bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An interview with Luis Raúl Pericchi
Authors: Rodríguez Abel , Sansó Bruno
Published: March 2023

Luis Raúl Pericchi Guerra was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on 11 March 1952. He completed a B.S. in Mathematics in 1975 at the Universidad Simón Bolívar in Caracas, an M.S. in Statistics at the University of California Berkeley in 1978 and a Ph.D. in Statistics at Imperial College London in 1981. After graduating from Imperial College, Luis Raúl went back to Universidad Simón Bolívar. There, he played a key role in the developing of graduate programmes in Statistics and single handedly built an internationally recognised group focused on Bayesian statistics. In 2001, he moved to the Universidad de Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras to become the Chair of the Mathematics Department. At Universidad de Puerto Rico, he was instrumental in the establishment of a Ph.D. track in Computational Mathematics and Statistics. Luis Raúl has published over 120 papers in statistical and domain‐specific journals, making significant contributions to several areas of Bayesian statistics (especially in the areas of model selection and Bayesian robustness) and their application (especially in hydrology). He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, the International Society for Bayesian Analysis, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and an Elected Member of the International Statistical Institute. This conversation took place over multiple sessions during the 2022 O'Bayes meeting in Santa Cruz, California, and the months that followed.
Contraceptive decision‐making through the lens of social determinants of health among female sex workers: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Zemlak Jessica L. , Alexander Kamila A. , Wilson Deborah , Sherman Susan G.
Published: March 2023

Aims

The aim of the study was to examine how female sex worker's motivations, desires, intentions and behaviours towards childbearing and childbearing avoidance inform their contraceptive decision‐making. We explored the influence of social determinants of health in the domains of social context (sexual partners and experiences of violence), healthcare access, economic instability on the contraceptive decision‐making process.

Design

We conducted a qualitative descriptive study informed by Miller's Theory of Childbearing Motivations, Desires and Intentions through the lens of social determinants of health.

Methods

Participants were recruited from a parent study, EMERALD, in July–September, 2020. Data were collected from 22 female sex workers ages 18–49 using semi‐structured 45 to 60‐min audio‐recorded interviews and transcribed verbatim. Theory guided the development of the study's interview guide and thematic analytic strategy.

Results

Five themes emerged related to contraceptive decision‐making: Motivations (value of fatherhood), Desires (relationships with love), Intentions and Behaviours (drugs overpower everything, contraceptive strategies and having children means being a protector). Women's contraceptive decision‐making often included intentions to use contraception. However, social determinants such relationships with clients and intimate partners, interpersonal violence and challenges accessing traditional health care offering contraceptive services often interfered with these intentions and influenced contraceptive behaviours.

Conclusion

Women's contraceptive decision‐making process included well‐informed desires related to childbearing and contraceptive use. However, social determinants across domains of health interfered with autonomous contraceptive decision‐making. More effort is needed to examine the influence of social determinants on the reproductive health of this population.

Impact

Findings from this study build on existing research that examines social determinants impacting reproductive health among female sex workers. Existing theoretical frameworks may not fully capture the influence constrained reproductive autonomy has on contraceptive decision‐making. Future studies examining interpersonal and structural barriers to contraception are warranted.

Patient or Public Contribution

The parent study, EMERALD, collaborated with community service providers in the study intervention.
Platforms and the transformation of the content industries
Authors: Aguiar Luis , Reimers Imke , Waldfogel Joel
Published: March 2023

This paper discusses how digitization and the associated emergence of distribution platforms have affected product discovery, as well as new opportunities, in the content industries. First, we describe the traditional ways in which content creators reached consumers, as well as how platforms have transformed the product discovery process. Second, we present the promise and challenges of the information aggregation role that platforms perform, with discussions of both the positive effects of platform‐collected product ratings, as well as the prevalence and implications of misleading information. Third, we describe the promise and challenges arising from platform curation and product recommendations, with a focus on the measurements of platform power as well as possible biases in platform product recommendations. Finally, we discuss how platforms may affect which sorts of products are produced in the first place.
Novel apparatus for monitoring simultaneously color and °Brix of selected fruit juices through RGB image analysis
Authors: Ortiz Ronald Wbeimar Pacheco , de Oliveira Alline V. B. , Venancio Fabricio , Cardoso Giuseppe Sampaio Almeida , Gonçalves Vinicius Ottonio O. , Cajaiba João , Kartnaller Vinicius
Published: March 2023

This work introduces a novel apparatus for monitoring both color and °Brix of selected fruit juices. These parameters are essential for quality and processing control at concentration and dilution operations. The proposed apparatus performs the red, green, and blue (RGB) image analysis of the fruit juice as it flows through a transparent cell equipped with a webcam and a light source. The viewing cell is inside a box for controlling temperature and for ensuring homogeneous lighting. This apparatus not only measures the RGB color space of the fruit juice online but also allows relating it to the °Brix. The relationship between RGB and °Brix was obtained by measuring the RGB color space of various fruit juice samples, of which the °Brix were previously determined using a digital refractometer. RGB image analysis showed an excellent relationship with °Brix (R2 > 0.99, using an exponential fit), allowing for monitoring reliably this parameter during continuous fruit juice concentration and dilution experiments. These results show the potential of this novel apparatus to substitute conventional instruments such as colorimeters and refractometers for online process monitoring. Furthermore, it has the advantage of not requiring sampling, which reduces measurement errors and saves time.

