bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychotherapists’ views on triggering factors for psychological disorders
Authors: Riachi Eve , Holma Juha , Laitila Aarno
Published: December 2022

Triggering factors play an important role in the development of psychological disorders. Practicing psychotherapists have valuable knowledge on psychological disorders and since their views on triggering factors have not been reported in the literature, triggers were addressed in this study from psychotherapists’ perspectives. The following three main issues were examined: definitions of triggers, examples of the most recurrent triggers and the idea of a common trigger for psychological disorders. Sixteen psychotherapists agreed to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in person and the data collected were analyzed using frame analysis. Frame analysis aims at representing the data through frames or groups that indicate different interpretations of the same topic. The results showed that the therapists provided three definitions of triggering factors. They most often defined triggers as events, occurrences or situations that explain the onset of psychological symptoms. The psychotherapists also provided examples of triggering factors: these were grouped into three frames, interpersonal, environmental and trauma. The therapists identified no single common trigger, although they discussed common categories and connections between different triggering factors. The findings indicate that triggering factors are complex and closely connected to personal vulnerabilities, as different events and circumstances act as triggers for different individuals. Future research could expand on these findings by examining the constituents of individual vulnerabilities.
The Role of the Registry and Legal Division of the African Court of Human and People's Rights in Dispute Settlement
Authors: Akinkugbe Olabisi D. , Odeh Morris K.
Published: December 2022

This Essay explores whether the African Court of Human and People's Rights’ (African Court) Registry and Legal Division have a similar expansive role in the dispute settlement mechanism as the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Secretariat. The African Court is the African Union's regional body for enforcing human rights. This Essay contributes to the scholarship on African international courts by testing the central arguments in Pauwelyn and Pelc's “Who Guards the ‘Guardians of the System’? The Role of the Secretariat in WTO Dispute Settlement”1 through a comparative analysis of the role of the Secretariat within the African Court.2 Despite the growing jurisprudence and influence of Africa's international courts, they continue to be neglected by mainstream scholarship of international courts and tribunals. This is evident in Pauwelyn and Pelc's article, which does not refer to any of Africa's seven international courts and tribunals. For that matter, the article makes no reference to any international tribunal outside Europe or the United States.3 Our analysis illustrates the fact that the influence of the African Court's Registry and Legal Division (Registry) in the process for dispute settlement is not as significant and concerning as that of the WTO Secretariat. As such, the influence of the Registry on the outcome of a case is significantly limited and does not raise any legitimacy crisis like the WTO. We attribute this disparity to the operational and structural disparities between the African Court and the WTO. In the following paragraphs, we examine each of the factors that Pauwelyn and Pelc raise concerning the influence of the WTO staff in WTO panel and Appellate Body proceedings4 in the context of the functions of the African Court Registry.
Mental Imagery and the Epistemology of Testimony
Authors: Munro Daniel
Published: December 2022

Mental imagery often occurs during testimonial belief transmission: a testifier often episodically remembers or imagines a scene while describing it, while a listener often imagines that scene as it’s described to her. I argue that getting clear on imagery’s psychological roles in testimonial belief transmission has implications for some fundamental issues in the epistemology of testimony. I first appeal to imagery cases to argue against a widespread ‘internalist’ approach to the epistemology of testimony. I then appeal to the same sort of case to argue for an alternative, externalist view.
Effect of the Announcement of Human-to-Human Transmission on Telemedicine Services in China During COVID-19
Authors: Maimaitiming Mairehaba , Xie Jingui , Zheng Zhichao , Zhu Yongjian
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

Telemedicine enables patients to communicate with physicians effectively, especially during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, few studies have explored the use of online health care platforms for a comprehensive range of specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate how telemedicine services were affected by the announcement of human-to-human transmission in China.

Methods:

Telemedicine data from haodf.com in China were collected. A difference-in-differences analysis compared the number of telemedicine use and the number of active online physicians for different specialties in 2020 with the numbers in 2019, before and after the announcement of human-to-human transmission.

Results:

Data from 2 473 734 telemedicine use during the same calendar time in 2020 and 2019 were collected. Telemedicine use in 2020 increased by 349.9% after the announcement of human-to-human transmission in China, and the number of active online physicians increased by 23.2%. The difference-in-differences analysis indicated that the announcement had statistically significant positive effects on the numbers of telemedicine use for almost all specialties, except cosmetic dermatology, pathology, occupational diseases, sports medicine, burn, medical imaging, and interventional medicine.

