bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementing strabismus-specific psychosocial questionnaires in everyday clinical practice: mental health and quality of life in the context of strabismus surgery
Authors: Ehlers Maja , Mauschitz Matthias M , Wabbels Bettina
Published: August 2023

Background

Strabismus can have a great negative impact on the quality of life and the well-being of affected patients. In the past, these aspects were often neglected and, compared with somatic functioning, placed in the background. The aim of our study is to elicit factors influencing satisfaction with strabismus surgery, quality of life and expectations of surgery in order to better predict who will benefit the most and who may need further support.

Methods

We made a selection of suitable questionnaires to assess psychosocial aspects of strabismus and decided for Adult Strabismus 20 Questionnaire, Amblyopia and Strabismus Questionnaire, Diplopia Questionnaire, Expectations of Strabismus Surgery Questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. We then translated these measures (if not available in German). The patients filled out these forms as part of their preoperative orthoptic and ophthalmological assessment as well as approximately 3 months after strabismus surgery.

Results

We enrolled 59 patients in this study. Postoperative strabismus-related quality of life was higher after surgery and anxiety and depression levels were lower. Satisfaction with surgery was lower with higher postoperative angle and diplopia; the latter was also a determinant of lower postoperative quality of life. Higher expectations of strabismus surgery were present with higher depression levels and higher preoperative strabismus angle.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that strabismus surgery may cause a significant improvement in several psychosocial domains. There is evidence that psychosocial factors can have significant impact on expectations with surgery. Hence, it is important to consider mental health aspects of this disease in order to treat patients in the best possible way.
Gravitational Larmor precession
Authors: Chakraborty Chandrachur , Majumdar Parthasarathi
Published: August 2023

Inspired by the reported existence of substantive magnetic fields in the vicinity of the central supermassive black holes in Sagittarius A* and Messier 87*, we consider test particle motion in the spacetime close to a generic spherical black hole in the presence of magnetic fields in its vicinity. Modelling such a spacetime in terms of an axisymmetric, non-rotating Ernst–Melvin–Schwarzschild black hole geometry with appropriate parameters, we compute the geodesic nodal-plane precession frequency for a test particle with mass, for such a spacetime, and obtain a non-vanishing result, surpassing earlier folklore that only axisymmetric spacetimes with rotation (non-vanishing Kerr parameter) can generate such a precession. We call this magnetic field-generated phenomenon Gravitational Larmor Precession. What we present here is a Proof of Concept incipient assay, rather than a detailed analysis of supermassive black holes with magnetic fields in their neighbourhood. However, for completeness, we briefly discuss observational prospects of this precession in terms of available magnetic field strengths close to central black holes in galaxies.
Experiential Observations: An Ontology Pattern-Based Study on Capturing the Potential Content within Evidences of Experiences
Authors: Antonini Alessio , Adamou Alessandro , Suárez-Figueroa Mari Carmen , Benatti Francesca
Published: August 2023

Modelling the knowledge behind human experiences is a complex process: it should take into account, among others, the activities performed, human observations and the documentation of the evidence. To represent this knowledge in a declarative way means to support data interoperability in the context of cultural heritage artefacts, as linked datasets on experience documentation have started to appear. With this objective in mind, we describe a study based on an ontology design pattern for modelling experiences through observations, which are considered indirect evidence of a mental process (i.e., the experience). This pattern highlights the structural differences between types of experiential documentation, such as diaries and social media, providing a guideline for the comparability between different domains and for supporting the construction of heterogeneous datasets based on an epistemic compatibility. We have performed not only a formal evaluation over the pattern but also an assessment through a series of case studies. This approach includes (a) the analysis of interoperability among two case studies (reading through social media and historical sources); (b) the development of an ontology for collecting evidences of reading, which reuses the proposed pattern; and (c) the inspection of experience in humanities datasets.
ReSG: A Data Structure for Verification of Majority-based In-memory Computing on ReRAM Crossbars
Authors: Bhunia Kousik , Deb Arighna , Datta Kamalika , Hassan Muhammad , Shirinzadeh Saeideh , Drechsler Rolf
Published: August 2023

Recent advancements in the fabrication of
Resistive Random Access Memory
(ReRAM) devices have led to the development of large-scale crossbar structures. In-memory computing architectures relying on ReRAM crossbars aim to mitigate the processor-memory bottleneck that exists with current complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology. With this motivation, several synthesis and mapping approaches focusing on the realizations of Boolean functions in the ReRAM crossbars have been proposed earlier. Thus far, the verification of the designs realized on ReRAM crossbars is done either through manual inspection or using simulation-based approaches. Since manual inspections and simulation-based approaches are limited to smaller designs, they cannot be applied to the verification of complex designs on large-scale ReRAM crossbars.

