bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multimode Detection Platform Based on 3D Integrated Sensor for Fast On-Site Assay of Methylprednisolone in Its Pharmaceutical Formulation and Surface Water Samples
Authors: Stefan-van Staden Raluca-Ioana , Tuchiu Bianca-Maria , van Staden Jacobus (Koos) Frederick , Sfirloaga Paula
Published: March 2023

A portable electrochemical platform that detects methylprednisolone in two switchable modes has been developed. Both two selected modes, square wave voltammetry and stochastic, provide qualitative and quantitative analysis of the analyte. Under optimal conditions, the platform recorded the following linear concentration ranges, between 1.00 and 1.00 × 103
μmol l‒1 when using the square wave voltammetry mode, and a much wider range between 1.00 × 10‒9 and 1.00 × 104
μmol l‒1 when using the stochastic mode. The limits of quantification recorded were: 1.00 fmol l−1 for the stochastic mode, and 1.00 μmol l−1 for the square wave voltammetry mode. The developed platform was successfully applied for the assay of methylprednisolone in real samples (pharmaceutical dosage form and surface water), when recoveries higher than 90.00% were obtained.
Staying Hydrated in Seawater
Authors: Grosell Martin , Oehlert Amanda M.
Published: March 2023

Reduction of intestinal lumen osmotic pressure by the formation of Ca(Mg)CO3, “ichthyocarbonate,” is essential for osmoregulation by the only vertebrate group, ray-finned fishes, widely capable of hydrating by ingesting seawater. Ichthyocarbonate formation and excretion are under elaborate physiological control and play an important, yet still poorly defined, role in the oceanic carbon cycle.
LncRNA PTOV1-AS2 Promotes Colon Cancer Progression through the miR-145-5p/FSCN1 Axis
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Wu Honglei , Chen Zhaosheng , Li Guangchun , Guo Jianqiang
Published: March 2023

Objective. The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) gene PTOV1-AS2 is a potentially oncogenic lncRNA gene. However, its role and regulatory mechanism in the occurrence and development of colon cancer are still unclear. In this study, the lncRNA PTOV1-AS2 was used as a starting point to investigate the role of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory mechanisms in colon cancer. Methods. The expression of lncRNA PTOV1-AS2 mRNA in colon cancer tissues and cell lines was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and screened for differential expression in cells. We examined the effects of lncRNA PTOV1-AS2 overexpression or downregulation of its expression on various cellular processes in HCT116 and SW620 cells after the transfection with an overexpression construct or PTOV1-AS2p-specific shRNA, respectively. In particular, we examined the effects on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion using the cell counting kit-8 CCK-8 assay and Transwell migration and invasion assays, respectively. In addition, the binding targets of lncRNA PTOV1-AS2/miR-145-5p and miR-145-5p/FSCN1 were predicted using various bioinformatics tools and validated by a dual luciferase assay. We also examined the effect of the lncRNA PTOV1-AS2/miR-145-5p axis on FSCN1 expression by qRT-PCR analysis. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of the PTOV1-AS2/miR-145-5p/FSCN1 axis on the biological function of colon cancer cells using an in vitro colon cancer cell model with reduced expression of PTOV1-AS2 and simultaneous transfection of a miR-145-5p inhibitor or FSCN1 vector. Additionally, we established a colon cancer xenograft tumor nude mouse model and used it to investigate the effect of locally injected lncRNA PTOV1-AS2 vector on the tumor growth and survival status of tumor-bearing mice. Results. We found that PTOV1-AS2 was highly expressed in colon cancer, which was associated with worse survival. High expression of PTOV1-AS2 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while low expression of PTOV1-AS2 inhibited these processes in HCT116 and SW620 cells. The microRNA miR-145-5p was found to bind to the 3′-UTR region of both PTOV1-AS2 and FSCN1. In addition, miR-145-5p decreased the protein expression of its target gene FSCN1 and reduced the PTOV1-AS2-induced expression of FSCN1 in colon cancer cell lines. Also, silencing miR-145-5p or enhancing FSCN1 expression could partially restore the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and the tumorigenic capacity caused by silencing the expression of PTOV1-AS2 in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion. PTOV1-AS2 promotes colon cancer progression by “sponging” miR-145-5p to upregulate FSCN1.
Investigating the Effects of Hyperparameters in Quantum-Enhanced Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Fikadu Tilaye Getahun , Pandey Amit
Published: March 2023

Quantum machine learning uses quantum mechanical concepts of superposition of states to make the decision. In this work, we used these quantum advantages to enhance deep reinforcement learning (DRL). Our primary and foremost goal is to investigate and elucidate a way of representing and solving the frozen lake problems by using PennyLane which contains Xanadu’s back-end quantum processing unit. This paper specifically discusses how to enhance classical deep reinforcement learning algorithms with quantum computing technology, making quantum agents get a maximum reward after a fixed number of epochs and realizing the effect of a number of variational quantum layers on the trainability of enhanced framework. We have analyzed that, as the number of layers increases, the ability of the quantum agent to converge to the optimal state also increases. For this work, we have trained the framework agent with 2, 3, and 5 variational quantum layers. An agent with 2 layers converges to a total reward of 0.95 after the training episode of 526. The other agent with layers converges to a total reward of 0.95 after the training episode of 397 and the agent which uses 5 quantum variational layers converges to a total reward of 0.95 after the training episode of 72. From this, we can understand that the agent with a more variational layer exploits more and converges to the optimal state before the other agent. We also analyzed our work in terms of different learning rate hyperparameters. We recorded every single learning epoch to demonstrate the outcomes of enhanced DRL algorithms with selected 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 learning rates or alpha values. From this result, we can conclude that the greater the learning rate values in quantum deep reinforcement learning, the fewer timesteps it takes to move from the start point to the goal state.
Circulating Adiponectin Levels Are Inversely Associated with Mortality and Respiratory Failure in Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19
Authors: Hindsberger Bettina , Lindegaard Birgitte , Rabøl Andersen Liv , Bastrup Israelsen Simone , Pedersen Lise , Bela Szecsi Pal , Benfield Thomas
Published: March 2023