Conclusion:

Telemedicine services increased significantly after the announcement of human-to-human transmission of COVID-19. Online activities of most specialties increased, except where providers had to conduct in-person testing and provide bedside therapies.
Maritime Archaeological Research, Sustainability, and Climate Resilience
Authors: Velentza Katerina
Published: December 2022

Maritime archaeology has been identified as a significant field among the humanities that could contribute to the global sustainable development agenda. This article explores the relevance of maritime archaeological studies to initiatives of climate action. Βy reviewing the contributions of various state-of-the-art projects and by linking their aims and outcomes to specific targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the author highlights the benefits of involving maritime archaeological research in the pursuit of sustainability and climate resilience. This involvement could play a key role in reinforcing human-centred and culturally aware solutions to the current climate change effects that threaten human populations, especially in maritime regions. It is hoped that this discussion will inspire researchers in the humanities, archaeology, and maritime archaeology in particular, to use their expertise within the framework provided by the sustainable development agenda to help build a better future.
Comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder in low- and middle-income countries: A narrative review
Authors: Kaysen Debra L. , van Stolk-Cooke Katherine , Kaminer Debra , Greene M. Claire , López-Castro Teresa , Kane Jeremy C.
Published: December 2022

Much of the research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been conducted in high-income countries (HICs). However, PTSD and AUD commonly co-occur (PTSD + AUD) are both associated with high global burden of disease, and disproportionately impact those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This narrative review attempts to synthesize the research on prevalence, impact, etiological models, and treatment of PTSD + AUD drawing from research conducted in HICs and discussing the research that has been conducted to date in LMICs. The review also discusses overall limitations in the field, including a lack of research on PTSD + AUD outside of HICs, issues with measurement of key constructs, and limitations in sampling strategies across comorbidity studies. Future directions are discussed, including a need for rigorous research studies conducted in LMICs that focus on both etiological mechanisms and on treatment approaches.
Mau Mau as Method
Authors: Alvarado Christian
Published: December 2022

During the period of the Kenya Emergency (1952–1960), an assemblage of anticolonial forces waged war against the British colonial apparatus and its allies. Their notoriety would be crystallized in a single, enigmatic phrase: “Mau Mau.” Through considering the character of both contemporary and current framings, this article contends that Mau Mau exists as a historical method in itself, rather than simply as a phenomenon subjected to the analytical frameworks of historians. Mau Mau’s mythological dimension—something acknowledged in even its earliest formal studies—has rarely been focused upon in any sustained way that centers its implications for historical methodology. Yet it existed as a signifier set within enormous discursive webs and systems of information that people interfaced with in myriad ways. More concretely, understandings of and debates about Mau Mau drove human action through their articulation in realms such as (counter)insurgency, politics, and popular culture in geographically-disparate regions of the world. Approaching “events” such as Mau Mau in this fashion reveals the layout of these discursive webs and how they formed around flows of imperial capital, anticolonial resistance, and professional networks.
NSOP-LIKE INDEPENDENCE IN AECATS
Authors: KAMSMA MARK
Published: December 2022

The classes stable, simple, and NSOP
$_1$
in the stability hierarchy for first-order theories can be characterised by the existence of a certain independence relation. For each of them there is a canonicity theorem: there can be at most one nice independence relation. Independence in stable and simple first-order theories must come from forking and dividing (which then coincide), and for NSOP
$_1$
theories it must come from Kim-dividing. We generalise this work to the framework of Abstract Elementary Categories (AECats) with the amalgamation property. These are a certain kind of accessible category generalising the category of (subsets of) models of some theory. We prove canonicity theorems for stable, simple, and NSOP
$_1$
-like independence relations. The stable and simple cases have been done before in slightly different setups, but we provide them here as well so that we can recover part of the original stability hierarchy. We also provide abstract definitions for each of these independence relations as what we call isi-dividing, isi-forking, and long Kim-dividing.
Erosion, Backsliding, or Abuse: Three Metaphors for Democratic Decline
Authors: Keck Thomas M.
Published: December 2022

Drawing on Rosalind Dixon and David Landau’sAbusive Constitutional Borrowing: Legal Globalization and the Subversion of Liberal Democracy, this review essay calls attention to three competing metaphors for democratic decline (democratic erosion, democratic backsliding, and abusive constitutionalism) and elaborates their implications for how supporters of liberal democracy might arrest and reverse the decline. Drawing on Richard L. Hasen’sCheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics—And How to Cure It, Stephen M. Feldman’sPack the Court: A Defense of Supreme Court Expansion, and theFinal Reportof the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States, the essay then turns to two proposals for legal and institutional reforms in the United States that, depending on how one understands the nature of the threat, might be understood either as further indications of (and even contributors to) democratic decline or as “constitutional hardball” in democracy’s defense. It argues that scholarly treatments of democratic decline can help sharpen for citizens and policy makers the key tradeoffs implicated by Supreme Court expansion, restrictions on extremist speech, and other proposed democracy reforms.
Revisiting fecal metatranscriptomics analyses of macaques with idiopathic chronic diarrhoea with a focus on trichomonad parasites
Authors: Bailey Nicholas P. , Hirt Robert P.
Published: December 2022