Motivated by this, we propose, for the first time, an automatic equivalence checking flow that determines the equivalence between the original function specification (e.g.,
Majority-inverter Graph
) and the crossbar micro-operations file formats. We consider two crossbar structures,
zero-transistor, one-memristor (0T1R)
and
one-transistor, one-memristor (1T1R)
to implement the micro-operations. While the micro-operations file format exists for 0T1R crossbar structures, no representations for micro-operations to be executed in 1T1R crossbars exist yet. In this work, we introduce the micro-operation file format for 1T1R crossbar structures to efficiently represent the micro-operations as ReRAM crossbar netlists. Afterwards, we introduce two intermediate data structures,
ReRAM Sequence Graph
for 0T1R crossbars 
(ReSG-0T1R)
and for 1T1R crossbars 
(ReSG-1T1R)
, that are derived from the 0T1R and 1T1R crossbar micro-operations file formats, respectively. These ReSGs are then translated into
Boolean Satisfiability
(SAT) formula, and then the verification is done by checking the generated SAT formulae against the golden functional specification (represented in Verilog) using
Z3 Satisfiability
solver. Experimental evaluations confirm the effectiveness of the proposed verification methodology on MCNC and ISCAS benchmarks.
A High Throughput Aqueous Passivation Testing Methodology for Compositionally Complex Alloys Using a Scanning Droplet Cell
Authors: Sur Debashish , Joress Howie , Hattrick-Simpers Jason , Scully John R.
Published: August 2023

Compositionally complex alloys containing four or more principal elements provide an opportunity to explore a wide range of compositions, processing, and microstructural variables to find new materials with unique properties. In particular, the discovery of novel alloys that form self-healing, protective passivating films is of substantial interest. Probing experimentally a robust landscape of such alloys requires the utilization of high-throughput electrochemical methods to uncover key differences, ideally captured by discriminating metrics, indicative of superior properties. Herein, a methodology is demonstrated using a scanning droplet cell for a rapid passivation behavior evaluation of Al0.7-x-yCoxCryFe0.15Ni0.15 combinatorial alloy library in 0.1 mol l−1 H2SO4(aq).
Electrodeposited Ni−Co−P Triple-Layered Structure as A Robust and Durable Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Chen Kangli , Li Yuan , Wu Guanjiu , Wang Qing , Fan Chenfeng , Zhang Lu , Song Jianzheng , Han Shumin
Published: August 2023

Designing Earth-abundant, cost-effective catalysts for hydrogen evolution via water splitting is essential for hydrogen generation. Adding a third metal element to binary phosphides provides the opportunity to tune their morphology, crystalline and electronic structures and thus their electrocatalytic properties. In this study, a hierarchical crystalline/amorphous Ni−Co−P compound is prepared on nickel foam (NF) with different nickel to cobalt ratio by one-step electrodepositing technique. The Ni−Co−P/NF is composed of metallic Co and amorphous phosphides. It has hierarchical morphology, consisting of ∼800 nm spherical particles in the bottom layer, ∼1.5 μm spherical particles in the middle layer, and staggered network structure on the top layer. The Ni−Co−P/NF electrode exhibits superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalytic activity in the alkaline solution, which requires only 72 mV for delivering 10 mA cm−2. More importantly, the Ni−Co−P/NF catalyst sustains the current density of 20 mAcm−2 for 53 h with negligible degradation in overpotential which shows remarkable electrochemical stability.
Hemotympanum as a Complication of a Valsalva Maneuver during Childbirth
Authors: Teitelbaum Tali , Shochat Isaac , Grinblat Golda , Taha Mohamad , Braverman Itzhak
Published: August 2023

Background. Hemotympanum may occur due to otic barotrauma secondary to Valsalva maneuver during the second phase of labor. A pressure differential across the tympanic membrane (TM) of about five psi can cause rupture. The increased intrathoracic and intraabdominal pressure spikes repeatedly manifested by “pushing” during second-stage labor easily approach (and may exceed) this level. Clinical Presentation. This case report describes a healthy thirty-seven-year-old multipara patient admitted for the 40-weeks’ gestational age routine follow-up that proceeded to active labor followed by an aural fullness and bloody otorrhea. Otoscopic examination with a light microscope confirmed the hemotympanum of the right tympanic membrane. Conclusion. Forceful Valsalva can cause hemotympanum. Investigating the benefits and disadvantages of the pushing methods could help reduce such complications in the future. A prompt evaluation of an otolaryngologist should be requested in the event of a new postpartum hearing disturbance or bloody otorrhea.
Effect of Inhomogeneous Mechanical Properties on the Stress-Strain Field at the Crack Tip and Crack Growth Direction in Dissimilar Metal Welded Joints
Authors: Wang Shuang , Zhang Hongkui , Ju Zhe , Li Bing , Chen Fandong , Han Fei
Published: August 2023

In the failure analysis and safety assessment of dissimilar metal welded joints, the mechanical heterogeneity of local regions is usually ignored and limited sampling locations are selected. The mechanical behavior of the crack tip region is the main variables affecting the environmentally assisted cracking behavior, and it is crucial for understanding the impact of mechanical heterogeneity on the local stress-strain state at the crack tip in welded joints. In this study, the effect of mechanical heterogeneity on the local mechanical behavior at the crack tip and on the stress-strain condition at the crack tip front for different crack sizes was investigated through finite-element simulations based on user-defined material subroutines. The local mechanical behavior of an interface region and crack propagation direction with mechanical heterogeneity and a series of initial crack locations were analyzed. The results show that mechanical heterogeneity has a significant effect on the mechanical condition and growth path of cracks at different sampling locations. The interaction between the mechanical heterogeneity around the crack and the crack depth determines the stress and plastic strain in front of the crack tip, which causes a substantial change in the crack growth path. The interface cracks have high stress and plastic strain; thus, the interface is often the weak position where damage occurs. To guarantee a reliable integrity assessment of cracks in mechanically heterogeneous interface regions, local mechanical properties related to crack locations should be determined and utilized.
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Disease Trajectory in Youth with T1D: An EHR-Based Cohort Study from the RECOVER Program
Authors: Prahalad Priya , Lorman Vitaly , Wu Qiong , Razzaghi Hanieh , Chen Yong , Pajor Nathan , Case Abigail , Bose-Brill Seuli , Block Jason , Patel Payal B. , Rao Suchitra , Mejias Asuncion , Forrest Christopher B. , Bailey L. Charles , Jhaveri Ravi , Thacker Deepika , Christakis Dimitri A. , Lee Grace M. , Consortium on behalf of the RECOVER
Published: August 2023