Practical applications

This work introduces a novel apparatus based on RGB image analysis for monitoring simultaneously the color and the °Brix of fruit juices. These parameters are important to control the production and quality of fruit juices, especially at concentration and dilution operations. The apparatus proposed here is a viewing cell where the RGB color space is quantified using the software RGBview® as the fruit juice flows through it. The °Brix are determined from the RGB color space using a suitable fit obtained from a previous calibration with juice samples with known °Brix. This is an alternative to conventional analytical instruments such as colorimeters and refractometers but with the advantage of performing an online measurement. This configuration allows for the reduction of analytical errors associated with sampling and saves time. Moreover, this apparatus has the potential to monitor other physicochemical properties related to the color of fruit juices.
Lack of structural brain alterations associated with insomnia: findings from the ENIGMA‐Sleep Working Group
Authors: Weihs Antoine , Frenzel Stefan , Bi Hanwen , Schiel Julian E. , Afshani Mortaza , Bülow Robin , Ewert Ralf , Fietze Ingo , Hoffstaedter Felix , Jahanshad Neda , Khazaie Habibolah , Riemann Dieter , Rostampour Masoumeh , Stubbe Beate , Thomopoulos Sophia I. , Thompson Paul M. , Valk Sofie L. , Völzke Henry , Zarei Mojtaba , Eickhoff Simon B. , Grabe Hans J. , Patil Kaustubh R. , Spiegelhalder Kai , Tahmasian Masoud ,   for the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta‐Analysis (ENIGMA)‐Sleep Working Group
Published: March 2023

Existing neuroimaging studies have reported divergent structural alterations in insomnia disorder (ID). In the present study, we performed a large‐scale coordinated meta‐analysis by pooling structural brain measures from 1085 subjects (mean [SD] age 50.5 [13.9] years, 50.2% female, 17.4% with insomnia) across three international Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta‐Analysis (ENIGMA)‐Sleep cohorts. Two sites recruited patients with ID/controls: Freiburg (University of Freiburg Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany) 42/43 and KUMS (Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran) 42/49, while the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP‐Trend, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany) recruited population‐based individuals with/without insomnia symptoms 75/662. The influence of insomnia on magnetic resonance imaging‐based brain morphometry using an insomnia brain score was then assessed. Within each cohort, we used an ordinary least‐squares linear regression to investigate the link between the individual regional cortical and subcortical volumes and the presence of insomnia symptoms. Then, we performed a fixed‐effects meta‐analysis across cohorts based on the first‐level results. For the insomnia brain score, weighted logistic ridge regression was performed on one sample (Freiburg), which separated patients with ID from controls to train a model based on the segmentation measurements. Afterward, the insomnia brain scores were validated using the other two samples. The model was used to predict the log‐odds of the subjects with insomnia given individual insomnia‐related brain atrophy. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, we did not detect any significant associations between insomnia symptoms and cortical or subcortical volumes, nor could we identify a global insomnia‐related brain atrophy pattern. Thus, we observed inconsistent brain morphology differences between individuals with and without insomnia across three independent cohorts. Further large‐scale cross‐sectional/longitudinal studies using both structural and functional neuroimaging are warranted to decipher the neurobiology of insomnia.
Distinct routes to parallel adaptation in a mountain plant
Authors: Battlay Paul
Published: March 2023

It is a common observation that distinct lineages adapt to similar environments through similar “parallel” changes in phenotype. Less clear is whether parallel phenotypic change evolves through genetic variation in the same or distinct genes. This question of redundancy—the number of genetic answers to the same evolutionary problem—is an important yet poorly understood feature of adaptive traits, and is a major hurdle in our transition from understanding evolutionary responses to predicting them. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Szukala et al. (2023) examine the redundancy of local adaptation in montane and alpine ecotypes that has occurred in the flowering plant Heliosperma pusillum. By comparing gene expression in each of four montane or alpine‐adapted H. pusillum population pairs, the authors observe distinct genetic responses underlying each case of parallel local adaptation.
Moderation in all things, except when it comes to workplace safety: Accidents are most likely to occur under moderately hazardous work conditions
Authors: Beck James W. , Nishioka Midori , Scholer Abigail A. , Beus Jeremy M.
Published: March 2023