Background. Chronic low-grade inflammation associated with a dysregulated adipose tissue might contribute to amplifying the inflammatory response in severe COVID-19. The aim of this study was to examine the association between levels of circulating leptin and adiponectin and the severity and mortality of COVID-19. Methods. Serum levels of leptin and adiponectin were determined at admission in 123 individuals with confirmed COVID-19 and their association with 90-day mortality and respiratory failure was analyzed by logistic regression analysis and expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results. The median values of circulating leptin and adiponectin were 7.2 ng/mL (IQR 3.8–13.4) and 9.0 μg/mL (IQR 5.7–14.6), respectively. After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and oxygen saturation at admission, a doubling of circulating adiponectin was associated with a 38% reduction in odds of 90-day mortality (OR 0.62, CI 0.43–0.89) and a 40% reduction in odds of respiratory failure (OR 0.60, CI 0.42–0.86). The association tended to be strongest in individuals below the median age of 72 years. Circulating leptin was not associated with outcomes. Conclusions. Circulating adiponectin at admission was inversely associated with mortality and respiratory failure in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further studies are needed to elucidate how exactly adipokines, especially adiponectin, are linked to the progression and prognosis of COVID-19.
Fecal Keratin 8 Is a Noninvasive and Specific Marker for Intestinal Injury in Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Authors: Wang Kewei , Tao Guozhong , Sun Zhen , Wei Jingjing , Liu Junlin , Taylor Jordan , Gibson Michelle , Mostaghimi Mirko , Good Misty , Sylvester Karl G.
Published: March 2023

Specific biomarkers of intestinal injury associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are needed to diagnose and monitor intestinal mucosal injury and recovery. This study aims to develop and test a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) protocol to detect the total keratin 8 (K8) in the stool of newborns with NEC and investigate the clinical value of fecal K8 as a marker of intestinal injury specifically associated with NEC. We collected fecal samples from five newborns with NEC and five gestational age-matched premature neonates without NEC at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and Washington University School of Medicine, respectively. Fecal K8 levels were measured using a modified ELISA protocol and Western blot, and fecal calprotectin was measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Clinical data, including gestational age, birth weight, Bell stage for NEC, feeding strategies, total white blood cell (WBC) count, and other pertinent clinical variables, were collected and analyzed. Fecal K8 levels were significantly higher in the pre-NEC group (1–2 days before diagnosis of NEC) and NEC group than those in the non-NEC group (

p
=
0.013

,

p
=
0.041

). Moreover, fecal K8 was relatively higher at the onset of NEC and declined after the resolution of the disease (

p
=
0.019

). Results with similar trends to fecal K8 were also seen in fecal calprotectin (

p
=
0.046

), but not seen in total WBC count (

p
=
0.182

). In conclusion, a modified ELISA protocol for the total K8 protein was successfully developed for the detection of fecal K8 in the clinical setting of premature newborns with NEC. Fecal K8 is noted to be significantly increased in premature newborns with NEC and may, therefore, serve as a noninvasive and specific marker for intestinal epithelial injury associated with NEC.
A Novel Goodness-of-Fit Test for Cauchy Distribution
Authors: Pekgör A.
Published: March 2023

Recently, several goodness-of-fit tests for Cauchy distribution have been introduced based on Kullback–Leibler divergence and likelihood ratio. It is claimed that these tests are more powerful than the well-known goodness-of-fit tests such as Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Anderson–Darling, and Cramér–von Mises under some cases. In this study, a novel goodness-of-fit test is proposed for the Cauchy distribution and the asymptotic null distribution of the test statistic is derived. The critical values of the proposed test are also determined through a Monte Carlo simulation for different sample sizes. The power analysis shows that the proposed test is more powerful than the current tests under certain cases.
Machine Learning Hybrid Model for the Prediction of Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Khalid Hira , Khan Ajab , Zahid Khan Muhammad , Mehmood Gulzar , Shuaib Qureshi Muhammad
Published: March 2023