Background. Postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) is associated with worsening diabetes trajectory. It is unknown whether PASC in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) manifests as worsening diabetes trajectory. Objective. To explore the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) and T1D-related healthcare utilization (for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or severe hypoglycemia (SH)) or hemoglobin (Hb) A1c trajectory. Methods: We included children <21 years with T1D and ≥1 HbA1c prior to cohort entry, which was defined as COVID-19 (positive diagnostic test or diagnosis code for COVID-19, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or PASC) or a randomly selected negative test for those who were negative throughout the study period (Broad Cohort). A subset with ≥1 HbA1c value from 28 to 275 days after cohort entry (Narrow Cohort) was included in the trajectory analysis. Propensity score-based matched cohort design followed by weighted Cox regression was used to evaluate the association of COVID-19 with healthcare utilization ≥28 days after cohort entry. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to measure change in HbA1c in the Narrow Cohort. Results. From March 01, 2020 to June 22, 2022, 2,404 and 1,221 youth met entry criteria for the Broad and Narrow Cohorts, respectively. The hazard ratio for utilization was (HR 1.45 (95% CI: 0.97, 2.16)). In the Narrow Cohort, the rate of change (slope) of HbA1c increased 91–180 days after cohort entry for those with COVID-19 (0.138 vs. −0.002,

p
=
0.172

). Beyond 180 days, greater declines in HbA1c were observed in the positive cohort (−0.104 vs. 0.008 per month,

p
=
0.024

). Conclusion. While a trend toward worse outcomes following COVID-19 in T1D patients was observed, these findings were not statistically significant. Continued clinical monitoring of youth with T1D following COVID-19 is warranted.
Physicochemical Characterization and Evaluation of Ficus vasta Gum as a Binder in Tablet Formulation
Authors: Yayehrad Ashagrachew Tewabe , Marew Tesfa , Matsabisa Motlalepula , Wondie Gebremariam Birhanu
Published: August 2023

Binders are ingredients used in tablet granulation process for tablet cohesiveness which confirms that the tablet remains intact after compression. Natural gums have been employed as disintegrants, emulsifying agents, suspending agents, and binders in tablets. Even though Ficus vasta gum is claimed as a possible pharmaceutical excipient by some phytochemical studies, literature is scanty on its efficacy as a tablet binder. The purpose of this study was to isolate, characterize, and comparatively evaluate Ficus vasta gum as a potential binder in tablet formulation. Gum was extracted from Ficus vasta tree, characterized for physicochemical properties, and applied as a binder in paracetamol granule and tablet formulation. Granules were prepared using 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% w/w concentration of the gum and standard binders (polyvinylpyrrolidone K‐30 and Starch@1500) by wet granulation. The formulated tablets were then evaluated for tablet quality parameters, and comparison between the test and standard binders was done by ANOVA. The dried crude gum yielded 50.63% (w/w) of a brownish yellow purified gum. The angle of repose, Carr’s index, and the Hausner ratio all complied with the pharmacopoeial recommendations. The gum is compatible with the model drug, paracetamol. The paracetamol granules prepared with Ficus gum binder demonstrated an optimum size range and size distribution with substantial flow and compressibility properties. Ficus gum binder demonstrated significantly higher disintegration time and strength properties than that of similar concentrations of Starch@1500 but lower than polyvinylpyrrolidone (p < 0.05). Ficus gum has better binding properties than starch but lower than polyvinylpyrrolidone. Hence, Ficus vasta gum can be used as an alternative tablet binder in tablet manufacturing.
Modified Finite Time Sliding Mode Controller for Automatic Voltage Regulation under Fast‐Changing Atmospheric Conditions in Grid‐Connected Solar Energy Systems
Authors: Majid Gulzar Muhammad , Tehreem Huma , Khalid Muhammad
Published: August 2023