In this article, we argue that the relationship between workplace hazardousness and accidents is best characterized as an inverted‐U, such that accidents are most likely to occur within moderately hazardous environments. Specifically, whereas highly hazardous work environments are strong situations in which there is a clear need for a high degree of safety behavior, the amount of safety behavior needed to minimize accidents within moderately hazardous environments is more ambiguous. Drawing on self‐regulatory theories of work motivation, we argue that most individuals tend to exhibit a proportional response to hazardousness, such that moderately hazardous environments are met with a moderate degree of safety behavior. However, we demonstrate that proportional responses to hazardousness will ultimately yield an inverted‐U relationship between hazardousness and accidents. Instead, a sharp, non‐linear increase in safety behavior is needed to keep accidents at a low and constant level as hazardousness increases. We present four studies to test our hypotheses. Studies 1 and 2 used archival data to test our hypothesis of an inverted‐U relationship between hazardousness and accidents in natural work settings. Studies 3 and 4 were experiments which replicated this finding, and more importantly, demonstrated that the inverted‐U relationship between hazardousness and accidents was driven by a failure to sharply increase safety behavior in response to small increases in hazardousness. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these results for the safety literature, particularly the need to educate workers regarding the pattern of safety behavior needed to fully offset environmental hazardousness.
Complete classification of local conservation laws for generalized Cahn–Hilliard–Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation
Authors: Holba Pavel
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we consider nonlinear multidimensional Cahn–Hilliard and Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equations that have many important applications in physics and chemistry, and a certain natural generalization of these two equations to which we refer to as the generalized Cahn–Hilliard–Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation. For an arbitrary number of spatial independent variables, we present a complete list of cases when the latter equation admits nontrivial local conservation laws of any order, and for each of those cases, we give an explicit form of all the local conservation laws of all orders modulo trivial ones admitted by the equation under study. In particular, we show that the original Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation admits no nontrivial local conservation laws, and find all nontrivial local conservation laws for the Cahn–Hilliard equation.
Equity in maternal healthcare utilisation in Ghana: Do community‐based primary health care programmes matter?
Authors: Kanmiki Edmund W. , Mamun Abdullah A. , Phillips James F. , O'Flaherty Martin J.
Published: March 2023

Objective

Improving equity in the use of maternal health services in rural and remote communities is critical to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals targets on maternal and child health. This study examines the effect of a community‐based primary healthcare strengthening programme on improving the utilisation of antenatal care (ANC4+), skilled delivery and health facility delivery.

Methods

Baseline and endline survey data of women of reproductive age for intervention and comparison districts were used to examine the equity impact of the Ghana Essential Health Interventions Programme (GEHIP) on antenatal care visits, skilled delivery and health facility delivery. The Wagstaff extension of the concentration index and regression models are used to assess equity effects of the programme on the utilisation of these services by wealth index and educational attainment.

Results

Coverage rates increased for both intervention and comparison districts, but were generally higher in intervention districts than comparison districts at endline (90% vs. 88% for ANC4+, 88% vs. 84% for skilled delivery and 93% vs. 88% for health facility delivery). Only ANC4+ showed a statistically significant positive treatment effect of the intervention (Dif‐in‐Dif = 0.071, p‐value = 0.010). Equity analysis showed a mixed picture with intervention districts achieving significant equity improvement for skilled delivery for both wealth index and maternal education but only education equity for health facility delivery, while comparison districts achieved both wealth and education equity improvements for two indicators (health facility delivery and skilled delivery). No significant equity/inequity effects were found for ANC4+.

Conclusion

Efforts to improve community‐based healthcare access have been associated with improved coverage of maternal health services; however, the effect on improving equity in service coverage is mixed. Results indicate a need to extend community‐based primary health care development beyond general improvements in access to ensure equity in the coverage of maternal and child health services that such programmes provide.
No‐till with Stylosanthes guianensis cover crop affects weed community and improves weed management in upland rainfed rice in Madagascar
Authors: Rafenomanjato Antsa , Ripoche Aude , Marnotte Pascal , Letourmy Philippe , Autfray Patrice , Randriamampianina Jean Augustin , Bàrberi Paulo , Moonen Anna Camilla
Published: March 2023