To diagnose an illness in healthcare, doctors typically conduct physical exams and review the patient’s medical history, followed by diagnostic tests and procedures to determine the underlying cause of symptoms. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is currently the leading cause of death, with a rapidly increasing number of patients, resulting in 1.7 million deaths annually. While various diagnostic methods are available, this study utilizes machine learning due to its high accuracy. In this study, we have used the hybrid technique to build our proposed model. In our proposed model, we have used the Pearson correlation for feature selection. In the first step, the best models were selected on the basis of critical literature analysis. In the second step, the combination of these models is used in our proposed hybrid model. Gaussian Naïve Bayes, gradient boosting, and decision tree classifier are used as a base classifier, and the random forest classifier is used as a meta‐classifier in the proposed hybrid model. The objective of this study is to evaluate the best machine learning classification techniques and identify the best‐used machine learning classifier in terms of accuracy. This provides a solution for overfitting and achieves the highest accuracy. It also highlights some of the challenges that affect the result of better performance. In this study, we critically review the existing available machine learning classification techniques. We evaluate in terms of accuracy, and a comprehensive analytical evaluation of the related work is presented with a tabular system. In implementation, we have used the top four models and built a hybrid model using UCI chronic kidney disease dataset for prediction. Gradient boosting achieves around 99% accuracy, random forest achieves 98%, decision tree classifier achieves 96% accuracy, and our proposed hybrid model performs best getting 100% accuracy on the same dataset. Some of the main machine learning algorithms used to predict the occurrence of CKD are Naïve Bayes, decision tree, K‐nearest neighbor, random forest, support vector machine, LDA, GB, and neural network. In this study, we apply GB (gradient boosting), Gaussian Naïve Bayes, and decision tree along with random forest on the same set of features and compare the accuracy score.
Treatment of Prostate Cancer with CD46-targeted 225Ac Alpha Particle Radioimmunotherapy
Authors: Bidkar Anil P. , Wang Sinan , Bobba Kondapa Naidu , Chan Emily , Bidlingmaier Scott , Egusa Emily A. , Peter Robin , Ali Umama , Meher Niranjan , Wadhwa Anju , Dhrona Suchi , Dasari Chandrashekhar , Beckford-Vera Denis , Su Yang , Tang Ryan , Zhang Li , He Jiang , Wilson David M. , Aggarwal Rahul , VanBrocklin Henry F. , Seo Youngho , Chou Jonathan , Liu Bin , Flavell Robert R.
Published: March 2023

Purpose:

Radiopharmaceutical therapy is changing the standard of care in prostate cancer and other malignancies. We previously reported high CD46 expression in prostate cancer and developed an antibody–drug conjugate and immunoPET agent based on the YS5 antibody, which targets a tumor-selective CD46 epitope. Here, we present the preparation, preclinical efficacy, and toxicity evaluation of [225Ac]DOTA-YS5, a radioimmunotherapy agent based on the YS5 antibody.

Experimental Design:

[225Ac]DOTA-YS5 was developed, and its therapeutic efficiency was tested on cell-derived (22Rv1, DU145), and patient-derived (LTL-545, LTL484) prostate cancer xenograft models. Biodistribution studies were carried out on 22Rv1 tumor xenograft models to confirm the targeting efficacy. Toxicity analysis of the [225Ac]DOTA-YS5 was carried out on nu/nu mice to study short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) toxicity.

Results:

Biodistribution study shows that [225Ac]DOTA-YS5 agent delivers high levels of radiation to the tumor tissue (11.64% ± 1.37%ID/g, 28.58% ± 10.88%ID/g, 29.35% ± 7.76%ID/g, and 31.78% ± 5.89%ID/g at 24, 96, 168, and 408 hours, respectively), compared with the healthy organs. [225Ac]DOTA-YS5 suppressed tumor size and prolonged survival in cell line–derived and patient-derived xenograft models. Toxicity analysis revealed that the 0.5 μCi activity levels showed toxicity to the kidneys, likely due to redistribution of daughter isotope 213Bi.

Conclusions:

[225Ac]DOTA-YS5 suppressed the growth of cell-derived and patient-derived xenografts, including prostate-specific membrane antigen–positive and prostate-specific membrane antigen–deficient models. Overall, this preclinical study confirms that [225Ac]DOTA-YS5 is a highly effective treatment and suggests feasibility for clinical translation of CD46-targeted radioligand therapy in prostate cancer.
Randomized Phase II Cabazitaxel Dose Individualization and Neutropenia Prevention Trial in Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Omlin Aurelius , Cathomas Richard , von Amsberg Gunhild , Reuter Christoph , Feyerabend Susan , Loidl Wolfgang , Boegemann Martin , Lorch Anja , Heidenreich Axel , Tsaur Igor , Larcher-Senn Julian , Buck Stefan A.J. , Mathijssen Ron H.J. , Jaehde Ulrich , Gillessen Silke , Joerger Markus
Published: March 2023

Purpose:

There is ongoing controversy about the recommended dose of cabazitaxel in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Patients and Methods:

This multicenter phase II open-label, randomized, parallel-group study compared 3-weekly cabazitaxel at 25 mg/m2 (conventional arm A) with cabazitaxel therapeutic drug monitoring (experimental arm B) in mCRPC. The primary objective was to improve the clinical feasibility rate (CFR), defined as the absence of grade 4 neutropenia or thrombocytopenia, any thrombocytopenia with bleeding, febrile neutropenia, severe nonhematologic toxicity, withdrawal for cabazitaxel-related toxicity, or death. A total of 60 patients had to be randomized to detect a difference in CFR of 35% (power 80%, two-sided alpha 10%).