The lack of control in voltage overshoots, transient response, and steady‐state error are common issues that frequently occur in a grid‐connected photovoltaic (PV) system which can degrade the battery storage and negatively impact other grid components. It may result in damage to equipment and reduce the efficiency of the overall power system. To improve the efficiency of the overall power system, an artificial intelligence (AI) optimization technique is used to determine the optimal sliding mode controller (SMC) gain. The present work proposes the accomplishment of a control strategy for designing a finite‐time sliding mode maximum power point controller for a grid‐connected photovoltaic (PV) system under fast‐changing atmospheric conditions. A particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) is used to determine the optimal sliding mode controller (SMC) gains used in perturb and observe (P & O) algorithms. Two modes of operation are available: offline mode for testing different sets of SMC gains leading to optimum values, and online mode for driving the variable step of the P & O MPPT using the SMC optimum gains. The Simscape‐power system toolbox (Version 2020A) has been used successfully to study the effectiveness of MPPT. An evaluation of the proposed MPPT compared to the fixed‐step P & O is presented. The proposed AI algorithm performs significantly better under fast‐changing atmospheric conditions, particularly in transient, steady‐state, and dynamic responses. In addition to tuning SMC parameters using PSO, our main contribution is improving the performance of the proposed algorithm to effectively track the maximum power point (MPP) at low oscillation, low ripple, low overshoot, and good rapidity in both slow and fast‐changing atmospheric conditions. A three‐phase grid‐connected PV system with an inverter is described in the present work. The proposed strategy is centered around optimizing the controller of a three‐phase grid‐connected inverter system in order to improve the power quality.
Effects of Salinity on Fertilization, Hatching, and Larval Performance of Longfin Smelt Spirinchus thaleichthys
Authors: Rahman Md. Moshiur , Lewis Levi S. , Fangue Nann A. , Connon Richard E. , Hung Tien-Chieh
Published: August 2023

Understanding the spawning and rearing habitats of fishes is critical to effective fisheries management and conservation. Longfin smelt Spirinchus thaleichthys is an imperiled migratory fish that is believed to spawn and rear in habitats of varying salinities; however, optimal conditions for each stage remain unknown. Here, we examined the effects of variation in salinity on egg fertilization, hatch success, and larval growth and survival. Eggs that were fertilized in freshwater (0.4 ppt) exhibited a significantly higher fertilization rate (81%) than those fertilized in brackish water (62% at 5 ppt), with no detectible effects of fish origin or female size. In contrast to fertilization rates, once the eggs were fertilized, their hatching rates were not affected by the fertilization salinity, incubation salinity, nor their interaction; however, hatching success and larval survival both increased with increasing maternal body mass. Larval growth rate appeared to be independent of salinity and maternal size. Taken together, the results indicate that fertilization is possible at a range of salinities, but optimal at lower salinities for longfin smelt; however, embryos and larvae can perform well across a range of salinities. Furthermore, results indicated that larger mothers produced high-quality offspring, a finding that supports the “bigger is better” paradigm in fisheries science and management. These results likely explain, in part, the spawning and rearing behaviors of wild longfin smelt and suggest that the conservation culture program would likely be optimized by utilizing freshwater fertilization and larger females as broodstock.
Data from Heterogeneity of Circulating Tumor Cell–Associated Genomic Gains in Breast Cancer and Its Association with the Host Immune Response
Authors: Kanwar Nisha , Balde Zaldy , Nair Ranju , Dawe Melanie , Chen Shiyi , Maganti Manjula , Atenafu Eshetu G. , Manolescu Sabrina , Wei Carrie , Mao Amanda , Fu Fred , Wang Dan , Cheung Alison , Yerofeyeva Yulia , Peters Rachel , Liu Kela , Desmedt Christine , Sotiriou Christos , Szekely Borbala , Kulka Janina , McKee Trevor D. , Hirano Naoto , Bartlett John M.S. , Yaffe Martin J. , Bedard Philippe L. , McCready David , Done Susan J.
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Tumor cells that preferentially enter circulation include the precursors of metastatic cancer. Previously, we characterized circulating tumor cells (CTC) from patients with breast cancer and identified a signature of genomic regions with recurrent copy-number gains. Through FISH, we now show that these CTC-associated regions are detected within the matched untreated primary tumors of these patients (21% to 69%, median 55.5%, n = 19). Furthermore, they are more prevalent in the metastases of patients who died from breast cancer after multiple rounds of treatment (70% to 100%, median 93%, samples n = 41). Diversity indices revealed that higher spatial heterogeneity for these regions within primary tumors is associated with increased dissemination and metastasis. An identified subclone with multiple regions gained (MRG clone) was enriched in a posttreatment primary breast carcinoma as well as multiple metastatic tumors and local breast recurrences obtained at autopsy, indicative of a distinct early subclone with the capability to resist multiple lines of treatment and eventually cause death. In addition, multiplex immunofluorescence revealed that tumor heterogeneity is significantly associated with the degree of infiltration of B lymphocytes in triple-negative breast cancer, a subtype with a large immune component. Collectively, these data reveal the functional potential of genetic subclones that comprise heterogeneous primary breast carcinomas and are selected for in CTCs and posttreatment breast cancer metastases. In addition, they uncover a relationship between tumor heterogeneity and host immune response in the tumor microenvironment.
Significance:
As breast cancers progress, they become more heterogeneous for multiple regions amplified in circulating tumor cells, and intratumoral spatial heterogeneity is associated with the immune landscape.
Data from Racial and ethnic variation in diagnostic mammography performance among women reporting a breast lump
Authors: Nyante Sarah J. , Abraham Linn , Aiello Bowles Erin J. , Lee Christoph I. , Kerlikowske Karla , Miglioretti Diana L. , Sprague Brian L. , Henderson Louise M.
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background: We evaluated diagnostic mammography among women with a breast lump to determine whether performance varied across racial and ethnic groups.

Methods: This study included 51,014 diagnostic mammograms performed between 2005-2018 in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium among Asian/Pacific Islander (12%), Black (7%), Hispanic/Latina (6%), and White (75%) women reporting a lump. Breast cancers occurring within one year were ascertained from cancer registry linkages. Multivariable regression was used to adjust performance statistic comparisons for breast cancer risk factors, mammogram modality, demographics, additional imaging, and imaging facility.