Trichomonads, anaerobic microbial eukaryotes members of the phylum Parabasalia, are common obligate extracellular symbionts that can lead to pathological or asymptomatic colonization of various mucosal surfaces in a wide range of animal hosts. Results from previous in vitro studies have suggested a number of intriguing mucosal colonization strategies by Trichomonads, notably highlighting the importance of interactions with bacteria. However, in vivo validation is currently lacking. A previous metatranscriptomics study into the cause of idiopathic chronic diarrhoea in macaques reported the presence of an unidentified protozoan parasite related to Trichomonas vaginalis. In this work, we performed a reanalysis of the published data in order to identify the parasite species present in the macaque gut. We also leveraged the information-rich metatranscriptomics data to investigate the parasite behaviour in vivo. Our results indicated the presence of at least 3 genera of Trichomonad parasite; Tetratrichomonas, Pentatrichomonas and Trichomitus, 2 of which had not been previously reported in the macaque gut. In addition, we identified common in vivo expression profiles shared amongst the Trichomonads. In agreement with previous findings for other Trichomonads, our results highlighted a relationship between Trichomonads and mucosal bacterial diversity which could be influential in health and disease.
Bilingual interactional contexts predict executive functions in older adults
Authors: Yang Hwajin , Tng Germaine Y. Q. , Ng Gilaine Rui , Ng Wee Qin
Published: December 2022

Drawing on the adaptive control hypothesis, we examined whether older adults’ bilingual interactional contexts of conversational exchanges would predict important indices of executive functions (EF). We assessed participants’ engagement in each bilingual interactional context – single-language, dual-language, and dense code-switching – and their performance on a series of nonverbal EF measures. Sixty-nine healthy older adults (Mage = 70.39 years; ages 60–93) were recruited from local community centers. We found that the dense code-switching context was associated with enhanced overall EF, but not individual facets of EF (inhibitory control, shifting, and updating). These findings held true when we controlled for a host of covariates. Our findings shed light on aging bilinguals’ interactional contexts as crucial bilingual experiences that modulate overall EF. Given that bilingualism is a multidimensional construct, rather than a unidimensional variable, our study underscores the importance of more fine-grained operationalisation of bilingualism when studying its impacts on EF.
Medizindidaktik
Authors: Fabry Götz
Published: December 2022

Wie sieht ein wissenschaftlich fundiertes und zukunftsorientiertes Medizinstudium aus? 

Mit dem Nationalen Kompetenzbasierten Lernzielkatalog Medizin (NKLM) und der Reform der Ärztlichen Approbationsordnung soll sich das Medizinstudium deutlich verändern. Kernpunkte sind ein stärkerer Praxisbezug, kompetenzorientiertes Lernen, Lehren und Prüfen, mehr Gewicht für kommunikative und soziale Fähigkeiten sowie eine Stärkung der Wissenschaftlichkeit. Für alle, die das Medizinstudium gestalten und umsetzen, hat dies tiefgreifende Folgen in Bezug auf die curriculare Planung und Durchführung von Lehre sowie die Prüfungen. 
Für die zweite Auflage wurden die Inhalte mit Blick auf diese Herausforderungen umfassend überarbeitet und auf den neuesten Stand gebracht: 
•Voraussetzungen für erfolgreiches Lernen und Lehren im Medizinstudium: Motivation, (Meta-)Kognition, Klinisches Denken, Situiertes Lernen u.a. 
•Lehre vom Prozess bis zum Ergebnis systematisch planen: Kompetenzorientierte Lernziele umsetzen, curriculare Integration realisieren, Lehre und Prüfungen systematisch aufeinander abstimmen 
•Lehrformate für große und kleine Gruppen interaktiv und aktivierend gestalten, Feedback systematisch nutzen, klinischen Unterricht optimieren 
•Kompetenzorientiert prüfen in allen Abschnitten des Studiums, Qualität von Prüfungen sicherstellen, Lehrerfolg systematisch evaluieren 
•Wissenschaftlichkeit auch in der Lehre realisieren: Aktuelle wissenschaftliche Evidenz konsequent berücksichtigen 
Eine konsequent didaktische Kapitelgestaltung mit Einführung, Werkzeugkästen, Zusammenfassung, Fallbeispielen sowie zahlreichen Tabellen und farbigen Grafiken ermöglichen einen hohen Praxisbezug. Das Buch empfiehlt sich daher als ideale Unterstützung bei der Planung, Umsetzung und Evaluation von Lehre in der Medizin sowie als kompaktes Begleitbuch und Nachschlagewerk für die individuelle Fort- und Weiterbildung für alle, die sich mit Lehre in der Medizin beschäftigen.
Using Interleaving to Promote Inductive Learning in Educational Contexts
Authors: Richter Tobias , Nemeth Lea , Berger Roland , Ferri Rita Borromeo , Hänze Martin , Lipowsky Frank
Published: December 2022

Abstract. Inductive learning, that is, abstracting conceptual knowledge, rules, or principles from exemplars, plays a major role in educational settings, from literacy acquisition to mathematics and science learning. Interleaving exemplars of different categories rather than presenting blocks might be a simple but powerful way to improve inductive learning by supporting discriminative contrast. Although a consistent advantage of interleaving has been demonstrated for visual materials, relatively few studies have examined educationally relevant materials, such as mathematical tasks, science problems, and verbal materials, and their results are mixed. We discuss how interleaving could be made fruitful for school learning of mathematics, science, and literacy acquisition. We conclude that interleaving should be tailored to the specific learning content and combined with supportive instructional measures that assist students in comparing exemplars for discriminating features. Finally, we sketch research gaps that revolve around the use of interleaved learning in the classroom.
A Longitudinal Analysis of Political Ideology, Pornography Consumption, and Attitude Change
Authors: Wright Paul J.
Published: December 2022