Results:

A total of 40 patients were randomized to arm A and 33 patients to arm B. CFR was 69.4% in arm A and 64.3% in arm B (P = 0.79). Week-12 PSA response was 38.5% in both arms. A radiological response by RECIST v.1.1 was seen in 3 (9.7%) patients in arm A versus 6 (23.1%) patients in arm B (P = 0.28), disease progression was higher in arm A compared with arm B (61.3% vs. 30.8%, P = 0.05). Median progression-free survival was longer in arm B compared with arm A (9.5 vs. 4.4 months; HR = 0.46; P = 0.005). Median overall survival was higher in arm B compared with arm A (16.2 vs. 7.3 months; HR = 0.33; P < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

Pharmacokinetic-guided dosing of cabazitaxel in patients with mCRPC is feasible and improves clinical outcome due to individual dose escalations in 55% of patients.
Role of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Diagnosis of Gynecologic Tumors
Authors: Goyal Abha
Published: March 2023

Background: The tumors involving the gynecologic tract encompass a wide range of lesions including those of epithelial, mesenchymal, sex cord-stromal, and germ cell origin. Amongst the carcinomas of tubo-ovarian origin, high-grade serous carcinoma is the most common malignancy. The primary role of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in the management of gynecologic tract malignancies is in the diagnosis of their recurrences/metastases. In patients presenting with advanced disease, the cytology specimen may be the initial or the only sampling performed before the initiation of treatment. Summary: This review will discuss the cytologic findings of various gynecologic tract neoplasms with regard to their morphologic features, differential diagnoses, and the ancillary studies that can assist in their recognition. Key Messages: FNA cytology serves as a valuable tool in the diagnosis and management of gynecologic tract malignancies. However, making an accurate diagnosis of these entities, especially on limited cytology specimens, can be challenging. Awareness regarding the morphologic spectrum of these tumors, their potential mimics, and the ancillary studies that can be employed to refine their characterization, can assist in arriving at the correct diagnosis.
Challenges of Telemedicine Implementation in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases: Insight from a Single Center during COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Aljizeeri Ahmed , Alfurayh Mohammed Abdulaziz , Alduhaimi Ghadah Saad , Alhussin Ghadah Ibrahim , Alabdulkareem Malak Emad , Sharahili Ahmed Ali , Alturaymi Mouath Ahmed , Ahmed Amjad , Alyousif Sarah Mohammed , Alali Alfaris Mousa , Alsaileek Ahmed
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Telemedicine is a desirable option for healthcare in Saudi Arabia. The challenges of telemedicine in cardiovascular care in Saudi Arabia are not known. The COVID-19 pandemic offered an unprecedented opportunity to identify real-life challenges of telemedicine in Saudi Arabia. We sought to identify the challenges of telemedicine among patients with cardiovascular diseases using the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey-based study through a self-filled questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographic data, type of cardiovascular disease, and difficulties faced by the patients during the COVID-19 lockdown. Results: 394 (60% male, mean age 51.4 ± 19.3 years) participated in the study. 30.3% had valve diseases, 26.4% had heart failure, and 24.1% had coronary artery disease. 45.6% reported difficulty with telemedicine during COVID-19 lockdown. Among those who have difficulties, almost half of the participants had difficulty with the cancellation of telemedicine appointments, and 15.5% had difficulty in getting medications. Conclusion: Cancellation of telemedicine appointments and getting the medications were cardiovascular patients’ main challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown. Telemedicine is a feasible option for the follow-up of chronic cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it should be implemented to increase the availability of specialized cardiovascular care over a wide geographical area.
Principles of Therapeutic Apheresis in Neurological Disease
Authors: Strasser Erwin
Published: March 2023

Background: Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is a well-known apheresis technology since many years and is available worldwide. Myasthenia gravis is one of the first neurological diseases successfully treated with TPE. TPE is also frequently applied in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (Guillain-Barré syndrome). Both neurological disorders are immunologically mediated and might cause life-threatening symptoms in patients. Summary: There is a large body of evidence from many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that the application of TPE in myasthenia gravis crisis or in acute Guillain-Barré syndrome is effective and safe. Thus, TPE is recommended as first-line therapy with a grade 1A recommendation during the critical course of these neurological diseases. Even chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies characterized by complement-fixing autoantibodies to myelin are successfully treated with TPE. The plasma exchange reduces inflammatory cytokines, complements activating antibodies, and leads to an improvement of neurological symptoms. TPE is no standalone treatment but often combined with immunosuppressive therapy. Recent studies (clinical trials, retrospective analysis, meta-analysis, and systematic reviews) evaluate special apheresis technology (i.e., immunoadsorption [IA], small volume plasma exchange), compare different treatments of these neuropathies, or report on the therapy of rare immune-mediated neuropathies in case reports. Key Messages: TA is a well-established treatment and is safe in acute progressive neuropathies (myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barré syndrome) with an immune etiology. TPE has been applied for decades and thus has the best evidence so far. The indication for IA depends on the availability of that technology and the evidence by RCTs in special neurological diseases. The treatment with TA should improve the clinical outcome of patients, reducing acute or chronic (chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies) neurological symptoms. The informed consent of the patient should carefully weight risks and benefits of the apheresis treatment and consider alternative therapies.
Measurement of Complement Activation via Plasma-Soluble C5b-9 Comparison with Terminal Complement Complex Staining in a Series of Kidney Biopsies
Authors: Wijaya Carolyn , Burns Christine , Hall Sharron , Farmer Melissa , Jones Denise , Rowlandson Matthew , Choi Peter , Formby Mark , de Malmanche Theo
Published: March 2023