In Madagascar, upland rainfed rice is traditionally grown on tilled soil without transplanting. Weed infestation by annual species is a serious issue in such a system. Stylosanthes guianensis, a legume cover crop, can be grown with rice as a living mulch but its effect on the weed community and rice yield was not yet well studied. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in Mid‐West Madagascar from 2016 to 2018. A no‐till system with stylosanthes (NT) managed as a living mulch was compared to the conventional tilled (CT) system. Two fertilisation regimes were included: organic manure (F1) and organic manure combined with mineral fertiliser (F2). Weed floristic surveys were performed, and weed harmfulness evaluated by comparing weedy and weed‐free plots. The living mulch harmfulness was evaluated using weed‐stylosanthes‐free plots. Results showed that NT suppressed dominant grass weeds Digitaria spp. and Eleusine indica leading to a decrease in total weed biomass. Rice yield was significantly higher in NT than in CT; in weed‐free condition, it was 2.4 versus 2 t ha−1 in NT and CT, respectively, and 1.5 versus 0.6 t ha−1 in NT and CT, respectively, in weedy condition. The living mulch reduced rice yield by 14% but it remained significantly higher in NT than in CT. The addition of mineral fertiliser to the organic manure had a positive effect on rice yield but only in weed‐free conditions. This study showed that a no‐till system with a living mulch can help to control the most competitive weeds without undermining rice production.
Faunistic and taxonomic contribution to the knowledge of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Croatia, with description of a new species of Ceratoppia from a cave
Authors: Ermilov Sergey G. , Subías Luis S. , Shtanchaeva Umukusum Ya. , Friedrich Stefan
Published: March 2023

This study is based on oribatid mite material collected from Čampari cave on Cres Island, Croatia; 28 species/subspecies from 21 genera and 16 families are registered; of these, 12 species/subspecies are recorded in the Croatian fauna for the first time. One new species, Ceratoppia cavernalis sp. nov. is described, and an identification key to the known species of Ceratoppia from the Palaearctic region is provided.
Biology and life table of Tetranychus neocaledonicus André (1933) (Acari: Tetranychidae) in different hosts
Authors: Briozo Marcus Eugênio Oliveira , Silva Joesley Frazão , Ferraz José Cláudio Barros , Silva Paulo Roberto Ramalho , Melo José Wagner da Silva , França Solange Maria de
Published: March 2023

Tetranychus neocaledonicus colonizes both cultivated and spontaneous plants. Species such as Phaseolus lunatus, Vigna unguiculata, Abelmoschus esculentus, and Glycine max are listed as hosts to T. neocaledonicus. However, very little is known about the bioecological aspects of this host-T. neocaledonicus interaction. The present study aims to determine the biological aspects (development and survival of immature individuals, reproduction, and fertility life table parameters) of T. neocaledonicus in P. lunatus, V. unguiculata, A. esculentus, and G. max. Individuals of T. neocaledonicus multiplied in laboratory were used on plants of P. lunatus to establish the experiments. To evaluate biological and reproductive parameters, three daily assessments were performed during the immature stages and one assessment during the adult stage. The mean developmental time from egg to adult was recorded. The highest mean was observed in V. unguiculata (13.57 days). Tetranychus neocaledonicus showed the highest fecundity in V. unguiculata, G. max and P. lunatus: 93.75, 93.38, and 79.10 eggs/female and longevity of 43.78, 33.42, and 47.26 days, respectively. Survival rate was above 50% until the 50th day in P. lunatus, 65th day in G. max and V. unguiculata, and 40th day in A. esculentus. The hosts G. max and V. unguiculata provided the highest net reproduction rates (R0) for T. neocaledonicus. The intrinsic rate of increase rm was lower when mites parasitized V. unguiculata and A. esculentus. This also happened for the finite rate of increase (λ). Host plants affect the performance and the biological, population, and reproductive parameters of T. neocaledonicus. Glycine max is the most favorable host for the development and reproduction of T. neocaledonicus.
Motivations for Crowdinvesting in European Football Clubs
Authors: Kościółek Szczepan
Published: March 2023

Considering the inconsistency in the literature on crowdinvestment motivations and the uniqueness of football club investors, the purpose of this study is to identify the motivation to invest in football clubs through equity crowdfunding. Following Churchill’s scale development procedure, it is found that those who crowdinvest in football clubs are fans who highly identify with these teams. The fans’ motivations include supporting the cause of the campaign, acquiring the status of a football club owner, and gaining rewards. These findings show the dominance of intrinsic motivations among crowdinvestors of European football clubs, providing evidence for compensatory activities assumed in self-determination theory, which is the theoretical framework for this research. Moreover, we devise a motivation scale that can be adopted in future research on equity crowdfunding for football clubs. For sports managers, the results offer practical recommendations for marketing communication and relationship marketing of equity crowdfunding campaigns by football clubs.
Photonic Dirac cavities with spatially varying mass term
Authors: Chen Kai , Komissarenko Filipp , Smirnova Daria , Vakulenko Anton , Kiriushechkina Svetlana , Volkovskaya Irina , Guddala Sriram , Menon Vinod , Alù Andrea , Khanikaev Alexander B.
Published: March 2023