Abstract: The effects of pornography have been of central focus to communication scholars for decades. Despite this, recent meta-analyses reveal a need for additional longitudinal studies probing pornography’s socializing effects, in general; a need for attitudinal studies, specifically; and a need for studies of US adults, in particular. In response to these needs and recent calls for replication studies across the social and behavioral sciences, the present study replicated and extended an early US longitudinal study finding that pornography consumption predicted over time interindividual change in adults’ sexually permissive attitudes among liberal, but not conservative, pornography consumers. The results provided (a) evidence that the original study was neither a sampling fluke nor a product of model misspecification; (b) further evidence that longitudinal associations between pornography use and content congruent outcomes are not simply due to reverse-causation; and (c) preliminary optimism for the reproducibility of findings in the field of pornography effects.
Ganymede's Radiation Cavity and Radiation Belts
Authors: Kollmann P. , Clark G. , Paranicas C. , Mauk B. , Haggerty D. , Rymer A. , Allegrini F.
Published: December 2022

While planetary radiation belts are all embedded within the low energy solar wind, Ganymede is in the unique situation of being surrounded by the energetic particles of Jupiter's magnetosphere. Here we study Ganymede's environment based the recent flyby of Juno, as well as through reanalysis of past measurements from the Galileo spacecraft. We find that Ganymede is surrounded by a radiation cavity with intensities that are lower compared to Jupiter. Particles are lost in the cavity due to absorption by Ganymede that is likely enhanced by scattering. In the core of the cavity we find radiation belts. Their intensities are comparable to Jupiter for ions but lower for electrons. The radiation belts form peaks in phase space density, which indicates that they cannot be produced through steady inward influx and accumulation of Jupiter particles. Other processes are needed such as local acceleration, or time dependent transport and loss processes.
Surface Features of Ganymede Revealed in Jupiter‐Shine by Juno’s Stellar Reference Unit
Authors: Becker Heidi N. , Florence Meghan M. , Brennan Martin J. , Hansen Candice J. , Schenk Paul M. , Ravine Michael A. , Arballo John K. , Bolton Scott J. , Lunine Jonathan I. , Guillaume Alexandre , Alexander James W.
Published: December 2022

On 7 June 2021, Juno crossed the orbital path of Jupiter’s moon Ganymede, flying within 1,046 km of the surface. Juno’s low‐light‐sensitive Stellar Reference Unit (SRU) navigation camera captured an image of the satellite’s dark side in a region of Xibalba Sulcus illuminated solely by Jupiter‐shine. Collected at high incidence angle with 670–920 m/pixel resolution, the image reveals terrain morphology, ejecta, and numerous small craters that cannot be discerned in the Voyager imagery used for the USGS global geologic map of Ganymede. The Juno data enable improved mapping of Ganymede’s surface and reinterpretation of material and crater ages in a region previously characterized as light “undivided” material due to poor image resolution. The illumination conditions achieved by the SRU observation geometry also reveal the detailed morphology of a 270‐km elongated bright feature in this area. These newly resolved features contribute to an improved understanding of Ganymede’s complex history.
UVS Observations of Ganymede's Aurora During Juno Orbits 34 and 35
Authors: Greathouse T. K. , Gladstone G. R. , Molyneux P. M. , Versteeg M. H. , Hue V. , Kammer J. A. , Davis M. W. , Bolton S. J. , Giles R. S. , Connerney J. E. P. , Gerard J.‐C. , Grodent D. C. , Bonfond B. , Saur J. , Duling S.
Published: December 2022

On 7 June 2021, Juno‐UVS mapped Ganymede's auroral emissions near a closest approach altitude of 1,046 km. The high spatial resolution map exhibits bright, 200–1,000 R, oxygen emissions organized into northern and southern auroral ovals. Though the map has incomplete global coverage, UVS observed longitudinal structure similar to that described by McGrath et al. (2013), https://doi.org/10.1002/jgra.50122 and latitudinal and vertical structure never before resolved. The mapped auroral emissions (a) display an intense narrow auroral curtain with a sharp poleward boundary, (b) have a more slowly decreasing equatorial edge on the leading hemisphere, (c) appear to originate near the surface with a vertical extent of 25–50 km, and (d) are slightly brighter in the north than the south. Additionally, we present UVS observations from the more distant Juno Ganymede flyby on 20 July 2021. We describe the observations, compare them to previous Hubble Space Telescope observations and current model predictions of the open‐closed‐field line‐boundary.
Competition Between Radiative and Seeding Effects of Overlying Clouds on Underlying Marine Stratocumulus
Authors: Jian Bida , Li Jiming , Zhang Lijie , Wang Yang , Zhang Weiyuan , Li Yarong
Published: December 2022