Results: Cancer detection rates were highest among Asian/Pacific Islander (per 1000 exams, 84.2 [95%CI 72.0-98.2]) and Black women (81.4 95%CI 69.4-95.2]) and lowest among Hispanic/Latina women (42.9 [95%CI 34.2-53.6]). Positive predictive values (PPV) were higher among Black (37.0% [95%CI 31.2%-43.3%]) and White (37.0% [95%CI 30.0%-44.6%]) women and lowest among Hispanic/Latina women (22.0% [95%CI 17.2%-27.7%]). False-positive results were most common among Asian/Pacific Islander women (per 1000 exams, 183.9 [95%CI 126.7-259.2]) and lowest among White women (112.4 [95%CI 86.1-145.5]). After adjustment, false-positive and cancer detection rates remained higher for Asian/Pacific Islander and Black women (vs. Hispanic/Latina and White). Adjusted PPV was highest among Asian/Pacific Islander women.

Conclusions: Among women with a lump, Asian/Pacific Islander and Black women were more likely to have cancer detected and more likely to receive a false-positive result compared with White and Hispanic/Latina women.

Impact: Strategies for optimizing diagnostic mammography among women with a lump may vary by racial/ethnic group, but additional factors that influence performance differences need to be identified.
Association of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: The Multiethnic Cohort
Authors: Maskarinec Gertraud , Brown Sayaka M. , Lee Jordyn , Bogumil David , Walsh Catherine , Haiman Christopher A. , Setiawan Veronica Wendy , Shvetsov Yurii B. , Le Marchand Loïc
Published: August 2023

Background:

Given the role of the immune system in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) etiology, obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) may impact NHL development. We examined the association of body mass index (BMI) and T2D with NHL in the multiethnic cohort (MEC).

Methods:

The MEC recruited >215,000 participants in Hawaii and Los Angeles from five racial/ethnic groups; NHL cases were identified through cancer registry linkages. T2D status, and BMI at age 21 and cohort entry were derived from repeated self-reports; for T2D, Medicare claims were also applied. HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for BMI and T2D as predictors of NHL were determined using Cox regression adjusted for relevant covariates.

Results:

Among 192,424 participants, 3,472 (1.8%) with NHL and 68,850 (36%) with T2D after 19.2 ± 6.6 years follow-up, no significant association between T2D and NHL (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.96–1.13) was observed. Stratification by BMI at cohort entry showed a significant association of T2D with NHL among individuals with normal weight only (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.03–1.37). In a model with both BMI values plus T2D, only overweight (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01–1.26) and obesity (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.99–1.59) at age 21 were associated with NHL incidence. Stratification by sex, race/ethnicity, and NHL subtype indicated no differences.

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest an association between T2D and NHL incidence in several subgroups but not in the total population and an elevated risk related to early-life BMI.

Impact:

Excess body weight in early life, rather than T2D, may be a predictor of NHL incidence.
Data from A Novel Role of Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen in Telomere Stability in Prostate Cancer Cells
Authors: Reddy Vidyavathi , Hwang Clara , Reddy G. Prem-Veer , Kim Sahn-Ho
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression increases with prostate cancer (PCa) grade and progression; however, the role of PSMA in PCa progression remains poorly understood. Telomere stability is essential for the survival and genome stability of cancer cells. We found massive telomere DNA damage in PSMA-negative PCa cells (PC-3 and DU145) compared to PSMA-positive PCa (LNCaP) cells. The ectopic expression of PSMA suppressed telomere DNA damage in PC3 cells. PSMA inhibitor, 2-PMPA, and PSMA knockdown induced telomere DNA damage in PSMA-positive LNCaP cells but not in PSMA-negative PC-3 cells, suggesting that PSMA plays a critical role in telomere stability in PCa cells. In addition, we observed that inhibition of PSMA or inhibition of glutamate receptor, which mediates PSMA-dependent activation of AKT, suppressed AKT phosphorylation and caused telomere DNA damage. Furthermore, 2-PMPA-induced telomere DNA damage in LNCaP cells was associated with telomere aberrations, such as telomere-telomere fusions, sister-chromatid telomere fusions, and telomere breakages. AKT is reported to promote cell growth by stabilizing telomere association with telomere-binding proteins TRF1 and TPP1. We observed that TRF1 and TPP1 transfection of LNCaP cells attenuated the inhibitory effect of 2-PMPA on cell growth and telomere DNA damage. Together, these observations indicate that PSMA role in maintaining telomere stability in PCa cells is mediated by AKT. Thus, these studies reveal an important role of PSMA in maintaining telomere stability that can promote cell survival and, thereby, PCa progression.
Implications: the role of PSMA in telomere stability suggests a strong correlation between PSMA expression and prostate cancer progression.
Data from Dynamic Glycoprotein Hyposialylation Promotes Chemotherapy Evasion and Metastatic Seeding of Quiescent Circulating Tumor Cell Clusters in Breast Cancer
Authors: Dashzeveg Nurmaa K. , Jia Yuzhi , Zhang Youbin , Gerratana Lorenzo , Patel Priyam , Shajahan Asif , Dandar Tsogbadrakh , Ramos Erika K. , Almubarak Hannah F. , Adorno-Cruz Valery , Taftaf Rokana , Schuster Emma J. , Scholten David , Sokolowski Michael T. , Reduzzi Carolina , El-Shennawy Lamiaa , Hoffmann Andrew D. , Manai Maroua , Zhang Qiang , D'Amico Paolo , Azadi Parastoo , Colley Karen J. , Platanias Leonidas C. , Shah Ami N. , Gradishar William J. , Cristofanilli Massimo , Muller William A. , Cobb Brian A. , Liu Huiping
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Most circulating tumor cells (CTC) are detected as single cells, whereas a small proportion of CTCs in multicellular clusters with stemness properties possess 20- to 100-times higher metastatic propensity than the single cells. Here we report that CTC dynamics in both singles and clusters in response to therapies predict overall survival for breast cancer. Chemotherapy-evasive CTC clusters are relatively quiescent with a specific loss of ST6GAL1-catalyzed α2,6-sialylation in glycoproteins. Dynamic hyposialylation in CTCs or deficiency of ST6GAL1 promotes cluster formation for metastatic seeding and enables cellular quiescence to evade paclitaxel treatment in breast cancer. Glycoproteomic analysis reveals newly identified protein substrates of ST6GAL1, such as adhesion or stemness markers PODXL, ICAM1, ECE1, ALCAM1, CD97, and CD44, contributing to CTC clustering (aggregation) and metastatic seeding. As a proof of concept, neutralizing antibodies against one newly identified contributor, PODXL, inhibit CTC cluster formation and lung metastasis associated with paclitaxel treatment for triple-negative breast cancer.
Significance:
This study discovers that dynamic loss of terminal sialylation in glycoproteins of CTC clusters contributes to the fate of cellular dormancy, advantageous evasion to chemotherapy, and enhanced metastatic seeding. It identifies PODXL as a glycoprotein substrate of ST6GAL1 and a candidate target to counter chemoevasion-associated metastasis of quiescent tumor cells.
Clinical Validation of Novel Digital Measures: Statistical Methods for Reliability Evaluation
Authors: Ratitch Bohdana , Trigg Andrew , Majumder Madhurima , Vlajnic Vanja , Rethemeier Nicole , Nkulikiyinka Richard
Published: August 2023