In recent years, photonics has proven itself as an excellent platform for emulation of relativistic phenomena. Here, we show an example of relativistic-like trapping in photonic system that realizes Dirac-like dispersion with spatially inhomogeneous mass term. The modes trapped by such cavities, their energy levels, and corresponding orbitals are then characterized through optical imaging in real and momentum space. The fabricated cavities host a hierarchy of photonic modes with distinct radiation profiles directly analogous to various atomic orbitals endowed with unique characteristics, such as pseudo-particle-hall symmetry and spin degeneracy, and they carry topological charge which gives rise to radiative profiles with angular momentum. We demonstrate that these modes can be directionally excited by pseudo-spin–polarized boundary states. In addition to the fundamental interest in the structure of these pseudo-relativistic orbitals, the proposed system offers a route for designing new types of nanophotonic devices, spin-full resonators and topological light sources compatible with integrated photonics platforms.
Energy landscapes of Aβ monomers are sculpted in accordance with Ostwald’s rule of stages
Authors: Chakraborty Debayan , Straub John E. , Thirumalai D.
Published: March 2023

The transition from a disordered to an assembly-competent monomeric state (N*) in amyloidogenic sequences is a crucial event in the aggregation cascade. Using a well-calibrated model for intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), we show that the N* states, which bear considerable resemblance to the polymorphic fibril structures found in experiments, not only appear as excitations in the free energy landscapes of Aβ40 and Aβ42, but also initiate the aggregation cascade. For Aβ42, the transitions to the different N* states are in accord with Ostwald’s rule of stages, with the least stable structures forming ahead of thermodynamically favored ones. The Aβ40 and Aβ42 monomer landscapes exhibit different extents of local frustration, which we show have profound implications in dictating subsequent self-assembly. Using kinetic transition networks, we illustrate that the most favored dimerization routes proceed via N* states. We argue that Ostwald’s rule also holds for the aggregation of fused in sarcoma and polyglutamine proteins.
Functional neurological restoration of amputated peripheral nerve using biohybrid regenerative bioelectronics
Authors: Rochford Amy E. , Carnicer-Lombarte Alejandro , Kawan Malak , Jin Amy , Hilton Sam , Curto Vincenzo F. , Rutz Alexandra L. , Moreau Thomas , Kotter Mark R. N. , Malliaras George G. , Barone Damiano G.
Published: March 2023

The development of neural interfaces with superior biocompatibility and improved tissue integration is vital for treating and restoring neurological functions in the nervous system. A critical factor is to increase the resolution for mapping neuronal inputs onto implants. For this purpose, we have developed a new category of neural interface comprising induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)–derived myocytes as biological targets for peripheral nerve inputs that are grafted onto a flexible electrode arrays. We show long-term survival and functional integration of a biohybrid device carrying human iPSC-derived cells with the forearm nerve bundle of freely moving rats, following 4 weeks of implantation. By improving the tissue-electronics interface with an intermediate cell layer, we have demonstrated enhanced resolution and electrical recording in vivo as a first step toward restorative therapies using regenerative bioelectronics.
Evidence for One-Dimensional Charge Transport in La
2−

x

−

y

Nd

y

Sr

x

CuO
4
Authors: Noda Takuya , Eisaki Hiroshi , Uchida Shin-ichi
Published: March 2023

Doping dependences of the resistivity and the Hall coefficient are presented for neodymium-doped lanthanum strontium cuprate (La
1.4−

x

Nd
0.6
Sr

x

CuO
4
) in the static spin-charge stripe ordered phase. For doping concentration
x
≤ 1/8, a rapid decrease in the magnitude of the Hall coefficient at low temperatures provides evidence for one-dimensional charge transport, whereas for
x
> 1/8, the Hall coefficient remains relatively large in the ordered phase. The results indicate a crossover from one- to two-dimensional charge transport taking place at
x
= 1/8.
STrack: A Tool to Simply Track Bacterial Cells in Microscopy Time-Lapse Images
Authors: Todorov Helena , Miguel Trabajo Tania , van der Meer Jan Roelof
Published: March 2023

Automated image analysis of growing prokaryotic cell populations becomes indispensable with larger data sets, such as derived by time-lapse microscopy. The tracking of the same individual cells and their daughter lineages is cumbersome and prone to errors in image alignment or poor resolution.
Conditional Forest Models Built Using Metagenomic Data Accurately Predicted Salmonella Contamination in Northeastern Streams
Authors: Chung Taejung , Yan Runan , Weller Daniel L. , Kovac Jasna
Published: March 2023