Overlying cloud can affect the radiative and precipitation features of underlying cloud via its radiative and seeding effects. Using 4 years of CALIPSO and CloudSat observations, this study demonstrates that overlying clouds usually suppress the vertical development of underlying stratocumulus (Sc) by their radiative effect, thus reducing the precipitation, cloud liquid water path and thickness of Sc on a global scale. The radiative effect intensity increases with increasing optical depth (COD) of overlying cloud and decreasing cloud distance between cloud layers. By dividing the overlying clouds into seeder and non‐seeder groups, we find that seeding by overlying clouds can partly or even totally offset the precipitation suppression caused by their radiative effect. The net effect on precipitation of Sc switches from suppression to enhancement when COD of overlying cloud exceeds 0.16. This finding indicates that the competition between radiative and seeding effects of overlying cloud should be considered in cloud‐precipitation interaction.
Ganymede's Auroral Footprint Latitude: Comparison With Magnetodisc Model
Authors: Promfu T. , Nichols J. D. , Wannawichian S. , Clarke J. T. , Vogt M. F. , Bonfond B.
Published: December 2022

Variations of Ganymede's auroral footprint locations are presented based on observations by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2007 and 2016. The poleward and equatorward shifts of Ganymede's footprint could be influenced by the mass outflow rate from Io and the solar wind compression, as the internal and external factors respectively. We compare our results with Ganymede's footprint mapping based on the magnetodisc model. The mapped footprint in Jupiter's ionosphere shifts equatorward with increased hot plasma parameter, Kh, which is associated with hot plasma pressure. We analyzed the effect of cold plasma number density (Nc), related to the mass outflow rate and connected to the material produced by Io. The results show that the magnetic footprint is shifted equatorward by 0.37° when the mass outflow rate is increased from 800–2,000 kg s−1. Iogenic plasma has a strong influence on the stretching of the magnetic field lines in Jupiter's middle magnetosphere, causing the equatorward shift of Ganymede's footprint. For external factors, Ganymede's footprint shifted poleward by 0.62° under the influence of solar wind compression while the mass outflow is kept constant at 1,000 kg s−1. We present similar locations of Ganymede's footprint based on the field lines mapped as a result of the compensation between an increase of Kh and the solar wind compression. Overall, the location of Ganymede's auroral footprint corresponds with the mass loading rate from Io and the solar wind dynamic pressure.
Synthetic River Flow Videos for Evaluating Image‐Based Velocimetry Methods
Authors: Bodart G. , Le Coz J. , Jodeau M. , Hauet A.
Published: December 2022

Various image‐based velocimetry methods have been developed and increasingly used for surface velocity and discharge measurements in rivers. Their evaluation is challenging as in situ comparisons are limited and affected by uncertainties, and synthetic flow images used to test laboratory velocimetry methods are not representative of outdoor applications. A novel method is proposed to generate synthetic river flow videos with known surface velocities. The method is based on open‐source computer graphics tools: Blender and Mantaflow. The synthetic videos represent realistic situations where the scene configuration, for example, riverbed and riparian areas, water aspect, camera location and orientation or lighting can be easily modified. Two cases studies emphasize the strengths and the limitations of the proposed method. The synthetic datasets generated will allow the improvement of different image‐based velocimetry methods, notably through collaborative evaluations or intercomparisons.
Tumorigenic role of Musashi-2 in aggressive mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Sureda-Gómez Marta , Balsas Patricia , Rodríguez Marta-Leonor , Nadeu Ferran , De Bolòs Anna , Eguileor Álvaro , Kulis Marta , Castellano Giancarlo , López Cristina , Giné Eva , Demajo Santiago , Jares Pedro , Martín-Subero José I. , Beà Silvia , Campo Elias , Amador Virginia
Published: December 2022

SOX11 overexpression has been associated with aggressive behavior of mantle cell lymphomas (MCL). SOX11 is overexpressed in embryonic and cancer stem cells (CSC) of some tumors. Although CSC have been isolated from primary MCL, their relationship to SOX11 expression and contribution to MCL pathogenesis and clinical evolution remain unknown. Here, we observed enrichment in leukemic and hematopoietic stem cells gene signatures in SOX11+ compared to SOX11– MCL primary cases. Musashi-2 (MSI2) emerged as one of the most significant upregulated stem cell-related genes in SOX11+ MCLs. SOX11 is directly bound to the MSI2 promoter upregulating its expression in vitro. MSI2 intronic enhancers were strongly activated in SOX11+ MCL cell lines and primary cases. MSI2 upregulation was significantly associated with poor overall survival independently of other high-risk features of MCL. MSI2 knockdown decreased the expression of genes related to apoptosis and stem cell features and significantly reduced clonogenic growth, tumor cell survival and chemoresistance in MCL cells. MSI2-knockdown cells had reduced tumorigenic engraftment into mice bone marrow and spleen compared to control cells in xenotransplanted mouse models. Our results suggest that MSI2 might play a key role in sustaining stemness and tumor cell survival, representing a possible novel target for therapeutic interventions in MCL.
TogoVar: A comprehensive Japanese genetic variation database
Authors: Mitsuhashi Nobutaka , Toyo-oka Licht , Katayama Toshiaki , Kawashima Minae , Kawashima Shuichi , Miyazaki Kazunori , Takagi Toshihisa
Published: December 2022

