bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypnosis for Symptom Management in Adult Cancer Patients: What is the Evidence?
Authors: Vayne-Bossert Petra
Published: January 2024

Opinion Statement

As a palliative care specialist and a hypnotherapist, I use therapeutic communication and conversational hypnosis daily in my patient – doctor relationship. Formal hypnotherapy sessions are integrated in my practice whenever patients are open or wish for such an approach in relation to a specific symptom, for better overall management of their disease burden and/or enhanced well-being. Although hypnosis has been used for centuries in medical practice and for thousands of years in healing practices in ancient cultures all over the world, the evidence remains scarce. Nevertheless, in the last 10 years several randomised controlled trials have been conducted, building up an evidence base. In contrast to most oncological treatments, hypnotherapy is far from being considered evidence-based “standard care”. It is however, if practiced by a trained health care professional, almost free of side effects and therefore potentially has a very favourable benefit-to-harm ratio. The question arises whether hypnotherapy will ever become a standard of care intervention? This seems unlikely since its efficacy may be influenced by the patient’s belief in hypnosis and compliance to therapy. Furthermore, a fundamental necessity is a personalised approach that moves hypnotherapy more into the category of individual-centred care rather than standard care.
Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) from an Interventionalist Perspective
Authors: Brunton Nichole , Best Patricia J. M. , Skelding Kimberly A. , Cendrowski Emily E.
Published: January 2024

Purpose of Review

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an increasingly recognized cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), particularly among women < 50 years of age. Here, we aim to review the pathogenesis of SCAD, discuss SCAD as an initial manifestation of systemic arterial disease, and highlight invasive strategies as well as unique challenges in the care of women with SCAD.

Recent Findings

A paradigm shift has occurred in the care of SCAD patients in the past decade as recommendations for conservative management have become widespread. Invasive interventions are reserved for patients with hemodynamic compromise or active ischemia due to increased periprocedural complications and failure rates. Certain patient populations have been identified for larger territory infarcts and proximal disease including patients with known connective tissue disease, premenopausal women, and patients with pregnancy-associated SCAD (P-SCAD).

Current recommended management of SCAD is conservative. Despite a growing awareness of SCAD and its known association with systemic arteriopathies in women, evidence-based data remains scarce. Future studies focused on identifying genetic factors, optimal medical therapy after SCAD, and techniques to minimize interventional complications are needed.
Resilience Training Programs with Police Forces: A Systematic Review
Authors: Moreno Ana F. , Karanika-Murray Maria , Batista Patrícia , Hill Rowena , Vilalta Susanna Rubiol , Oliveira-Silva Patrícia
Published: January 2024

Through the course of their career, it is expected that police officers are exposed to stressful and emotionally challenging environments, which, combined with well-known organizational and occupational stressors, makes this professional class vulnerable to several psychological and medical conditions. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing intervention programs that seek to minimize the impact of the changing nature of police work within a changing society and promote skills that enable police officers to deal more effectively with the current and future challenges. Therefore, the aim of this review is to systematize resilience training intervention programs and characterize their format, content, and efficacy. For that purpose, we searched four databases for resilience programs delivered to the police. We reached a final sample of 32 articles from a total of 550 published studies. The articles considered were divided into three main groups: mindfulness-based resilience interventions (n = 13), neurobiological-based resilience interventions (n = 13), and other resilience training interventions that did not fit in the previous categories (n = 6). There was much inter-intervention variability, mainly concerning their structure and approach. However, the intervention programs were relatively uniform in the topics covered, such as psychoeducation, police scenario simulation, and debriefing. Nonetheless, most studies found positive outcomes on the variables of interest, predominantly clinical and performance indicators (e.g., stress, anxiety, decision-making). Subsequent research endeavors could aim to determine the most reliable measure outcome measures for resilience variables and intervention efficacy, as alongside identifying pivotal occupational factors crucial to a robust and impactful resilience intervention.
PARP Inhibitors in Breast Cancer: a Short Communication
Authors: Daly Gordon R. , AlRawashdeh Maen Monketh , McGrath Jason , Dowling Gavin P. , Cox Luke , Naidoo Sindhuja , Vareslija Damir , Hill Arnold D. K , Young Leonie
Published: January 2024

Purpose of Review

In the last decade, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have been approved in the treatment of several cancers, such as breast and ovarian cancer. This article aims to discuss the current uses, limitations, and future directions for PARP inhibitors (PARPis) in the treatment of breast cancer.

Recent Findings

Following the results of the OlympiAD and EMBRACA trials, PARPis were approved in HER2-negative breast cancer with a germline BRCA mutation. We reviewed this class of drugs’ mechanism of action, efficacy, and limitations, as well as further studies that discussed resistance, impaired homologous recombination repair (HRR), and the combination of PARPis with other drugs.