Understanding the associations between surface water microbiome composition and the presence of foodborne pathogens, such as
Salmonella
, can facilitate the identification of novel indicators of
Salmonella
contamination. This study assessed the utility of microbiome data and three machine learning algorithms for predicting
Salmonella
contamination of Northeastern streams.
Identification and Characterization of OXA-232-Producing Sequence Type 231 Multidrug Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Causing Bloodstream Infections in China
Authors: Chen Tao , Xu Hongyun , Chen Yunbo , Ji Jinru , Ying Chaoqun , Liu Zhiying , Xu Hao , Zhou Kai , Xiao Yonghong , Shen Ping
Published: March 2023

OXA-232 carbapenemase, being a vital resistance mechanism against carbapenems, has recently been increasingly reported. In China, the identified OXA-232-producing
K. pneumoniae
isolates almost belonged to ST15 and were not hypervirulent, despite harboring a virulence plasmid.
Network Analysis Reveals the Molecular Bases of Statin Pleiotropy That Vary with Genetic Background
Authors: del Rio Hernandez Cintya E. , Campbell Lani J. , Atkinson Paul H. , Munkacsi Andrew B.
Published: March 2023

Atorvastatin is a highly successful drug prescribed to lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease in millions of people. Though much of its effect comes from inhibiting a key enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, genes in this pathway interact with genes in other pathways, resulting in 15% of patients suffering painful muscular side effects and 50% having inadequate responses.
A Unique m6A-Dependent Restriction Endonuclease from an Archaeal Virus
Authors: Lu Xueling , Huang Fengtao , Cheng Rui , Zhu Bin
Published: March 2023

Many modification-dependent restriction endonucleases (MDREs) were identified in prokaryotes and recognized modified cytosine bases, such as 5-methylcytosine (5mC), 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), and glucosyl-5-hydroxymethylcytosine (g5hmC). The first virus-derived MDRE (HHPV4I) from the archaeal virus HHPV4 was identified in this study.
Ancestral SARS-CoV-2-Driven Antibody Repertoire Diversity in an Unvaccinated Individual Correlates with Expanded Neutralization Breadth
Authors: Deshpande Suprit , Ansari Mohammed Yousuf , Sutar Jyoti , Das Payel , Hingankar Nitin , Mukherjee Sohini , Jayal Priyanka , Singh Savita , Anantharaj Anbalagan , Singh Janmejay , Chattopadhyay Souvick , Raghavan Sreevatsan , Gosain Mudita , Chauhan Supriya , Shrivas Shweta , Prasad Chaman , Chauhan Sangeeta , Sharma Neha , Jana Pradipta , Thiruvengadam Ramachandran , Kshetrapal Pallavi , Wadhwa Nitya , Das Bhabatosh , Batra Gaurav , Medigeshi Guruprasad , Sok Devin , Bhatnagar Shinjini , Garg Pramod Kumar , Bhattacharya Jayanta
Published: March 2023

Development of robust neutralizing antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 convalescent individuals is known; however, it varies at the population level. We isolated monoclonal antibodies from an individual infected with ancestral SARS-CoV-2 in early 2020 that not only varied in their B cell lineage origin but also varied in their capability and potency to neutralize all the known variants of concern (VOCs) and currently circulating Omicron variants.
Efficacy of Zidovudine-Amikacin Combination Therapy
In Vitro
and in a Rat Tissue Cage Infection Model against Amikacin-Resistant, Multidrug-Resistant
Enterobacteriales
Authors: Gong Wei-Tao , Zhao Xiao-Jie , Wang Gao-Ming , Ma Xiao-Lin , Huang Jian-An
Published: March 2023

Our study revealed for the first time that the zidovudine-amikacin combination shows a significant bactericidal effect against amikacin-resistant MDR, XDR, and PDR
Enterobacteriales
. Second, using
in vitro
and
in vivo
approaches, our study showed that zidovudine strongly synergized with amikacin against amikacin-resistant MDR
Enterobacteriales
isolates.
Disagreement among experts about public health decision making: is it polarisation and does it matter?
Authors: Williams Jane H , Hooker Claire , Gilbert Gwendolyn L , Hor Suyin , Degeling Chris
Published: March 2023

It is common for aspects of the COVID-19 response—and other public health initiatives before it—to be described as polarised. Public health decisions emerge from an interplay of facts, norms and preferred courses of action. What counts as ‘evidence’ is diverse and contestable, and disagreements over how it should be interpreted are often the product of differing choices between competing values. We propose a definition of polarisation for the context of public health expertise that acknowledges and accounts for epistemic and social values as part of evidence generation and its application to public health practice. The ‘polarised’ label should be used judiciously because the descriptor risks generating or exacerbating the problem by oversimplifying complex issues and positions and creating groups that seem dichotomous. ‘Independence’ as a one-size-fits-all answer to expert polarisation is insufficient; this solution is premised on a scientistic account of the role of evidence in decision making and does not make room for the value difference that is at the heart of both polarisation and evidence-based decision making.
Simulation of long-term impact of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy on patients with severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Nguyen Quan Dong , Moshfeghi Andrew A , Lim Jennifer I , Ponomareva Ekaterina , Chauhan Ankita , Rao Rohini , Sherman Steven
Published: March 2023

Objective

A simulation model was constructed to assess long-term outcomes of proactively treating severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy versus delaying treatment until PDR develops.

