsibility in purely economic terms, relying on stigmatising anti-welfare myths that position nonworkers as illegitimate citizens. The terms of debate, legal reductions in entitlement and practices of conditionality have failed to adequately recognise the ways in which women and men are differently positioned in relation to the demands and rewards of paid employment and unpaid care. This book presents new evidence to cast light on women’s experiences of claiming benefits and looking for work in the context of severe sanctions and minimal, yet mandatory, support. It advances in the analysis of welfare conditionality conceptually by drawing together insights from feminist thought, interpretivist sociology and street-level bureaucracy. These perspectives are combined to uncover the hidden gendered impacts of conditional welfare reforms.
Introduction
Authors: Kinouani Guilaine
Published: May 2024

In the Introduction I trace the genealogy of the ideas that that are to follow in relation to my positionality. I connect them to multiple fields of enquiry engaged in White minds, including history, psychology, sociology, psychoanalysis, group analysis and psychosocial thinking.
Whiteness and resistance: by way of conclusion
Authors: Kinouani Guilaine
Published: May 2024

In the final chapter, I summarise the key learning points from the book and, in particular, restate the limitation of modernist/dualistic binaries such as the ‘internal/external’ premise. We reiterate the case for a psychosocial understanding of whiteness and consider what resistance and liberation for the white subject might look like, in the context of the issues the book raised.
Border Harms and Everyday Violence
Authors: Iliadou Evgenia
Published: May 2024

This book is about the European ‘refugee crisis’ and the continuum of border violence across time and space. It problematizes and historicizes the development of the so-called 2015 refugee crisis and explores the deep historical roots of border violence. The book sets the Greek island of Lesvos as its case study due the region’s long history as a border pathway to Europe. In addition, in 2015 Lesvos became the epicentre, and allegory, of one of the worst forced displacements in history since World War II. The book explores the long-term, cumulative harms upon border crossers’ lives across time and space that have been produced by the European Union border regime. It makes an argument about the ‘violence continuum’ in time and space. Through this lens, the refugee crisis is explored in a diachronic sense and placed in a ‘genealogical framework’ (Schulte Nordholt, 2002, p 34). Certain patterns of violence and border control in the present overlap and intersect, displaying similarities and continuities with past patterns and obscuring the beginning and end of the refugee crisis. Therefore, this book proposes that the refugee crisis should be perceived as a violence continuum.
The book asks why social harm and suffering are normalized, routinized and rendered invisible and whether these are deliberate and premeditated. In so doing, the book addresses the issue of human rights violations and the collective, global responsibility for safeguarding them. It concludes with the question of whether these violations consist of ‘banal crimes against humanity’ (Kalpouzos and Mann, 2015).
The Practice of Collective Escape
Authors: Traill Helen
Published: May 2024

Escape is an enticing idea in contemporary cities, faced with among other things increasing inequalities and segregation, neoliberal governance, COVID-19 and the encroaching effects of climate change. Community growing projects offer a localized intervention in this landscape, a humble and hopeful attempt to provide a haven in an otherwise hectic and stressful cityscape, offering an escape into a different rhythm within city life. They can offer a reimagination of everyday urban life through practices of being communal and inclusive, and through challenging relations to urban land. In the contemporary climate of suspicion around immigration and difference in the UK, community has the potential to become a nostalgic throwback, but it also presents a horizon of renewal.
But spaces of escape have an ambiguous politics, especially around who gets to escape, and what any escape means in relation to wider patterns of urban injustice. What is the balance of communal safety and care against social exclusion, upon which retreat is so often predicated? Drawing on ethnographic research in communal growing projects in Glasgow, this book explores the rhythms, politics and dynamics of community, asking who benefits from escape and how it actualizes a vision of a more just city. With the increased political salience of community in rhetoric around localism and community empowerment, this is a timely consideration of the tensions and consequences of urban communality, exploring the interconnections of community, justice and inclusion, DIY urbanism, and the politics of everyday life.
Games in the Platform Economy
Authors: Mette Thorhauge Anne
Published: May 2024

Through a lens of online gaming, this book explains the Steam platform, part of Valve Corporation, as a ‘tangled market’, a set of interconnected and mutually dependent market contexts, that creates revenue from microtransactions through the strategic shaping of market interactions on and beyond the platform. Steam does not offer advertising as a source of revenue, which is quite unlike other platforms of its kind, but instead relies on these microtransactions and utilizes virtual economies and the economic interaction of gamers. The book analyses how the Steam business model is maintained via continued development of its design and how this is converted into money-making strategies by a variety of actors. In terms of the wider platform economy, this approach away from advertising may become the future of the Big Tech business models. An analytical framework is employed to conduct the analysis, using theories from platform studies, the economic sociology of markets, and user commodification. Within the overall study of digital, online platforms, this is perhaps an under-researched area, and this book approaches the subject from a unique, economic-sociological angle. It provides an interesting and extremely valuable take on Valve’s Steam platform and contributes to the literature on online gaming platforms.
Tackling Torture
Authors: Evans Malcolm D.
Published: May 2024

This book is about the prohibition and the prevention of torture. Its purposes are twofold. The first is to give a frank account of what the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has been able to achieve over the first 15 years of its existence. This also involves being honest about what the SPT has not been able to achieve too, and – more importantly – the reasons for this. The second purpose, and perhaps the more significant, is to expose some of the myths which permit torture to continue to flourish, despite the plethora of international prohibitions that surround it. To that end, the first part of the book considers what, legally speaking, torture is. The background to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) is presented and the practical working of the SPT and how it seeks to prevent torture and ill-treatment is explored. The second part of the book draws on the author’s personal experience and aims to explore the challenges of working preventively, by considering examples of the SPT’s work. This is used to highlight some of the less predictable barriers to effective torture prevention. The book concludes with reflections on what could be done to make torture prevention more effective.
Contested Civil Society in Myanmar
Authors: Matelski Maaike
Published: May 2024