Improving understanding of HRR, increasing the ability to target resistance, and combining PARPis with other novel agents are continuing to increase the clinical utility of PARPis.
Patentability of Brain Organoids derived from iPSC– A Legal Evaluation with Interdisciplinary Aspects
Authors: Wolff Hannes
Published: January 2024

Brain Organoids in their current state of development are patentable. Future brain organoids may face some challenges in this regard, which I address in this contribution. Brain organoids unproblematically fulfil the general prerequisites of patentability set forth in Art. 3 (1) EU-Directive 98/44/EC (invention, novelty, inventive step and susceptibility of industrial application). Patentability is excluded if an invention makes use of human embryos or constitutes a stage of the human body in the individual phases of its formation and development. Both do not apply to brain organoids, unless ES-cells are used. Art. 6 (1) EU-Directive 98/44/EC excludes patentability for inventions “the commercial exploitation of which would be contrary to ordre public or morality”. While there is no conceivable scenario, in which the commercial application of current brain organoids violates the ordre public, the same is not necessarily true for future brain organoids. Keeping in mind that a development of consciousness-like abilities in future brain organoids cannot be excluded and that an ability for both physical and psychological suffering has been theorized, both of which are aspects of the ordre public, certain applications of future brain organoids may constitute a violation of the ordre public and therefore lead to an exclusion of patentability.
Aerodynamic interactions between distributed propellers and the wing of an electric commuter aircraft at cruise conditions
Authors: Schollenberger Michael , Kirsch Bastian , Lutz Thorsten , Krämer Ewald , Friedrichs Jens
Published: January 2024

Beneficial interactions that occur between propellers and the wing can be used to increase the overall efficiency of an aircraft in cruise flight. Different concepts with such interacting propellers are distributed propulsion (DP) and wingtip mounted propellers (WTP). For DP, a full distribution over the entire span can be distinguished from a partial distribution, concentrating the propellers at the wing tip area. The paper focuses on the energy efficiency in cruise flight as a result of the interactions and provides a general comparison of the concepts (WTP, full and partial DP) with a Beechcraft 1900D commuter aircraft as a reference. Parametric CFD studies varying the number and the position of the propellers are performed with a half-wing model. The simulations are performed with the second-order finite-volume flow solver TAU, developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), employing Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations. The propellers are modeled using an Actuator Disk (ACD). An algorithm is used to reach cruise condition by iteratively adjusting the propeller rotational speed and the wing angle of attack. The CFD results are analyzed and evaluated with respect to the overall efficiency including the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing as well as the propulsive efficiency of the propellers. The parameter study shows that in cruise flight partial DP is more efficient than a full DP. The pure WTP configuration was found as the optimum of the propeller distribution along the wing, resulting in a saving of required power of $$5.6\%$$

5.6
%

, relative to the reference configuration.
Effect of angular distortion and axial misalignment on the fatigue strength of welded and ground mild steel cruciform joints
Authors: Laher Benjamin , Buzzi Christian , Leitner Martin , Brunnhofer Peter
Published: January 2024

The focus of this work is to investigate the fatigue strength of a cruciform joint one-sided through-welded by a HV seam with a backing layer made of a 10-mm-thick S355 mild steel. The aim is firstly to analyse the effect of the deformation state incorporating angular distortion and axial misalignment on the fatigue strength of the tested specimens and secondly, the analysis of the benefit by grinding as post-treatment method on the resulting fatigue performance. The deformation impact is numerically investigated utilizing geometry measurements of the specimens as well as strain gauge measurements for validation. Thereby, the near notch stress under clamping condition without any load and under an additional static nominal load is analysed. Based on these investigations, the applied stress range for each tested specimen is converted to a “deformation-free” condition by means of the IIW-recommended km factor. The statistical analyses of the data points with and without this modification reveal a significant impact by the deformation state on both the evaluated fatigue strength and the scatter band. Moreover, this affects the evaluated benefit by grinding as post-treatment, whereas an increase of more than 40% in the fatigue strength at 2 million cycles is observed using the modified data points.
Autism Observation Scale for Infants: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in Samples at Increased Likelihood of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Reid Kyle , Sacrey Lori-Ann R. , Zwaigenbaum Lonnie , Brian Jessica A. , Smith Isabel M.
Published: January 2024

The Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI) is being applied to non infant sibling populations. Assessment of the tool’s utility across increased likelihood (IL) populations is therefore needed. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on 17 studies identified from six databases. The AOSI has been used in four IL contexts: infant siblings, infants with Fragile X Syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, and Down Syndrome. There were three main findings: (1) five studies report classification data though no consistent approach was used; (2) group differences between IL-ASD, IL non-ASD, and controls started at 12-months; and (3) large effect sizes between IL-ASD and control samples was identified. Utility of the AOSI to identify early signs of ASD in IL populations was demonstrated.
CuCrZr Alloy Manufactured by LPBF Process: Correlation Between Microstructure, Mechanical and Thermal Properties
Authors: Biffi Carlo Alberto , Fiocchi Jacopo , Boldrini Stefano , Tuissi Ausonio
Published: January 2024

Copper based alloys are promising materials for electrical and thermal devices. In this respect, the use of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) allows the realization of 3D complex structures, possibly enhancing the functional performances of such devices. LPBF also induces refined microstructures and build-up of residual stresses, due to the rapid solidifications and high cooling rate. In this work a CuCrZr alloy was manufactured by LPBF and a process feasibility window was defined. The effect of a heat treatment, consisting of solution annealing and artificial aging, on the microstructure, tensile and thermal properties was evaluated. Moreover, particular attention was addressed to the effect of the building direction on the thermal behaviour.