Methods and analysis

Simulated patients were generated using a retrospective real-world cohort of treatment-naive patients identified in an electronic medical records database (IBM Explorys) between 2011 and 2017. Impact of anti-VEGF treatment was derived from clinical trial data for intravitreal aflibercept (PANORAMA) and ranibizumab (RISE/RIDE), averaged by weighted US market share. Real-world risk of PDR progression was modelled using Cox multivariable regression. The Monte Carlo simulation model examined rates of progression to PDR and sustained blindness (visual acuity <20/200) for 2 million patients scaled to US NPDR disease prevalence. Simulated progression rates from severe NPDR to PDR over 5 years and blindness rates over 10 years were compared for delayed versus early-treatment patients.

Results

Real-world data from 77 454 patients with mild-to-severe NPDR simulated 2 million NPDR patients, of which 86 680 had severe NPDR. Early treatment of severe NPDR with anti-VEGF therapy led to a 51.7% relative risk reduction in PDR events over 5 years (15 704 early vs 32 488 delayed), with a 19.4% absolute risk reduction (18.1% vs 37.5%). Sustained blindness rates at 10 years were 4.4% for delayed and 1.9% for early treatment of severe NPDR.

Conclusion

The model suggests treating severe NPDR early with anti-VEGF therapy, rather than delaying treatment until PDR develops, could significantly reduce PDR incidence over 5 years and sustained blindness over 10 years.
When context creates uncertainty: experiences of patients who choose rehabilitation as a treatment after an ACL injury
Authors: Piussi Ramana , Simonson Rebecca , Kjellander Moa , Jacobsson Alice , Ivarsson Andreas , Karlsson Jon , Samuelsson Kristian , Hamrin Senorski Eric
Published: March 2023

Up to 50% of patients who suffer an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury receive or opt for rehabilitation alone as initial treatment in Scandinavia. Knowledge of whether patients treated with rehabilitation alone after ACL injury are satisfied is lacking. This study aimed to explore the experiences of patients treated with rehabilitation alone after an ACL injury. Fourteen patients (35.9 (19–56) years old) who suffered an ACL injury treated with rehabilitation alone, a mean of 32 months before inclusion, were interviewed. The interview transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The experiences of patients treated with rehabilitation after an ACL injury were summarised in one theme: ‘Is the grass greener on the other side? Context characterised by uncertainty’, supported by three main categories and nine subcategories. Uncertainty permeated the context of all levels of knee-related life following ACL injury: (1) in the past, patients felt uncertainty regarding treatment choices, (2) in the present, patients felt uncertainty regarding their physical capacity and knee self-efficacy, and (3) for the future, patients felt uncertainty regarding what might happen. With few exceptions, patients’ experiences after an ACL injury treated with rehabilitation alone are characterised by uncertainty regarding their physical function, psychological impairments and possible future limitation of knee function. Uncertainty is experienced by patients in the past, the present and the future. Patients experience the knee as a symptomatic obstacle and need to adapt the physical activity to the presence of symptoms.
Pre-existing TGF-β-specific T-cell immunity in patients with pancreatic cancer predicts survival after checkpoint inhibitors combined with radiotherapy
Authors: Mortensen Rasmus Erik Johansson , Holmström Morten Orebo , Lisle Thomas Landkildehus , Hasselby Jane P , Willemoe Gro L , Met Özcan , Marie Svane Inge , Johansen Julia , Nielsen Dorte L , Chen Inna M , Andersen Mads Hald
Published: March 2023

Background

Circulating transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-specific T cells that recognize TGF-β-expressing immune regulatory cells have been described in patients with cancer. TGF-β-derived peptide vaccination modulates the tumor microenvironment and has shown clinical effects in animal models of pancreatic cancer (PC). TGF-β-expressing regulatory cells are especially elevated in PC and may prevent the clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Thus, in the present study we investigated the significance of TGF-β-specific T-cell immunity in patients with PC treated with ICI combined with radiotherapy in a randomized phase 2 study (CheckPAC).

Methods

Immune responses to a TGF-β-derived epitope entitled TGF-β-15 as well as epitopes fromClostridium tetani(tetanus) and influenza were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with interferon-ɣ enzyme-linked immunospot assays. PBMCs were isolated before and after treatment. Correlations between immune response data and clinical data were evaluated with parametric and non-parametric statistical methods. Survival was analyzed with univariate and multivariate Cox-regression. TGF-β-15 specific T cells were isolated and expanded and examined for recognition of autologous regulatory immune cells by flow cytometry.