Introduction: With the emergence of therapeutic complement inhibitors, there is a need to identify patients with complement-driven inflammation. C5b-9 is the terminal product of the three complement pathways and therefore a marker of total complement activation. We present a pilot study which aims to assess whether plasma soluble C5b-9 (sC5b-9) correlates with terminal complement complex (TCC) staining in kidney tissue. The secondary aim was to assess the utility of plasma sC5b-9 as part of routine workup in kidney patients undergoing kidney biopsy. Methods: Thirty-seven patients undergoing kidney biopsy had plasma sC5b-9 and TCC staining on kidney tissue performed. Additional blood markers including creatinine, haemoglobin, CRP, factor H, factor I, and midkine levels were also taken. These parameters were correlated with the histological diagnoses. Patients were divided into a diseased group (n = 31) and a control group (n = 6) consisting of transplanted kidneys with minor or no changes. Of the biopsies in the control group, 50% were performed as per protocol, and the other 50% were performed due to clinical need. Results: There was no correlation found between plasma sC5b-9 and TCC kidney staining. Elevated sC5b-9 levels were found in a heterogeneous group of patients but were associated with higher CRP and lower haemoglobin levels. Overall, there was more TCC kidney staining in the diseased group compared with the control group, and a trend was observed of diabetic, primary membranous nephropathy, and amyloidosis patients having more intense glomerular and peritubular/interstitial staining. Conclusion: Plasma sC5b-9 as a marker of total complement activation does not correlate with TCC kidney staining. This discordance suggests that plasma sC5b-9 and TCC staining are distinct markers of disease. TCC staining reflects chronicity and tissue deposition of complement over time. Conversely, plasma sC5b-9 concentrations change rapidly and reflect systemic complement activation. Complement activation was present in a heterogeneous group of kidney disease, indicating the underlying role of complement in many disorders.
Abstract MP35: Hair Cortisol Concentrations Are Associated With Greater Adiposity in Mid-Adolescence
Authors: Sidote Melissa N , Bornkamp Nicole , Rifas-Shiman Sheryl L , Nichols Amy R , Zhang Mingyu , Hivert Marie-France , Oken Emily
Published: March 2023

Introduction:
Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) is a biomarker of long-term stress. Higher HCC is associated with body mass index (BMI) and other adiposity measures in adults; however, this association is not well characterized in adolescents. Additionally, HCC differs by sex, but associations with adiposity by sex have not been well studied.

Hypothesis:
Higher HCC levels are associated with greater adiposity in mid-adolescence.

Methods:
Among 324 participants (49.1% female, mean 17.7 years) in Project Viva, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of HCC with measures of adiposity in mid-adolescence. We used multivariable linear regression models, overall and stratified by sex, to estimate associations of HCC (log2 transformed) with BMI, % body fat, and waist circumference (WC), adjusted for age and known predictors of adiposity, namely maternal education, smoking during pregnancy, pre-pregnancy BMI, age, and household income; and child sex-specific birthweight for gestational age z-scores, secondhand smoke exposure, age, and sex (for overall models).

Results:
Median (IQR) HCC was 2.1 pm/mg (1.0 – 4.7) and mean (SD) BMI was 23.0 kg/m
2
(3.8), % body fat was 20.1% (9.9), and WC was 80.4 cm (10.8). In adjusted models, HCC (per doubling) was associated with higher BMI (β 0.20 kg/m
2
; 95% CI 0.01, 0.39), % body fat (β 0.42%; 95% CI 0.04, 0.80), and WC (β 0.45 cm; 95% CI -0.07, 0.96) (Figure). There was no evidence of effect modification by sex (all sex by HCC interaction p-values >0.50).

Conclusions:
Higher HCC was cross-sectionally associated with greater adiposity in mid-adolescence. Associations were similar among males and females, suggesting a similar impact of long-term stress on adiposity between sexes. Adjustment for known predictors of adiposity does not alter the association of HCC and adiposity measures. Further research is needed to understand the temporal direction of this association.
Al-ʿūd, pípá, Lute: An Ancient Greek Perspective on Their Prehistory
Authors: Hagel Stefan
Published: March 2023

Starting from early Arabic sources, the absolute pitch of the Early Abbasid ʿūd is considered and related to evidence on pitch usage in Roman-period sources. Similar instruments, it is argued, must have existed already in late antiquity. Iconographic evidence takes us back to late Classical Greece, whose music would have provided especially fertile ground for designing such a lute. In contrast to the traditional tuning in fifths and fourths throughout, lutes with equidistant design had also existed for a long time, likely also on precursors of the ʿūd. The association of this style with the name of Manṣūr Zalzal must therefore be reassessed.
A new species of succulent plant discovered in limestone areas of Kyushu, Japan: Sedum kawaraense (Crassulaceae)
Authors: ITO TAKURO , KANEMITSU HIRONOBU , HOSON TAISHI , YAHARA TETSUKAZU
Published: March 2023

An unknown species of the genus Sedum was discovered in Kawara-dake and Ryu-ga-hana, limestone mountains in Kyushu, Japan. The present study aimed to clarify the taxonomic status of the unknown Sedum species through morphological and ecological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic analysis using ITS sequences based on comprehensive taxon sampling of sect. Sedum in East Asia. Morphologically and ecologically, the unknown species was most similar to S. lipingense in China, but was distinguished by having larger spatulate rosulate leaves and more flowers per flowering stem. Phylogenetically, it belonged to a clade with four Chinese endemics including S. lipingense and two other species widely distributed in East Asia. The clade showed polytomy at the base, but the unknown species was genetically differentiated from the other species. Therefore, we describe the unknown species from Kawara-dake as a new species, S. kawaraense.
The larvae of Cora inca Selys, 1873 and Polythore gigantea (Selys, 1853) from Colombia (Odonata: Polythoridae), with a larval diagnoses of some genera in the family
Authors: NOVELO-GUTIÉRREZ RODOLFO , BOTA-SIERRA CORNELIO ANDRÉS
Published: March 2023