It was found that thermal conductivity is improved by the heat treatment and that thermal conductivity resulted anisotropic, being higher in the growth direction.
Boosting adversarial robustness via feature refinement, suppression, and alignment
Authors: Wu Yulun , Guo Yanming , Chen Dongmei , Yu Tianyuan , Xiao Huaxin , Guo Yuanhao , Bai Liang
Published: January 2024

Deep neural networks are vulnerable to adversarial attacks, bringing high risk to numerous security-critical applications. Existing adversarial defense algorithms primarily concentrate on optimizing adversarial training strategies to improve the robustness of neural networks, but ignore that the misguided decisions are essentially made by the activation values. Besides, such conventional strategies normally result in a great decline in clean accuracy. To address the above issues, we propose a novel RSA algorithm to counteract adversarial perturbations while maintaining clean accuracy. Specifically, RSA comprises three distinct modules: feature refinement, activation suppression, and alignment modules. First, the feature refinement module refines malicious activation values in the feature space. Subsequently, the feature activation suppression module mitigates redundant activation values induced by adversarial perturbations across both channel and spatial dimensions. Finally, to avoid an excessive performance drop on clean samples, RSA incorporates a consistency constraint and a knowledge distillation constraint for feature alignment. Extensive experiments on five public datasets and three backbone networks demonstrate that our proposed algorithm achieves consistently superior performance in both adversarial robustness and clean accuracy over the state-of-the-art.
A semi-analytical temperature solution for multi-segment deep coaxial borehole heat exchangers
Authors: Wangen Magnus
Published: January 2024

A semi-analytical and a finite-difference scheme are presented for the simulation of temperature and the heat transfer in a multi-segment coaxial borehole heat exchanger. The single-segment solution on closed-form is extended to a semi-analytical multi-segment solution, where each segment may have unique properties. These properties are such as different casings, widths of the annulus, radius of the inner tubing, material properties, rock properties and geothermal gradients. The multi-segment model is a simple and powerful alternative to numerical methods for simulating a complex coaxial borehole heat exchanger with a constant flow rate. It is demonstrated with a deep coaxial borehole heat exchanger made of three different segments. The analytical and semi-analytical models are validated by comparison with numerical solutions obtained with an upstream finite difference scheme. The match between the solutions is excellent. The solution on a closed-form is used to study the temperature difference between the outlet and the inlet regarding two dimensionless numbers. It is found that the maximum temperature difference occurs when the dimensionless heat transfer coefficient for the casing-rock is much larger than one. A second necessary condition is that the dimensionless heat transfer coefficient for the insulator between the inner tube and the annulus must be much less than one. The power leakage from the inner tubing to the annulus is also at a maximum under these conditions.
An affordable, programmable and interactive continuous flow Photoreactor setup for undergraduate organic synthetic teaching labs
Authors: Domański Michał , Marcou Gilles , Barham Joshua P.
Published: January 2024

Photochemistry and continuous flow chemistry are synthetic technology platforms that have witnessed an increasing uptake by chemical industries interested in complex organic molecule synthesis. Simultaneously, automation and data science are prominent targets in organic synthesis and in chemical industries for streamlined workflows, meaning hardware-software interaction between operators and devices is crucial. Since undergraduate teaching labs at public-funded research Universities typically (i) lack budget for commercial, user-friendly continuous flow reactors and (ii) do not teach synthetic chemists how to program or interact with reactors, there is a disparity between the skills undergraduates are equipped with and the skills that future industries need. We report a teaching lab project where undergraduates assemble, program and execute a continuous flow photoreactor to realize a multigram-scale photoredox catalyzed oxidation reaction. A palladium-free synthetic access to the starting material was described to further cut costs. Not only does this exercise introduce useful skills in reactor design, programming and wet chemistry (both photochemical and thermal, both batch and flow), it also accommodates both the typical budget and afternoon timeslot (2-3 h) of a teaching lab and can be followed by thin-layer chromatography/color changes without necessarily requiring access to NMR facilities.