Background: Assessment of reliability is one of the key components of the validation process designed to demonstrate that a novel clinical measure assessed by a digital health technology tool is fit-for-purpose in clinical research, care, and decision-making. Reliability assessment contributes to characterization of the signal-to-noise ratio and measurement error and is the first indicator of potential usefulness of the proposed clinical measure. Summary: Methodologies for reliability analyses are scattered across literature on validation of PROs, wet biomarkers, etc., yet are equally useful for digital clinical measures. We review a general modeling framework and statistical metrics typically used for reliability assessments as part of the clinical validation. We also present methods for the assessment of agreement and measurement error, alongside modified approaches for categorical measures. We illustrate the discussed techniques using physical activity data from a wearable device with an accelerometer sensor collected in clinical trial participants. Key Messages: This paper provides statisticians and data scientists, involved in development and validation of novel digital clinical measures, an overview of the statistical methodologies and analytical tools for reliability assessment.
Circulating MicroRNAs as Biomarker for Vessel-Associated Retinal Diseases
Authors: Dähmcke Merlin , Busch Martin , Pfeil Johanna M. , Brauckmann Tara , Schulz Daniel , Omran Wael , Morawiec-Kisiel Ewa , Wähler Fabienne , Paul Sebastian , Tayar Allam , Bründer Marie-Christine , Grundel Bastian , Stahl Andreas
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Vessel-associated retinal diseases are a major cause of blindness and severe visual impairment. The identification of appropriate biomarkers is of great importance to better anticipate disease progression and establish more targeted treatment options. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, single-stranded, noncoding ribonucleic acids that are involved in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression through hybridization with messenger RNA. The expression of certain miRNAs can be different in patients with pathological processes and can be used for the detection and differentiation of various diseases. In this study, we investigate to what extent previously in vitro identified miRNAs are present as cell-free circulating miRNAs in the serum and vitreous of human patients with and without vessel-associated retinal diseases. Methods: Relative quantification by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze miRNA expression in patients with vessel-associated retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and retinal vein occlusion compared with control patients. Results: In serum samples, miR-29a-3p and miR-192-5p showed increased expression in patients with neovascular AMD relative to control patients. Similarly, miR-335-5p, miR-192-5p, and miR-194-5p showed increased expression in serum from patients with proliferative DR. In vitreous samples, miR-100-5p was decreased in patients with proliferative DR. Differentially expressed miRNAs showed good diagnostic accuracy in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the ROC curve analysis. Conclusion: The miRNAs investigated in this study may have the potential to serve as biomarkers for vessel-associated retinal diseases. Combining multiple miRNAs may enhance the predictive power of the analysis.
Faith in Science: Religion and Climate Change Attitudes in the Middle East
Authors: Mazaheri Nimah
Published: August 2023