The larvae of Cora inca Selys, 1873 and Polythore gigantea (Selys, 1853) were found in first and second order forested streams at the Tatamá Natural National Park in the Colombian Western Andes. Their final larval stadia are here described and figured. Cora inca differs from the larvae of C. cyane Selys, 1853 and C. marina Selys, 1868 by a combination of features including presence of an irregular patch of minute, gray scales to each side of the ventral midline on the ventral pad of hypopharynx, paraprocts with five projections, and the position of epiproct and paraproct projections. On the other hand, the larva of P. gigantea differs from the larva of P. spaeteri Burmeister & Börzsöny, 2003 by antennal scape slightly shorter than 3rd antennomere, prementum 0.10x longer than its widest part, and the position of epiproct and paraproct projections. Although most of the larvae in the family Polythoridae are still unknown, here we discuss the main morphological characteristics that help to diagnose some of the genera in this family, presenting a regional taxonomic key that includes the genera Cora Selys, 1853, Euthore Selys, 1859, Miocora Calvert, 1917, and Polythore Calvert, 1917.
New records and geographic distribution of Cerambycidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) in the Humid Chaco District, Argentina
Authors: VALLE NÉSTOR G. , MONNÉ MARCELA L. , DAMBORSKY MIRYAM P. , SANTOS-SILVA ANTONIO
Published: March 2023

Fourteen species are recorded for the first time for Argentina: Amethysphaerion guarani Martins & Napp, 1992 (Cerambycinae, Elaphidiini); Apyrauna annulicornis Martins, 2005 (Cerambycinae, Elaphidiini); Coleoxestia pubicornis (Gounelle, 1909) (Cerambycinae, Cerambycini); Eburodacrys truncata Fuchs, 1956 (Cerambycinae, Eburiini); Ectenessidia nigriventris (Belon, 1902) (Cerambycinae, Ectenessini); Gorybia apatheia Martins, 1976 (Cerambycinae, Piezocerini); Hemilissa sulcicollis Bates, 1870 (Cerambycinae, Piezocerini); Pronoplon rubriceps (Gounelle, 1909) (Cerambycinae, Hexoplonini); Callisema rufipes Martins & Galileo 1990 (Lamiinae, Calliini); Recchia goiana Martins & Galileo, 1985 (Lamiinae, Aerenicini); Rosalba approximata (Melzer, 1934) (Lamiinae, Apomecynini); Rosalba digna (Melzer, 1934) (Lamiinae, Apomecynini); Hypsioma steinbachi Dillon & Dillon, 1945 (Lamiinae, Onciderini); Trypanidius maculatus Monné & Delfino, 1980 (Lamiinae, Acanthocinini).
Rhinodrilus priscilae and Andiorrhinus (Amazonidrilus) caxiuana (Crassiclitellata, Rcrilidae) two new species from Caxiuanã National Forest
Authors: HERNÁNDEZ-GARCÍA LUIS MANUEL , SOUSA SANDRIEL COSTA , BECKMAN RUANA ARETHA FARIAS SANTIAGO , PEREIRA NATÁLIA JOVITA , ROUSSEAU GUILLAUME XAVIER
Published: March 2023

The amazon forest is the habitat of a high species diversity of invertebrates and unfortunately the real richness had been underestimated. Earthworms’ inventories had been poor because difficult to describe new species. This study adds new records to eastern amazon of two new species belong Rhinodrilus and Andiorrhinus genera. R. priscilae n. sp. is another rare specimen of the genre having two pair of prostatoid glands. A. (Amazonidrilus) caxiuana differ of other species in size, the intestinal origin is in XXVIII and also has only one glandular mass associated to spermatheca.
Earthworm species in different land use systems in the state of Goiás and the Federal District of Brazil
Authors: FERREIRA TALITA , NIVA CINTIA C. , DUDAS RAFAELA , ROANI RODRIGO , DURÃES NATÁLIA , MARCHÃO ROBÉLIO LEANDRO , JAMES SAMUEL WOOSTER , BARTZ MARIE L.C. , BROWN GEORGE G.
Published: March 2023