Graphical abstract
Towards a Just Circular Economy Transition: the Case of European Plastic Waste Trade to Vietnam for Recycling
Authors: Thapa Kaustubh , Vermeulen Walter J. V. , De Waal Mo Ming , Deutz Pauline , Nguyễn Hồng Quân
Published: January 2024

Exporting waste for recycling to destinations without sound recycling capacity raises questions of fairness and sustainability. Due to insufficient recycling infrastructure in Europe to manage the growing generation of plastic waste, there has been an increase in waste trade for recycling in a complex global value chain, with the stated goal of achieving sound resource recovery. However, such trade poses increasing governance and sustainability challenges. The EU has implemented policies and systems for plastic waste management, including separate collection to prevent potential harm and promote resource reuse. Nevertheless, waste handling is often outsourced without transparency to countries with cheaper operating and labour costs, which can cause harm to individuals, societies, and the environment. Fifty per cent of the collected European plastic waste for recycling is shipped for recycling outside the EU without accountability. This Vietnamese case study of the EU plastic waste exports for recycling aims to increase our understanding of waste governance and its circularity, sustainability and justice implications. We adopt a multidisciplinary perspective to understand the challenges of the EU’s plastic waste export practices for the broader socio-ecological system. We propose a multidisciplinary framework as an ecocentric ethical guide for just and circular future waste shipment practices with strong consideration for the social and ecological dimensions. We hope that this research and its outcomes can provide insights for forthcoming policies, such as the United Nations treaty on plastic waste pollution.
Out of control: computational dynamic control dysfunction in stress- and anxiety-related disorders
Authors: Howlett Jonathon R. , Paulus Martin P.
Published: January 2024

Control theory, which has played a central role in technological progress over the last 150 years, has also yielded critical insights into biology and neuroscience. Recently, there has been a surging interest in integrating control theory with computational psychiatry. Here, we review the state of the field of using control theory approaches in computational psychiatry and show that recent research has mapped a neural control circuit consisting of frontal cortex, parietal cortex, and the cerebellum. This basic feedback control circuit is modulated by estimates of reward and cost via the basal ganglia as well as by arousal states coordinated by the insula, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and locus coeruleus. One major approach within the broader field of control theory, known as proportion-integral-derivative (PID) control, has shown promise as a model of human behavior which enables precise and reliable estimates of underlying control parameters at the individual level. These control parameters correlate with self-reported fear and with both structural and functional variation in affect-related brain regions. This suggests that dysfunctional engagement of stress and arousal systems may suboptimally modulate parameters of domain-general goal-directed control algorithms, impairing performance in complex tasks involving movement, cognition, and affect. Future directions include clarifying the causal role of control deficits in stress- and anxiety-related disorders and developing clinically useful tools based on insights from control theory.
Impact of natural disasters on mental health and welfare: the case of the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake
Authors: Trisilia Mustika Septiyas , Sugiyanto Catur , Rifa’i Achmad
Published: January 2024

This study aims to analyse the impact of the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake on the mental health and welfare of victims in Bantul and to examine whether disasters they experienced before might increase or decrease their mental health when facing indirect exposure to repeated disasters. This study employs several methods: descriptive analysis; logit; a combination of propensity score matching; and difference in differences. The results find that 7 people (1.78%) in 2007 and 31 people (7.89%) in 2014 have experienced symptoms of depression. Age is confirmed as a significant factor in increasing this probability. The results of this study reveal that direct exposure to the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake increased the average mental disorder score and decreased the victims’ education expenditure 1 year after the disaster. The direct exposure to the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake also affected the increase in mental disorder score and decrease in household expenditure of victims 1 year after the disaster, although the effects were insignificant.
Ethical guidance for extracorporeal and paracorporeal device use in children: a systematic review
Authors: Moynihan Katie M. , Clark Jonna D. , Dorste Anna , Hollander Seth A. , Jansen Melanie , Brierley Joe , Coleman Ryan , von Dessauer Bettina , Thibault Emma G. , Thomas James A. , Kirsch Roxanne E.
Published: January 2024

Background

To provide substantive, practical guidance on the ethical use of pediatric extra/paracorporeal devices, we first need a comprehensive understanding of existing guidance. The objective was to characterize how ethical guidance for device use in children is provided in published literature and to summarize quantity, quality, and themes.

Data sources

PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were systematically searched 2.1.2023.

Study selection

Methodology followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses rapid review. Citations discussing ethical guidance for, initiation/continuation/discontinuation decision-making, or allocation of, devices in children were identified. Devices included tracheostomy/mechanical ventilation (MV), renal replacement therapy (RRT), mechanical circulatory support (MCS), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We included policy statements/guidelines, reviews, conceptual articles, and surveys.

Data extraction

A standardized extraction tool was used. Quality was assessed using a multimodal tool.

Data synthesis

Of 97 citations, ethical analysis was the primary objective in 31%. 55% were pediatric-specific. Nineteen percent were high-quality. The USA and Europe were overrepresented with 12% from low- to middle-income countries. Devices included MV (40%), RRT (21%), MCS/ECMO (35%). Only one guideline was identified with a primary goal of ethical analysis of pediatric device use. Three empiric analyses examined patient-level data according to guideline implementation and 24 explored clinician/public perspectives on resource allocation or device utilization. Two non-empiric citations provided pediatric decision-making recommendations.