This book centres on various contestations in Myanmar society and illustrates the ways in which these are reflected in civil society. It offers a concise overview of political developments in contemporary Myanmar, from the short-lived attempts at democratization between 2010 and 2020 to the 2021 military coup, and analyses the involvement of various civil society actors as well as their international supporters. It discusses multiple identities and fault lines in Myanmar society and explains how these influenced diverse perceptions, framing and agenda setting within civil society as political developments unfolded. The book provides an overview of the main identities and contestations within civil society and, by extension, within Myanmar society as a whole. It also provides recommendations to donors, policy makers and researchers wishing to better understand and support local civil society actors operating in repressive environments.
Conclusion
Authors: Etzel Morgan
Published: May 2024

This concluding chapter explores a range of subjects outlined in the volume and presents new areas of inquiry that developed from the research. The key points of the book are presented in order to explain the primary takeaways from the work. It explains that, like migration, integration is seen as something linear, but my research reveals that bureaucracies, personal conditions and social structures often caused refugees to repeat bureaucratic processes and return to points of exclusion, despite having achieved official conditions of inclusion. The chapter then analyses the potential future for integration policy in Germany and Europe. It argues that the case of Germany presents a perspective that reflects the Global North’s tendency for exclusionary immigration policy, while highlighting how Germany uniquely invested extensively in integration, with questionable results. Lastly, it reflects on the potential future associated scholarship and the limitations of doing migration research under current conditions of transnational movement.
Optimal multiple fringe pattern composition by weighted complex amplitude fusion in fringe projection profilometry
Authors: Geng Guohua , Wang Tao , Xu Yang , Li Kang
Published: May 2024

This paper presents an optimal multiple fringe pattern composition method for 3D shape measurement of high-dynamic-range (HDR) objects using fringe projection profilometry (FPP). With the inverse variance weighting theory, we take the square of the modulation intensities of the fringe pattern images with different intensity levels as the weights to obtain the composited phase of fringe patterns by weighted complex amplitude fusion, which improves the measurement precision of HDR objects. Additionally, we integrate HDR 3D shape measurement and temporal noise reduction into a unified framework by utilizing weighted complex amplitude fusion to completely measure translucent objects with specular reflections. Simulations and experiments demonstrate that our method can achieve higher measurement precision and is resistant to the time-varying ambient light.
Organ transformation by environmental disruption of protein integrity and epigenetic memory in Drosophila
Authors: Snir Orli , Elgart Michael , Gnainsky Yulia , Goldsmith Moshe , Ciabrelli Filippo , Dagan Shlomi , Aviezer Iris , Stoops Elizabeth , Cavalli Giacomo , Soen Yoav
Published: May 2024

Despite significant progress in understanding epigenetic reprogramming of cells, the mechanistic basis of “organ reprogramming” by (epi-)gene–environment interactions remained largely obscure. Here, we use the ether-induced haltere-to-wing transformations in Drosophila as a model for epigenetic “reprogramming” at the whole organism level. Our findings support a mechanistic chain of events explaining why and how brief embryonic exposure to ether leads to haltere-to-wing transformations manifested at the larval stage and on. We show that ether interferes with protein integrity in the egg, leading to altered deployment of Hsp90 and widespread repression of Trithorax-mediated establishment of active H3K4me3 chromatin marks throughout the genome. Despite this global reduction, Ubx targets and wing development genes preferentially retain higher levels of H3K4me3 that predispose these genes for later up-regulation in the larval haltere disc, hence the wing-like outcome. Consistent with compromised protein integrity during the exposure, the penetrance of bithorax transformations increases by genetic or chemical reduction of Hsp90 function. Moreover, joint reduction in Hsp90 and trx gene dosage can cause bithorax transformations without exposure to ether, supporting an underlying epistasis between Hsp90 and trx loss-of-functions. These findings implicate environmental disruption of protein integrity at the onset of histone methylation with altered epigenetic regulation of developmental patterning genes. The emerging picture provides a unique example wherein the alleviation of the Hsp90 “capacitor function” by the environment drives a morphogenetic shift towards an ancestral-like body plan. The morphogenetic impact of chaperone response during a major setup of epigenetic patterns may be a general scheme for organ transformation by environmental cues.
Leveraging interindividual variability in threat conditioning of inbred mice to model trait anxiety
Authors: Kovlyagina Irina , Wierczeiko Anna , Todorov Hristo , Jacobi Eric , Tevosian Margarita , von Engelhardt Jakob , Gerber Susanne , Lutz Beat
Published: May 2024

Trait anxiety is a major risk factor for stress-induced and anxiety disorders in humans. However, animal models accounting for the interindividual variability in stress vulnerability are largely lacking. Moreover, the pervasive bias of using mostly male animals in preclinical studies poorly reflects the increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders in women. Using the threat imminence continuum theory, we designed and validated an auditory aversive conditioning-based pipeline in both female and male mice. We operationalised trait anxiety by harnessing the naturally occurring variability of defensive freezing responses combined with a model-based clustering strategy. While sustained freezing during prolonged retrieval sessions was identified as an anxiety-endophenotype behavioral marker in both sexes, females were consistently associated with an increased freezing response. RNA-sequencing of CeA, BLA, ACC, and BNST revealed massive differences in phasic and sustained responders’ transcriptomes, correlating with transcriptomic signatures of psychiatric disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, we detected significant alterations in the excitation/inhibition balance of principal neurons in the lateral amygdala. These findings provide compelling evidence that trait anxiety in inbred mice can be leveraged to develop translationally relevant preclinical models to investigate mechanisms of stress susceptibility in a sex-specific manner.