The state of Goiás and the Federal District together cover an area of about 346 thousand km2, including the diversified Cerrado vegetation, also known as the Brazilian Savanna, a biodiversity hotspot with many endangered and endemic species. Much of the Cerrado has been converted to agriculture, but little is known of its earthworms, and the impacts of land use management and agricultural practices on their density and diversity. In the present paper we review the known earthworm species in Goiás and the Federal District based on historical and museum records, and update information on their distribution and populations in different counties and land use systems with data from recent samplings. Five additional species are reported here for the first time, raising the total to 12 species currently known from Goiás, from the families Benhamiidae (1), Glossoscolecidae (1), Megascolecidae (3), Ocnerodrilidae (2) and Rhinodrilidae (5). In the Federal District, an additional 10 species are reported, bringing the total to 23 earthworm species, belonging to the families Benhamiidae (4), Eudrilidae (1), Glossoscolecidae (2), Ocnerodrilidae (1), Lumbricidae (2), Megascolecidae (1) and Rhinodrilidae (12). Native species in Goiás (6) were found in areas with lesser disturbance, such as in native forest and flooded areas/river banks, a phenomenon also observed in the Federal District. On the other hand, the exotic and peregrine species found in Goiás (6) and in the Federal District (9) dominated in disturbed sites, such as perennial crops, agroforestry, annual crops, urban areas, secondary forests, pastures and agropastoral systems, among others. Given the many new species found and the extension of Goiás and the Federal District, further effort is needed to adequately characterize the earthworm fauna of the region, from where many other species are expected.
Trends in Adolescent Firearm-Related Injury: A Time Series Analysis
Authors: Meyer Courtney H. , Noorbakhsh Soroosh , Jackson Katie , Holstein Rachel , Sola Richard , Koganti Deepika , Bliton John , Smith Alexis , Fraser Doh Kiesha , Chaudhary Sofia , Sciarretta Jason D. , Smith Randi N.
Published: March 2023

Background

Firearm-related injury (FRI) became the leading cause of death among children/adolescents in 2019.

Purpose

This study sought to determine changes over time in the population of adolescents affected by FRI in Atlanta, Georgia, such that high risk cohorts could be identified.

Research Design

City-wide retrospective cohort review.

Study Sample

Adolescent victims (age 11-21 years of age) of FRI, defined by ICD9/10 codes, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Data Analysis

Descriptive, multivariate and time series analysis.

Results

There were 1,453 adolescent FRI victims in this time period, predominantly Black (86%) and male (86.6%). Unintentional injury was higher among ages 11-14 years (43.1%) compared to 15-17 years (10.2%) and 18-21 years (9.3%) (P < .01). FRI affecting females increased at a rate of 8.1 injuries/year (P < .01), and unintentional injuries increased at by 7.6/year (P < .01). Mortality declined from 16% in 2016 to 7.7% in 2021.

Conclusion

Our data provides evidence for firearm policy reform. Interventions should target prevention of intentional injury among AQ4 females and seek to reverse the trend in unintentional injuries.
Small Bowel Obstruction Secondary to Endometriosis and Hydrosalpinx
Authors: DuBois Sean M. , Alexander Roslyn M. , Naumova Alena D. , To Jennifer Q.
Published: March 2023

We describe the case of a 32-year-old female who presented to the emergency department (ED) with a 3-day history of severe epigastric abdominal pain accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Past medical history was significant for known right hydrosalpinx and previous pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), without past surgical history. Clinical examination revealed a hemodynamically stable patient with a soft but distended abdomen, tenderness in the epigastric region, without signs of peritonitis. Bloodwork including white blood cell count, electrolytes, and lactic acid was unremarkable. Initial computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast demonstrated a small bowel obstruction (SBO) with a transition point in the right lower quadrant, accompanied by mesenteric edema and free fluid. Exploratory laparotomy was performed and revealed obstruction secondary to dense adhesions involving the terminal ileum, appendix, sigmoid colon, and right ovary. Lysis of adhesions, appendectomy, and excision of a right paratubal cyst were performed. Histopathology demonstrated endometriosis of the appendix and a benign paratubal cyst.
Drowning man catching a straw: An explanation of Turkey’s history of rapprochements with Russia
Authors: Koçak Muhammet
Published: March 2023

In the mid-2010s Turkey-Russia relations gained a strategic dimension after the two nations began to work together in Syria and took bold steps to cooperate on defence and nuclear energy. This development was commonly regarded as a major shift in Turkish foreign policy. This article argues that the context in which the Turkey-Russia nexus operates is historically rooted. Since the nineteenth century, Russia almost has been the most critical threat to Turkey; and Turkey consistently sought to moderate this threat, mostly with Western assistance. But when Turkey either failed to subdue Russia or there was no significant threat, it would opt for rapprochement with Russia. An examination of the historical background of Turkey-Russia relations helps explain these nations’ contemporary dynamics with one another.
Workers’ Perspectives on Workplace Disclosure of Serious Mental Illness and Their Employers’ Responses
Authors: White Rebecca M. B. , Baldwin Marjorie L. , Cang Xuesong
Published: March 2023

Persons with serious mental illness are often reluctant to disclose their disability to an employer because of the intense stigma associated with their illness. Yet, disclosure may be desirable to gain access to employer-provided job accommodations, or to achieve other goals. In this article, we aimed to (1) describe the contexts in which workers in regular employment disclose a mental illness to their employer and (2) describe employer responses to disclosure, as perceived by the workers themselves. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 workers, who were currently or formerly employed in a mainstream, regular job, post-onset of mental illness. Workers were asked to describe the circumstances that led to disclosure, and to describe their employers’ responses to disclosure. Conventional content analysis was applied to identify common themes in the transcribed interviews. Analyses revealed five mutually exclusive disclosure contexts: seeking job accommodations, seeking protection, seeking understanding, responding to an employer’s symptom-based inquiries, or being exposed by a third party or event. Analyses also revealed a wider range of employer responses—positive, negative, and ambiguous—than has been suggested by studies in which employers described their reactions to worker disclosure. Some themes were more prevalent among current versus former workers. Overall, the disclosure process appeared to be more complex than has been described by extant frameworks to date, and the linkages between disclosure contexts and employer response themes suggested that many workers did not receive the responses they were seeking from their employers.
Advance Care Planning With Black Women with Breast Cancer: A Community Health Worker Model
Authors: Tan Marcia M. , Villamar Dario M. , Huard Clarissa , Nicholson Lian , Medina Heidy N. , Moreno Patricia I.
Published: March 2023

Background

Despite the importance of advance care planning (ACP), a process that optimizes future medical treatment and end-of-life care, for at-risk populations, rates of patient-provider ACP conversations are extremely low among Black women with breast cancer. Community health workers (CHWs) are well-positioned to support patients in engaging in ACP conversations with their providers; yet research on integrating CHWs to promote ACP is scant. The current study examined multilevel facilitators and barriers to successful ACP conversations among Black women from the perspective of providers and CHWs who serve this community.