Conclusions

This comprehensive review of ethical guidance for device use in children identified numerous gaps and limited scope. Future research is warranted globally to promote the beneficial use of devices, minimize harm, and ensure equitable access.
Relationship and variation of dimensions in gamified experiences associated with the predictive model using GAMEX
Authors: Llorente-Cejudo Carmen
Published: January 2024

Gamifying educational practices is a trend in the field of education, especially in universities. Knowing which dimensions are significant in active gamified methodologies allows understanding the extent to which a dimension depends on another if there is a correlation between them. Through the GAMEX (gameful experience in gamification) scale, which measures gamified experiences (Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier 43:98–115, 2018), the aims of this study were to: 1) explore, using the structural equations model, the viability of the GAMEX model formulated to analyse the gamified experience level of university students; and 2) determine the influence of the GAMEX variables on the students’ degree of mastery in gamified experiences. The sample was constituted by 405 university students. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was carried from a PLS (partial least squares) approach, using SmartPLS software. The results show the reliability of the different constructs considered in the proposed model. The items presented acceptable reliability levels and strong consistency with the dimensions of the model. The model emphasises the multidimensional character of gamified experience and supports the students’ mastery over the different gamified experiences.
A dynamic model of storage in layered anticlines
Authors: Mortimer Patrick K. , Mingotti Nicola , Woods Andrew W.
Published: January 2024

We explore

${\rm CO}_2$

injection into a layered permeable rock consisting of high permeability reservoir layers, separated by low permeability mudstone, and taking the shape of an anticline within a laterally extensive aquifer. We first show how the storage capacity of the formation depends on the capillary entry pressure of the inter-layer mudstone, so that

${\rm CO}_2$

cannot flow from one layer into the next. We then consider a formation composed of two layers, overlain by a cap rock. For injection into the lowest layer, we show that the injection rate, capillary entry pressure and buoyancy driven flux through the mudstone determine whether the lower or upper layer fills to the spill point first. We also show that at the end of the injection phase,

${\rm CO}_2$

may continue to flow from the lower to the upper layer. This implies that injection should be stopped once the injected volume matches the static capacity of the formation in order to prevent spilling after injection. We present a series of analogue experiments of a two layered system that illustrate some of the principles described by the model, and assess the implications of the results for field scale systems.
“I Would Prefer Not To”: Establishing the Missing Link between Invalid Voting and Public Protest in Latin America
Authors: Lioy Alberto
Published: January 2024

While invalid voting is often treated as protest behavior in an electoral context, its association with actual political protests has not yet been empirically demonstrated. The relative scarcity of research on the topic is likely due to the hybrid nature of invalid voting as a both formal and informal political gesture. The novel availability of event-based data for public protests in Latin America allows for testing whether their occurrence is connected with changes in spoiled and blank ballots. Using an appropriate dynamic regression model covering variations in the 148 intervals between Latin American legislative elections in the 1979–2021 period, this study finds a strong connection between the emergence of antigovernment protests and surges in invalid voting (and vice versa). This relationship still holds at parity of economic conditions and it is reinforced by a lack of alternation in the party of power. Conversely, the appearance of workers’ strikes appears to work as a substitute for this behavior, which is also chosen by voters when democracy deteriorates, while corruption has no independent impact on invalid voting. Overall this work’s findings promise to send the research agenda on invalid voting in a new direction, previously unexplored because of an absence of fitting data.
A VIEW FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE: RADIOCARBON CHRONOLOGY FOR ZAOLINHETAN OF THE PRE-ZHOU CULTURE IN EARLY DYNASTIC CHINA
Authors: Li Xiaojian , Liu Wei , Xu Yongxiang , Dou Haifeng , Pollard A Mark , Liu Ruiliang
Published: January 2024

The conquest of the Shang Dynasty at Anyang around 1046 BCE by the Zhou is one of the major events for not only Chinese Bronze Age but also early interaction between the pastoralist groups from the Eurasian Steppes and agriculture ones in the Central Plains of China. It is well-known from historical texts that the pre-Zhou people lived in the ancient Bin region (豳), the exact location of which is unclear, but most likely in the Jing River valley. At some point the leader Gugong Danfu (古公亶父) moved from Bin to the capital Qi (Zhouyuan), which preceded the Zhou invasion of Anyang. We have produced a new high resolution radiocarbon chronology for Zaolinhetan, a small settlement in the pre-Zhou heartland. This shows not only an exceptionally long chronological span for the site, but also a different phasing compared to the traditional pottery typology, which raises new questions regarding the regional variation of pottery typologies. Intriguingly, the analysis also reveals a rapid abandonment of Zaolinhetan around 1100 BCE, at the same time many larger sites, such as Zhouyuan, which later became the capital of the Western Zhou dynasty, were significantly expanding. We argue that the drastic decline of Zaolinhetan as revealed by the substantial number of radiocarbon dates and probably also the movement of pre-Zhou political center from Bin to Qin, was part of bigger picture that involved a range of social and environmental factors.
Adverse childhood experiences and unhealthy dietary behaviours in adulthood
Authors: Testa Alexander , Zhang Lixia , Jackson Dylan B , Ganson Kyle T , Raney Julia H , Nagata Jason M
Published: January 2024