The Middle East is facing many challenges because of climate change: extreme heat, recurring droughts, water salinization, and more. Yet little is known about how people in the region perceive the threat of climate change or about the factors associated with perceiving it as more or less of a threat. This study utilizes the Arab Barometer surveys and examines how religion influences climate change perceptions among 13,700 people across twelve countries. Contrary to arguments in the literature, Muslims tend to be less concerned about climate change compared to Christians. Yet all Middle Easterners with a strong sense of religiosity are more concerned about climate change relative to their counterparts. Political attitudes also matter. Religious Muslims who endorse Islamist government are less concerned than secular Muslims, suggesting a “culture war” on the issue. These findings show that religion exerts a nuanced and unexpected influence on how people evaluate the climate change crisis.
Directed Acyclic Transformer Pre-training for High-quality Non-autoregressive Text Generation
Authors: Huang Fei , Ke Pei , Huang Minlie
Published: August 2023

Non-AutoRegressive (NAR) text generation models have drawn much attention because of their significantly faster decoding speed and good generation quality in machine translation. However, in a wider range of text generation tasks, existing NAR models lack proper pre-training, making them still far behind the pre-trained autoregressive models. In this paper, we propose Pre-trained Directed Acyclic Transformer (PreDAT) and a novel pre-training task to promote prediction consistency in NAR generation. Experiments on five text generation tasks show that our PreDAT remarkably outperforms existing pre-trained NAR models (+4.2 score on average) and even achieves better results than pre-trained autoregressive baselines in n-gram-based metrics, along with 17 times speedup in throughput. Further analysis shows that PreDAT benefits from the unbiased prediction order that alleviates the error accumulation problem in autoregressive generation, which provides new insights into the advantages of NAR generation.1
Τὸ κενὸν τοῦ πολέμου (Th. 3.30.4) and Its Uses in Greek and Latin Texts
Authors: Tsakmakis Antonis
Published: August 2023

The analysis of Thucydides 3.30.4 (from the speech of Teutiaplos), which contains the obscure phrase τὸ κενὸν τοῦ πολέμου, as well as of all occurrences of the same phrase in Greek and Latin texts confirms the reading κενόν against the vv.ll. καινόν and κοινόν, and helps establishing the meaning of the proverbial expression πολλὰ (τὰ) κενὰ τοῦ πολέμου. It does not refer to a mental state (illusion etc.), as has been generally assumed, but to a particular situation that can emerge in warfare. The ‘void of war’ means that one side is in a way neutralized. One of the two opponents is either unable or unwilling to fight, or is clearly inferior, to the degree that it withdraws or surrenders without a battle. The investigation of the proverb’s semantics also leads to a better understanding of the Thucydidean use and improves the understanding of Teutiaplos’ speech (Th. 3.30).
Cooperation and Competition
Authors: Gwande Victor Muchineripi , Mlombo Abraham
Published: August 2023

This paper discusses relations between South Africa and Southern Rhodesia from 1939 to 1948. The article begins in 1939 when the outbreak of the Second World War brought mixed fortunes for the two neighbours. For Southern Rhodesia, which relied mainly on imported manufactured goods from the United Kingdom, the war induced shortages resulting in huge domestic demand. Shortages stimulated calls for local industry to fill the vacuum. Consequently, an import substitution industrialisation (ISI) drive developed. In addition to the ISI, South Africa, which had a comparatively established secondary industry by the time the war broke out, increasingly became an essential source for Southern Rhodesian imports. This, however, was not without its challenges. Southern Rhodesia’s economic interest groups often raised complaints against South Africa’s economic competition and its threat to the Rhodesian economy. Nonetheless, Pretoria and Salisbury worked closely and found ways to ease the challenges. By 1948, the end date of the paper, Southern Rhodesia and South Africa’s relationship had resulted in the signing of a Customs Union Agreement. Thus, the article demonstrates, thematically and chronologically, that relations between the two countries evolved through cooperation and competition during the Second World War until the onset of Apartheid in South Africa and the Customs Agreement. The paper relies on primary material from the Zimbabwean and South African archives comprised of correspondences of Customs Agreements negotiations, economic policies and relations, and Parliamentary debates.
The Second World War Memorial in Zambia
Authors: Tembo Alfred
Published: August 2023

Following the cessation of hostilities in Europe in 1945, a debate ensued in colonial Zambia on what was the best tribute to dedicate to its servicemen who had lost their lives in the Second World War. On the one hand, the colonial government advocated for conventional forms of a war memorial such as statues, obelisks, and triumphal arches. On the other side, African servicemen supported the idea of ‘living memorials’ in form of useful projects such as educational institutions, clinics or community centres. In the end, proponents of traditional memorials won this contest—eventually leading to the erection of a cenotaph in the heart of the seat of government. Using data from the National Archives of Zambia, this article argues that the erection of a cenotaph, was another blow to African servicemen who felt cheated by colonial authorities in the way they were to forever honour their dear departed compatriots.
Introduction
Authors: Häkkinen Henry , Petrovan Silviu O. , Taylor Nigel G. , Sutherland William J. , Pettorelli Nathalie
Published: August 2023

This introduction outlines the content, the language, and the structure of the present volume, a widely referenced guidance for anyone who wishes to quantitatively assess climate change threats to seabirds in the North-East Atlantic. The book has a bipartite structure for each seabird species examined – auks, ducks and phalaropes, gannets and cormorants, gulls, loons/divers and grebes, petrels and shearwaters, skuas, and terns. The first section reviews the vulnerability of each seabird species and their habitats to climate change. The second section lists and estimates the effectiveness of local preventive actions to limit the impacts of climate change through specific criteria. Complementary appendixes contain additional information on sources, references and the methodology used by the contributors to this volume.
Improving Polarimetric Radar-Based Drop Size Distribution Retrieval and Rain Estimation Using a Deep Neural Network
Authors: Ho Junho , Zhang Guifu , Bukovcic Petar , Parsons David B. , Xu Feng , Gao Jidong , Carlin Jacob T. , Snyder Jeffrey C.
Published: August 2023