Methods

Providers and CHWs were recruited from an academic medical center in a large urban city. Retrospective qualitative data on barriers and facilitators to ACP conversations, as well as CHWs' training needs, were collected from two focus groups (N = 5 providers, N = 5 CHWs) and one individual interview (N = 1 provider), and transcribed and coded for themes.

Results

All providers reported working primarily with Black patients, and identified stigma and time constraints as major barriers to ACP discussions; they also identified the structural barriers and injustices that their patients face during medical care. CHWs reported having a trusted relationship with their patients and flexibility in their care that would allow for ongoing ACP conversations, discussing their ability to serve as a bridge between the patient and provider. However, CHWs discussed that they lacked the tools and skills to have ACP conversations, largely because existing formal trainings in ACP are cost prohibitive.

Discussion

Competing priorities of the provider to discuss/treat the patient’s disease and medical mistrust were major barriers to successful ACP conversations among Black women with breast cancer, leading to ACP completion occurring late in treatment. CHWs are uniquely qualified to overcome multilevel barriers to ACP and establish trusting relationships with patients in order to facilitate earlier and ongoing communication between patients and providers.
A Lagrangian approach for the railway vehicle with gear system coupled model considering wheel polygonal faults under traction conditions
Authors: Zhao Yue , Li Qiang , Yang Jianwei , Liu Changdong , Wang Jinhai
Published: March 2023

The gear transmission system is one of the essential subsystems of railway vehicles. The wheel polygonalization can affect the gear transmission system’s condition monitoring and fault diagnosis, causing fatigue failure of the gear system and influencing driving safety. Therefore, to explore the mechanism of the wheel polygonalization in the gear system, this paper develops a Lagrangian form dynamic model of a railway vehicle with a gear transmission system. The model validation uses the data from the field test. The analysis explores the influence of the wheel polygonal fault on the gear transmission system under the traction condition. The results indicate that the wheel polygonal fault has amplitude/frequency modulation effects on the time/frequency response of the gear system. Also, the wheel polygonal fault causes the envelope of the speed curve to fluctuate periodically at a low frequency under traction conditions. The waveform asymmetry is gradually apparent as the traction continues. In the non-resonant region, the statistical analysis of the rotational speed fluctuation illustrates that the order of the wheel polygonal fault has more impact on the rotational speed fluctuation than the amplitude. Besides, in the resonance region, the eigenvalues of the system determine the magnitude of the amplitude.
Effects of Poloxamer 188 Treatment on Sickle Cell Vaso-occlusive Crisis: Computer-Assisted Intravital Microscopy Study
Authors: Cheung Anthony T. W. , Chan Matthew S. , Ramanujam Sahana , Rangaswami Arun , Curl Kris , Franklin Patricia , Wun Ted
Published: March 2023

Nine patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) who were hospitalized at UC Davis Medical Center for vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) were studied as part of a randomized double-blind phase III clinical trial to investigate the real-time effects of poloxamer 188 on VOC. All patients showed significant microvascular changes from normal (steady-state) values during VOC (diminished venular diameter and red cell velocity). The patients were randomly assigned to be treated with poloxamer 188 or placebo. Poloxamer 188 ( n = 4) but not placebo ( n = 5) significantly reversed these microvascular changes ∼2 hours postinitiation of loading infusion (100 mg/kg in 1 hour). Further significant improvement induced by poloxamer 188 but not placebo was observed ≥ 7 hours postinfusion, resulting in a significant reversal of the microvascular changes to steady-state values.
Experimental and numerical study on residual stress distributions in welded H-sections of High-strength steel
Authors: Tong Lewei , Wang Jie , Xu Guowen , Niu Lichao , Yan Yang , Zhao Xiao-Ling
Published: March 2023

High-strength steel (HSS) has been increasingly applied in structural engineering, while the work on residual stress of HSS sections is still insufficient. Limited research is available for welded H-sections above 690 MPa while with a plate thickness of more than 10 mm. This paper deals with the residual stress distributions of welded H-sections with flame-cut edges, which are fabricated from HSS plates with yield strength of 690 MPa and 960 MPa and thickness of 10 mm–20 mm, using both experimental and numerical method. The experiments showed that the welded tensile residual stresses in the weld region are not significantly affected by sectional dimensions and steel grade. Verified by comparing with the experimental results, three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) models using sequentially coupled thermal-stress analysis was adopted for parametric study of compressive residual stress of welded H-sections made of 690 MPa HSS. The results showed that the compressive tensile stress is negatively correlated with plate thickness as well as width-thickness ratio. Through regression analysis, formulae were proposed for estimation of compressive residual stress in the flange and web, respectively. Finally, residual stress distribution model was developed, which was proved effective by comparing with the experimental and FE results.