TogoVar (https://togovar.org) is a database that integrates allele frequencies derived from Japanese populations and provides annotations for variant interpretation. First, a scheme to reanalyze individual-level genome sequence data deposited in the Japanese Genotype-phenotype Archive (JGA), a controlled-access database, was established to make allele frequencies publicly available. As more Japanese individual-level genome sequence data are deposited in JGA, the sample size employed in TogoVar is expected to increase, contributing to genetic study as reference data for Japanese populations. Second, public datasets of Japanese and non-Japanese populations were integrated into TogoVar to easily compare allele frequencies in Japanese and other populations. Each variant detected in Japanese populations was assigned a TogoVar ID as a permanent identifier. Third, these variants were annotated with molecular consequence, pathogenicity, and literature information for interpreting and prioritizing variants. Here, we introduce the newly developed TogoVar database that compares allele frequencies among Japanese and non-Japanese populations and describes the integrated annotations.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of high-wavenumber turbulence in a basic laboratory plasma
Authors: Kawachi Yuichi , Sasaki Makoto , Kosuga Yusuke , Terasaka Kenichiro , Nishizawa Takashi , Yamada Takuma , Kasuya Naohiro , Moon Chanho , Inagaki Shigeru
Published: December 2022

High-spatial resolution observation of high-wavenumber broadband turbulence is achieved by controlling the magnetic field to be relatively low and measuring with a azimuthally arranged multi-channel Langmuir array in a basic laboratory plasma. The observed turbulence consists of narrowband low-frequency fluctuations and broadband high-frequency turbulent fluctuations. The low-frequency fluctuations have a frequency of about 0.7 times the ion cyclotron frequency and a spatial scale of 1/10 of the ion inertial scale. In comparison, high-frequency fluctuations have a higher frequency than the ion cyclotron frequency and spatial scales of 1/10–1/40 of the ion inertial scale. Two-dimensional correlation analysis evaluates the spatial and temporal correlation lengths and reveals that the high-wavenumber broadband fluctuations have turbulent characteristics. The measurements give us further understanding of small scale turbulence in space and fusion plasmas.
Evaluation of U-Net models in automated cervical spine and cranial bone segmentation using X-ray images for traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation diagnosis
Authors: Shim Jae-Hyuk , Kim Woo Seok , Kim Kwang Gi , Yee Gi Taek , Kim Young Jae , Jeong Tae Seok
Published: December 2022

Segmentation of the cervical spine in tandem with three cranial bones, hard palate, basion, and opisthion using X-ray images is crucial for measuring metrics used to diagnose traumatic atlanto-occipital dislocation (TAOD). Previous studies utilizing automated segmentation methods have been limited to segmenting parts of the cervical spine (C3 ~ C7), due to difficulties in defining the boundaries of C1 and C2 bones. Additionally, there has yet to be a study that includes cranial bone segmentations necessary for determining TAOD diagnosing metrics, which are usually defined by measuring the distance between certain cervical (C1 ~ C7) and cranial (hard palate, basion, opisthion) bones. For this study, we trained a U-Net model on 513 sagittal X-ray images with segmentations of both cervical and cranial bones for an automated solution to segmenting important features for diagnosing TAOD. Additionally, we tested U-Net derivatives, recurrent residual U-Net, attention U-Net, and attention recurrent residual U-Net to observe any notable differences in segmentation behavior. The accuracy of U-Net models ranged from 99.07 to 99.12%, and dice coefficient values ranged from 88.55 to 89.41%. Results showed that all 4 tested U-Net models were capable of segmenting bones used in measuring TAOD metrics with high accuracy.
Long-term enclosure at heavy grazing grassland affects soil nitrification via ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in Inner Mongolia
Authors: Chen Qing , Shang Yuntao , Zhu Rui , Bao Qiongli , Lin Shan
Published: December 2022

Enclosure and grazing can significantly change the turnover of nitrogen in grassland soil. Changes of soil nitrogen mineralization and ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms caused by enclosure in different grazing intensities (about 30 years of grazing history) grassland, however, has rarely been reported. We selected the grassland sites with high and medium grazing intensity (HG and MG, 4 and 2 sheep ha−1, respectively) and had them enclosed (45 × 55 m) in 2005 while outside the enclosure was continuously grazed year-round. A two factorial study was designed: grazing intensity (MG and HG sites) and enclosure (fence and non-fence). Nitrogen mineralization was detected through a laboratory incubation experiment. The abundance and community structure of soil ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were analyzed using quantitative PCR (q-PCR), terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), cloning, and sequencing. Results showed that compared with MG site, at HG site the AOB abundance and community structure of AOB changed significantly while the AOA abundance and community structure did not change obviously. Enclosure significantly decreased the cumulative mineralized N, N mineralization rate, the abundance of AOB and the AOB community structure at the HG site, while at MG site, enclosure did not change these parameters. Potential nitrification rate (PNR) was positively correlated with the abundance of AOA and AOB at the MG and HG sites, respectively. The abundance of AOA was significantly correlated with soil pH; however, AOB abundance was significantly correlated with soil available N, total N, C/N ratio, pH, etc. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Nitrososphaeraceae and Nitrosomonadaceae were the dominant AOA and AOB, respectively. Totally, the responses of AOB and AOA mainly were associated to changes in soil physicochemical properties caused by different intensity grazing; AOB and AOA may be the dominant functional players in ammonia oxidation processes at HG and MG site, respectively.
Natural plant diet impacts phenotypic expression of pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles mosquitoes
Authors: Paré Prisca S. L. , Hien Domonbabele F. D. S. , Bayili Koama , Yerbanga Rakiswendé S. , Cohuet Anna , Carrasco David , Guissou Edwige , Gouagna Louis-Clément , Yaméogo Koudraogo B. , Diabaté Abdoulaye , Ignell Rickard , Dabiré Roch K. , Lefèvre Thierry , Gnankiné Olivier
Published: December 2022