Objective:

This study assesses the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) occurring before the age of 18 years and patterns of fast-food consumption and sugary beverage consumption in adulthood. The study also examines how perceived stress and socio-economic status (SES) (college educational attainment and income) in adulthood mediate this relationship.

Design:

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adulthood Health (N 8599), multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess the association between ACE and unhealthy dietary behaviours in adulthood. Karlson–Holm–Breen mediation analysis is used to determine the mediating effects of SES and perceived stress.

Setting:

Persons living in the USA in 2016–2018.

Participants:

Adults (n 8599) aged 33–44 years.

Results:

The findings show an association between four or more ACE and high fast-food (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1·436, 95 % CI = 1·040, 1·983) and high sugary beverage consumption (RRR = 1·435, 95 % CI = 1·002, 2·055). The association between ACE and high fast-food consumption is partially mediated by college educational attainment, and the association between ACE and high sugary beverage consumption is partially mediated by perceived stress and college educational attainment.

Conclusions:

ACE can have long-term consequences for unhealthy dietary behaviours in adulthood, and this relationship is partially due to a lower likelihood of higher perceived stress and college educational attainment among ACE-exposed persons. Future research is needed to understand further the influence of ACE on dietary patterns over the life course.
Demonstration of a Multi‐Layer, Lithographically Manufactured Plasma Spectrometer
Authors: Scime E. E. , Dugas M. , Gilbert T. J. , John R. , Keesee A. M. , Wagner G.
Published: January 2024

Development of new plasma instruments is needed to enable constellation‐ and small satellite‐based missions. Key steps in the development pathway of ultra‐compact plasma instruments employing lithographically patterned wafers are the implementation of layer‐to‐layer electrical interconnects and demonstration of massively parallel measurements, that is, simultaneous measurements through multiple identical plasma analyzer structures. Here we present energy resolved measurements of electron beams using a 5‐layer stack of wafer‐based, energy‐per‐charge, electrostatic analyzers. Each layer has eight distinct analyzer groups that are comprised of multiple micron scale energy‐per‐charge analyzers. The process of fabricating the electrical interconnects between the layers is described and the measured energy resolution and the angular resolution compared to theoretical predictions. The measurements demonstrate successful operation of 400 micron scale analyzers operating in parallel.
Significant Differences in Coral Trophic Status Between Nearshore and Offshore Reefs Recorded by δ15N of Coral Symbiotic Zooxanthellae and Host Tissue in the South China Sea in the SCS
Authors: Xu Shendong , Mo Hongyan , Men Zheng , Yu Kefu , Zhang Zhinan , Chen Hanji
Published: January 2024

Significant differences in environmental conditions between nearshore and offshore coral reefs lead to different symbiotic zooxanthellae density (ZD) of corals. From the perspective of energy supply, different ZD lead to different energy provided by the photosynthesis of zooxanthellae to the coral host. However, few studies have conducted a comparative analysis of coral trophic status (i.e., autotrophic photosynthesis of zooxanthellae and heterotrophic feeding of the host) between nearshore and offshore reefs. In this study, 70 coral samples of Favia palauensis were collected from the nearshore Sanya reefs, and offshore Xisha, Nansha reefs in the South China Sea (SCS). The ZD, δ15N of seawater particulate organic matter (δ15NPOM), host tissue (δ15Nh), zooxanthellae (δ15Nz) and the difference between δ15Nh and δ15Nz (i.e., △h−z 15N = δ15Nh−δ15Nz) were measured and statistically analyzed. The purpose is to elucidate the differences in the energy maintenance mechanisms of corals between nearshore and offshore reefs. Results show that ZD is significantly positively correlated with δ15Nz in all three reefs (p < 0.05). Corals in nearshore Sanya have higher autotrophic abilities than corals from offshore Xisha and Nansha reefs. By contrast, corals in offshore reefs are more dependent on heterotrophic feeding of the host to obtain energy. Our research demonstrate that corals can adjust their trophic status, especially improve their heterotrophic feeding intensity to meet energy needs under different environmental conditions. This dynamic adjustment of energy supply patterns is of great significance to improve coral's environmental adaptability.
Lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (LA-HLH): a scoping review unveils clinical and diagnostic patterns of a lymphoma subgroup with poor prognosis
Authors: Knauft Johanna , Schenk Thomas , Ernst Thomas , Schnetzke Ulf , Hochhaus Andreas , La Rosée Paul , Birndt Sebastian
Published: January 2024