Raindrop size distributions (DSD) and rain rate have been estimated from polarimetric radar data using different approaches with the accuracy depending on the errors both in the radar measurements and the estimation methods. Herein, a deep neural network (DNN) technique was utilized to improve the estimation of the DSD and rain rate by mitigating these errors. The performance of this approach was evaluated using measurements from a two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) at the Kessler Atmospheric and Ecological Field Station in Oklahoma as ground truth with the results compared against conventional estimation methods for the period 2006–17. Physical parameters (mass-/volume-weighted diameter and liquid water content), rain rate, and polarimetric radar variables (including radar reflectivity and differential reflectivity) were obtained from the DSD data. Three methods—physics-based inversion, empirical formula, and DNN—were applied to two different temporal domains (instantaneous and rain-event average) with three diverse error assumptions (fitting, measurement, and model errors). The DSD retrievals and rain estimates from 18 cases were evaluated by calculating the bias and root-mean-squared error (RMSE). DNN produced the best performance for most cases, with up to a 5% reduction in RMSE when model errors existed. DSD and rain estimated from a nearby polarimetric radar using the empirical and DNN methods were well correlated with the disdrometer observations; the rain-rate estimate bias of the DNN was significantly reduced (3.3% in DNN vs 50.1% in empirical). These results suggest that DNN has advantages over the physics-based and empirical methods in retrieving rain microphysics from radar observations.
England versus Sicily in Pirandello's “The black baby goat”
Authors: Poggioli-Kaftan Giordana
Published: August 2023

Con il racconto “Il capretto nero,” Pirandello vuole resistere e sfatare l'articolazione di un discorso razziale, descrittivo e prescrittivo, che si era venuto ad articolare in Europa durante la modernità. Alternando commenti umoristici a quelli ironici, Pirandello mette in risalto la sua diffidenza verso il trionfo del razionalismo e del realismo che la modernità aveva imposto in Europa e che aveva sciaguratamente generato il darwinismo sociale e l’eugenetica. Da una condanna del razionalismo, Pirandello passa ad una critica nazional-politica che verte sulla mancata creazione di una vera unità d’Italia.
CREB3L2 Regulates Hemidesmosome Formation during Epithelial Sealing
Authors: Li Y. , Zhang J. , Cai W. , Wang C. , Yu Z. , Jiang Z. , Lai K. , Wang Y. , Yang G.
Published: August 2023

The long-term success rate of dental implants can be improved by establishing a favorable biological sealing with a high-quality epithelial attachment. The application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) holds promise for facilitating the soft tissue integration around implants, but the molecular mechanism is still unclear and the general application of MSC sheet for soft tissue integration is also relatively unexplored. We found that gingival tissue–derived MSC (GMSC) sheet treatment significantly promoted the expression of hemidesmosome (HD)–related genes and proteins in gingival epithelial cells (GECs). The formation of HDs played a key role in strengthening peri-implant epithelium (PIE) sealing. Further, high-throughput transcriptome sequencing showed that GMSC sheet significantly upregulated the PI3K/AKT pathway, confirming that cell adhesion and HD expression in GECs were regulated by GMSC sheet. We observed that the expression of transcription factor CREB3L2 in GECs was downregulated. After treatment with PI3K pathway inhibitor LY294002, CREB3L2 messenger RNA and protein expression levels were upregulated. Further experiments showed that overexpression or knockdown of CREB3L2 could significantly inhibit or promote HD-related genes and proteins, respectively. We confirmed that CREB3L2 was a transcription factor downstream of the PI3K/AKT pathway and participated in the formation of HDs regulated by GMSC sheet. Finally, through the establishment of early implant placement model in rats, we clarified the molecular function of CREB3L2 in PIE sealing as a mechanical transmission molecule in GECs. The application of GMSC sheet–implant complex could enhance the formation of HDs at the implant–PIE interface and decrease the penetration distance of horseradish peroxidase between the implant and PIE. Meanwhile, GMSC sheet reduced the length of CREB3L2 protein expression on PIE. These findings elucidate the potential function and molecular mechanism of MSC sheet regulating the epithelial sealing around implants, providing new insights and ideas for the application of stem cell therapy in regenerative medicine.
Christ the Physician: A Theological Framework for Healing in Catholic Health Care
Authors: Thomas Columba
Published: August 2023

The metaphor of Christ the physician features prominently in the gospels and the preaching of the Church Fathers, emphasizing that Jesus’ work of healing extends beyond bodily ills to spiritual healing as well. Given that the end of medicine is “health,” which involves wholeness of body and soul, Christ is uniquely able to accomplish this in us—beginning with grace in our souls in this life, and culminating in the resurrection of the body and restoration of body and soul in glory at the end of time. Drawing on the thought of the Church Fathers and Thomas Aquinas, this paper considers how Catholic health care is distinctly positioned to continue Christ's work of bodily and spiritual healing through medical and sacramental approaches—as we await our perfect and ultimate healing upon Christ's return in glory.