Success in reducing malaria transmission through vector control is threatened by insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. Although the proximal molecular mechanisms and genetic determinants involved are well documented, little is known about the influence of the environment on mosquito resistance to insecticides. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of plant sugar feeding on the response of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato to insecticides. Adults were fed with one of four treatments, namely a 5% glucose control solution, nectariferous flowers of Barleria lupulina, of Cascabela thevetia and a combination of both B. lupulina + C. thevetia. WHO tube tests were performed with 0.05% and 0.5% deltamethrin, and knockdown rate (KD) and the 24 h mosquito mortality were measured. Plant diet significantly influenced mosquito KD rate at both concentrations of deltamethrin. Following exposure to 0.05% deltamethrin, the B. lupulina diet induced a 2.5 fold-increase in mosquito mortality compared to 5% glucose. Species molecular identification confirmed the predominance of An. gambiae (60% of the samples) over An. coluzzii and An. arabiensis in our study area. The kdr mutation L1014F displayed an allelic frequency of 0.75 and was positively associated with increased phenotypic resistance to deltamethrin. Plant diet, particularly B. lupulina, increased the susceptibility of mosquitoes to insecticides. The finding that B. lupulina-fed control individuals (i.e. not exposed to deltamethrin) also displayed increased 24 h mortality suggests that plant-mediated effects may be driven by a direct effect of plant diet on mosquito survival rather than indirect effects through interference with insecticide-resistance mechanisms. Thus, some plant species may weaken mosquitoes, making them less vigorous and more vulnerable to the insecticide. There is a need for further investigation, using a wider range of plant species and insecticides, in combination with other relevant environmental factors, to better understand the expression and evolution of insecticide resistance.
Exposure assessment of wastewater treatment plant employees to BTEX: a biological monitoring approach
Authors: Dehghani Mansooreh , Abbasi Alireza , Taherzadeh Ziba , Dehghani Samaneh
Published: December 2022

To monitor employees' work safety and exposure against air contaminants, Trans, trans-muconic acid, Hippuric acid, Methyl hippuric acid, Mandelic acid and Phenylglyoxylic acid can be used as reliable biomarkers of exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) compounds. This study aims to determine the level of urinary metabolites of BTEX compounds using biological monitoring in the employees of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the south of Iran. The study was performed on 56 employees of the WWTP of one of the southern cities of Iran in 2020. Urine samples (n total = 112) consisting of 60 samples of employees working in the operation section (exposed group) and 52 samples of employees working in the administrative section (control group) in the WWTP were collected before and at the end of their shift. The mean concentration of urinary metabolites of BTEX of both groups ranged from 546.43 (μg/g cr) for trans, trans-muconic acid to 0.006 (μg/g cr) for methyl hippuric acid, which indicates that most of the evaluated metabolites showed a higher concentration than their occupational threshold limit value urine (p < 0.05). Regression analysis results showed a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between age and utilization of flame heaters with changes in the measured BTEX metabolites in the urine. The results of this study illustrate that WWTPs should be considered as one of the workplaces with potential sources of BTEX exposure for employees. Future investigations are recommended to perform itemized appraisals of BTEX intake sources, particularly in employees of the operational sections of WWTP.
Dissociable behavioural signatures of co-existing impulsivity and apathy in decision-making
Authors: Petitet Pierre , Zhao Sijia , Drew Daniel , Manohar Sanjay G. , Husain Masud
Published: December 2022

Apathy and impulsivity are expressed in a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders, and, to a less severe extent, in healthy people too. Although traditionally considered to be opposite extremes of a single motivational spectrum, recent epidemiological questionnaire-based data suggest that both traits can in fact co-exist within the same individual. Here, we sought to investigate the relationship between these constructs in healthy people within a controlled task environment that examines the ability to make a decision under temporal uncertainty and measures the vigour of the response. Sixty participants performed a new version of the Traffic Light Task and completed self-report questionnaire measures of apathy and impulsivity. The task required individuals to make rapid decision-making for time-sensitive reward by squeezing a hand-held dynamometer as quickly as possible after a predictable event occurred (a traffic light turning green). Although apathy and impulsivity were positively correlated in questionnaire assessments, the two traits were associated with distinct behavioural signatures on the task. Impulsivity was expressed as an inflexible tendency to generate rapid anticipatory responses, regardless of cost-benefit information. Apathy, on the other hand, was associated with a blunted effect of reward on response vigour. These findings reveal how apathy and impulsivity are related to distinct dimensions of goal-directed behaviour, explaining how these traits might co-exist in the same individuals.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa aggregation and Psl expression in sputum is associated with antibiotic eradication failure in children with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Morris Amanda J. , Yau Yvonne C. W. , Park Subin , Eisha Shafinaz , McDonald Nancy , Parsek Matthew R. , Howell P. Lynne , Hoffman Lucas R. , Nguyen Dao , DiGiandomenico Antonio , Rooney Ashley M. , Coburn Bryan , Grana-Miraglia Lucia , Wang Pauline , Guttman David S. , Wozniak Daniel J. , Waters Valerie J.
Published: December 2022