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe hyperinflammatory syndrome driven by pathologic activation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and macrophages. Despite advances in diagnostics and management, adult patients with lymphoma-associated HLH (LA-HLH) harbor particularly poor prognosis and optimal treatment remains challenging. As systematic data on LA-HLH are scarce, we aimed to synthesize research evidence by thorough analysis of the published literature in PubMed (MEDLINE-database) within the context of a scoping review. Of 595 search results, 132 articles providing information on 542 patients were reviewed and analyzed. Median patient age was 60 years (range, 18–98) with male predominance (62.7%). B- and T-NHL were equally represented (45.6% and 45.2%), Hodgkin’s lymphoma was reported in 8.9% of the cases. The majority of patients (91.6%) presented in Ann-Arbor-Stages III and IV, and bone marrow infiltration was observed in a significant proportion of patients (61.5%). Soluble CD25 levels were markedly elevated (median 10,000 U/ml), with levels beyond 10,000 U/ml indicating unfavorable prognosis for 30-day and overall survival. 66.8% of the patients died after median 5.1 months. LA-HLH remains a clinical challenge requiring specialized management. Timely diagnosis and appropriate lymphoma-specific treatment are of utmost importance to enhance patient outcomes.
Employing electrochemically derived pH gradients for Lab-on-PCB protein preconcentration devices
Authors: Maxted Grace , Estrela Pedro , Moschou Despina
Published: January 2024

Protein preconcentration is an essential sample preparation step for analysis in which the targeted proteins exist in low concentrations, such as bodily fluids, water, or wastewater. Nonetheless, very few practical implementations of miniaturized protein preconcentration devices have been demonstrated in practice, and even fewer have been integrated with other microanalytical steps. Existing approaches rely heavily on additional chemicals and reagents and introduce complexity to the overall assay. In this paper, we propose a novel miniaturized isoelectric focusing-based protein preconcentration screening device based on electrochemically derived pH gradients rather than existing chemical reagent approaches. In this way, we reduce the need for additional chemical reagents to zero while enabling device incorporation in a seamlessly integrated full protein analysis microsystem via Lab-on-PCB technology. We apply our previously presented Lab-on-PCB approach to quantitatively control the pH of a solution in the vicinity of planar electrodes using electrochemical acid generation through redox-active self-assembled monolayers. The presented device comprises a printed circuit board with an array of gold electrodes that were functionalized with 4-aminothiophenol; this formed a self-assembled monolayer that was electropolymerized to improve its electrochemical reversibility. Protein preconcentration was performed in two configurations. The first was open and needed the use of a holder to suspend a well of fluid above the electrodes; the second used microfluidic channels to enclose small volumes of fluid. Reported here are the resulting data for protein preconcentration in both these forms, with a quantitative concentration factor shown for the open form and qualitative proof shown for the microfluidic.
Laser-assisted direct roller imprinting of large-area microstructured optical surfaces
Authors: Nagato Keisuke , Takahashi Ken , Yajima Yuki , Nakao Masayuki
Published: January 2024

In this study, a high-throughput fabrication method called laser-assisted direct roller imprinting (LADRI) was developed to lower the cost of nanoimprinting large-area polymer films and to address problems associated with nanoimprinting, namely, microstructural damage and precision in flatness of entire film. With LADRI, the laser directly heats the microstructured surface of the roller mold, which heats and melts the surface of a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) film to replicate the microstructures on the mold rapidly. In this study, the effects of laser power density, scanning speed, size of the microstructures, and contact pressure on the replication speed were investigated experimentally. The replication speed increased as the power and scanning speed increased. However, because the film required heating until it filled the entire depth of the microstructure, an appropriate replication speed was necessary. This result was supported by simulation of the temperature distribution inside the mold and the PMMA using transient heat conduction analyses. To demonstrate the applications of LADRI, two different optical surfaces were replicated: an antireflection (AR) structure with conical structures sized several hundred nanometers and a light-extraction structure with a microlens array (MLA) comprising 10 μm lenses, for display and illumination, respectively. The replication degree of the MLA was governed by the contact pressure. Polymer flow simulation indicated that the heat conduction and flow speeds of the melted PMMA surface were comparable within several tens of micrometers. In addition, the reflectivity of the AR structure decreased from 4 to 0.5%, and the light intensity of the light-extraction structure increased by a factor of 1.47.
Gatad2b, associated with the neurodevelopmental syndrome GAND, plays a critical role in neurodevelopment and cortical patterning
Authors: Abad Clemer , Robayo Maria C. , Muñiz-Moreno Maria del Mar , Bernardi Maria T. , Otero Maria G. , Kosanovic Christina , Griswold Anthony J. , Pierson Tyler Mark , Walz Katherina , Young Juan I.
Published: January 2024