We previously demonstrated that P. aeruginosa isolates that persisted in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) despite inhaled tobramycin treatment had increased anti-Psl antibody binding in vitro compared to those successfully eradicated. We aimed to validate these findings by directly visualizing P. aeruginosa in CF sputum. This was a prospective observational study of children with CF with new-onset P. aeruginosa infection who underwent inhaled tobramycin eradication treatment. Using microbial identification passive clarity technique (MiPACT), P. aeruginosa was visualized in sputum samples obtained before treatment and classified as persistent or eradicated based on outcomes. Pre-treatment isolates were also grown as biofilms in vitro. Of 11 patients enrolled, 4 developed persistent infection and 7 eradicated infection. P. aeruginosa biovolume and the number as well as size of P. aeruginosa aggregates were greater in the sputum of those with persistent compared with eradicated infections (p < 0.01). The amount of Psl antibody binding in sputum was also greater overall (p < 0.05) in samples with increased P. aeruginosa biovolume. When visualized in sputum, P. aeruginosa had a greater biovolume, with more expressed Psl, and formed more numerous, larger aggregates in CF children who failed eradication therapy compared to those who successfully cleared their infection.
Spatial homogeneity pursuit of regression coefficients for hand, foot and mouth disease in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 2018
Authors: Zhong Xiaoshuang , Wang Peilin , Zhang Huiguo
Published: December 2022

To explore the complex spatial pattern between the incidence of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and meteorological factors [average temperature (AT), average relative humidity (ARH), average air pressure (AP), average wind speed (AW)], this paper constructed a Spatial Clustering coefficient (SCC) regression model to detect spatial clustering patterns of each regression coefficients in different seasons. The results revealed that compared with geographically weighted regression (GWR), the coefficients estimated by SCC method were more smooth with clearly identified spatial and improved edge effects. Therefore, interesting spatial patterns were easy to identify in the SCC estimated coefficients. And then, the SCC method had better estimation accuracy in estimating the relationship between potential meteorological factors and HFMD cases. Meteorological factors had different significance in their effect on HFMD incidence depending on the season. Specifically, the influence of AT on HFMD was negatively correlated in summer and winter, especially in the Altay region, Bayingoleng Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Turpan region and Hami region. Second, AW had positive effects with HFMD in summer, but the AW played a negative role in the whole Xinjiang in winter. In Tianshan district, Shayibake district, Shuimogou district, etc. in summer, ARH showed a strong negative correlation, but in Alar city it had a high positive correlation, however, in winter ARH showed a high negative correlation in Altay regions, Aksu region and other places had negative effects, and it showed a strong positive correlation in Shayibak district. Finally, AP had a strong positive correlation with HFMD in summer in Shaybak district, but in winter, AP showed a strong negative correlation in Altay district and Buxel Mongolia Autonomous county. In summary, Xinjiang should adapt measures to local conditions, and formulate appropriate HFMD prevention strategies according to the characteristics of different regions, time, and meteorological factors.
Estimated cost of treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al Mutair Abbas , Layqah Laila , Alhassan Batool , Alkhalifah Saleh , Almossabeh Modhahir , AlSaleh Thanaa , AlSulaiman Zuhair , Alatiyyah Zainab , Almusalami Eman M. , Al-Jamea Lamiaa H. , Woodman Alexander , Hajissa Khalid , Alhumaid Saad , Rabaan Ali A.
Published: December 2022

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global health systems is a major concern. To plan and allocate resources to treat COVID-19 patients and provide insights into the financial sustainability of healthcare systems in fighting the future pandemic, measuring the costs to treat COVID-19 patients is deemed necessary. As such, we conducted a retrospective, real-world observational study to measure the direct medical cost of treating COVID-19 patients at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. The analysis was conducted using primary data and a mixed methodology of micro and macro-costing. Between July 2020 and July 2021, 287 patients with confirmed COVID-19 were admitted and their data were analyzed. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by RT-PCR or serologic tests in all the included patients. There were 60 cases of mild to moderate disease, 148 cases of severe disease, and 79 critically ill patients. The cost per case for mild to moderate disease, severe disease, and critically ill was 2003 USD, 14,545 USD, and 20,188 USD, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the cost between patients with comorbidities and patients without comorbidities (P-value 0.008). Across patients with and without comorbidities, there was a significant difference in the cost of the bed, laboratory work, treatment medications, and non-pharmaceutical equipment. The cost of treating COVID-19 patients is considered a burden for many countries. More studies from different private and governmental hospitals are needed to compare different study findings for better preparation for the current COVID-19 as well as future pandemics.