GATAD2B (GATA zinc finger domain containing 2B) variants are associated with the neurodevelopmental syndrome GAND, characterized by intellectual disability (ID), infantile hypotonia, apraxia of speech, epilepsy, macrocephaly and distinct facial features. GATAD2B encodes for a subunit of the Nucleosome Remodeling and Histone Deacetylase (NuRD) complex. NuRD controls transcriptional programs critical for proper neurodevelopment by coupling histone deacetylase with ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling activity. To study mechanisms of pathogenesis for GAND, we characterized a mouse model harboring an inactivating mutation in Gatad2b. Homozygous Gatad2b mutants die perinatally, while haploinsufficient Gatad2b mice exhibit behavioral abnormalities resembling the clinical features of GAND patients. We also observed abnormal cortical patterning, and cellular proportions and cell-specific alterations in the developmental transcriptome in these mice. scRNAseq of embryonic cortex indicated misexpression of genes key for corticogenesis and associated with neurodevelopmental syndromes such as Bcl11b, Nfia and H3f3b and Sox5. These data suggest a crucial role for Gatad2b in brain development.
Redox signalling regulates breast cancer metastasis via phenotypic and metabolic reprogramming due to p63 activation by HIF1α
Authors: Ren Zuen , Dharmaratne Malindrie , Liang Huizhi , Benard Outhiriaradjou , Morales-Gallego Miriam , Suyama Kimita , Kumar Viney , Fard Atefeh Taherian , Kulkarni Ameya S. , Prystowsky Michael , Mar Jessica C. , Norton Larry , Hazan Rachel B.
Published: January 2024

Background

Redox signaling caused by knockdown (KD) of Glutathione Peroxidase 2 (GPx2) in the PyMT mammary tumour model promotes metastasis via phenotypic and metabolic reprogramming. However, the tumour cell subpopulations and transcriptional regulators governing these processes remained unknown.

Methods

We used single-cell transcriptomics to decipher the tumour cell subpopulations stimulated by GPx2 KD in the PyMT mammary tumour and paired pulmonary metastases. We analyzed the EMT spectrum across the various tumour cell clusters using pseudotime trajectory analysis and elucidated the transcriptional and metabolic regulation of the hybrid EMT state.

Results

Integration of single-cell transcriptomics between the PyMT/GPx2 KD primary tumour and paired lung metastases unraveled a basal/mesenchymal-like cluster and several luminal-like clusters spanning an EMT spectrum. Interestingly, the luminal clusters at the primary tumour gained mesenchymal gene expression, resulting in epithelial/mesenchymal subpopulations fueled by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis. By contrast, at distant metastasis, the basal/mesenchymal-like cluster gained luminal and mesenchymal gene expression, resulting in a hybrid subpopulation using OXPHOS, supporting adaptive plasticity. Furthermore, p63 was dramatically upregulated in all hybrid clusters, implying a role in regulating partial EMT and MET at primary and distant sites, respectively. Importantly, these effects were reversed by HIF1α loss or GPx2 gain of function, resulting in metastasis suppression.

Conclusions

Collectively, these results underscored a dramatic effect of redox signaling on p63 activation by HIF1α, underlying phenotypic and metabolic plasticity leading to mammary tumour metastasis.
The multifaceted role of Fragile X-Related Protein 1 (FXR1) in cellular processes: an updated review on cancer and clinical applications
Authors: Khan Faiz Ali , Fang Na , Zhang Weijuan , Ji Shaoping
Published: January 2024

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) modulate the expression level of several target RNAs (such as mRNAs) post-transcriptionally through interactions with unique binding sites in the 3′-untranslated region. There is mounting information that suggests RBP dysregulation plays a significant role in carcinogenesis. However, the function of FMR1 autosomal homolog 1(FXR1) in malignancies is just beginning to be unveiled. Due to the diversity of their RNA-binding domains and functional adaptability, FXR1 can regulate diverse transcript processing. Changes in FXR1 interaction with RNA networks have been linked to the emergence of cancer, although the theoretical framework defining these alterations in interaction is insufficient. Alteration in FXR1 expression or localization has been linked to the mRNAs of cancer suppressor genes, cancer-causing genes, and genes involved in genomic expression stability. In particular, FXR1-mediated gene regulation involves in several cellular phenomena related to cancer growth, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, senescence, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. FXR1 dysregulation has been implicated in diverse cancer types, suggesting its diagnostic and therapeutic potential. However, the molecular mechanisms and biological effects of FXR1 regulation in cancer have yet to be understood. This review highlights the current knowledge of FXR1 expression and function in various cancer situations, emphasizing its functional variety and complexity. We further address the challenges and opportunities of targeting FXR1 for cancer diagnosis and treatment and propose future directions for FXR1 research in oncology. This work intends to provide an in-depth review of FXR1 as an emerging oncotarget with multiple roles and implications in cancer biology and therapy.