Results

PBMCs from 32 patients were analyzed for immune responses to the TGF-β-derived epitope entitled TGF-β-15. Patients with a strong TGF-β-specific immune response at treatment initiation had longer progression-free and overall survival, compared with patients with a weak or no TGF-β-specific immune response. This remained significant in multivariate analysis. Patients with weak and strong TGF-β-specific responses displayed similar responses towards viral antigens. Furthermore, we show that TGF-β-specific T cells from a clinical responder specifically reacted to and lysed autologous, regulatory immune cells. Finally, mimicking a TGF-β-15 vaccination, we showed that repeated stimulations with the TGF-β-15 epitopein vitroenhanced the immune response to TGF-β-15.

Conclusion

A strong TGF-β-15 specific immune response was associated with clinical benefit and improved survival after ICI/radiotherapy for patients with PC. Importantly, the lack of TGF-β-specific T cells in some patients was not caused by a general immune dysfunction. TGF-β-specific T cells recognized regulatory immune cells and could be introducedin vitroin patients without spontaneous responses. Taken together, our data suggest that combining TGF-β-based vaccination with ICI/radiotherapy will be beneficial for patients with PC.
Clinical phenotypic diversity of
NOTCH2NLC
-related disease in the largest case series of inherited peripheral neuropathy in Japan
Authors: Ando Masahiro , Higuchi Yujiro , Yuan Jun-Hui , Yoshimura Akiko , Dozono Mika , Hobara Takahiro , Kojima Fumikazu , Noguchi Yutaka , Takeuchi Mika , Takei Jun , Hiramatsu Yu , Nozuma Satoshi , Nakamura Tomonori , Sakiyama Yusuke , Hashiguchi Akihiro , Matsuura Eiji , Okamoto Yuji , Sone Jun , Takashima Hiroshi
Published: March 2023

Background

NOTCH2NLC
GGC repeat expansions have been associated with various neurogenerative disorders, including neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease and inherited peripheral neuropathies (IPNs). However, only a few
NOTCH2NLC
-related disease studies in IPN have been reported, and the clinical and genetic spectra remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to describe the clinical and genetic manifestations of
NOTCH2NLC
-related IPNs.

Method

Among 2692 Japanese patients clinically diagnosed with IPN/Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT), we analysed
NOTCH2NLC
repeat expansion in 1783 unrelated patients without a genetic diagnosis. Screening and repeat size determination of
NOTCH2NLC
repeat expansion were performed using repeat-primed PCR and fluorescence amplicon length analysis-PCR.

Results

NOTCH2NLC
repeat expansions were identified in 26 cases of IPN/CMT from 22 unrelated families. The mean median motor nerve conduction velocity was 41 m/s (range, 30.8–59.4), and 18 cases (69%) were classified as intermediate CMT. The mean age of onset was 32.7 (range, 7–61) years. In addition to motor sensory neuropathy symptoms, dysautonomia and involuntary movements were common (44% and 29%). Furthermore, the correlation between the age of onset or clinical symptoms and the repeat size remains unclear.

Conclusions

These findings of this study help us understand the clinical heterogeneity of
NOTCH2NLC
-related disease, such as non-length-dependent motor dominant phenotype and prominent autonomic involvement. This study also emphasise the importance of genetic screening, regardless of the age of onset and type of CMT, particularly in patients of Asian origin, presenting with intermediate conduction velocities and dysautonomia.
Naringin prevents diabetic nephropathy in rats through blockage of oxidative stress and attenuation of the mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Pérez Adriana , Mukdsi Jorge , Valdez Laura , Rukavina-Mikusic Ivana , Díaz de Barboza Gabriela , Tolosa de Talamoni Nori , Rivoira María
Published: March 2023

We have studied the effects of naringin (NAR), a flavonoid from citric fruits, on morphology, ultrastructure and function of the kidney in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Two groups of animals were used: (1) control rats and (2) STZ rats (60 mg STZ/kg b.w.). At 3 days after induction, one group of STZ-treated rats received 40 mg NAR/kg b.w. daily. NAR blocked completely alterations in the biochemical renal markers in STZ rats except the increase in serum urea that was partially avoided by the flavonoid. NAR ameliorated the kidney morphological lesions from STZ rats. STZ treatment induced round and smaller mitochondria, which was avoided by NAR. Citrate synthase, isocitrate and malate dehydrogenases, enzyme activities of the Krebs cycle, were decreased in STZ rats. NAR abolished this decrease in the latter proteins. NAR also prevented a decrease in the ATP synthase activity of the mitochondria from renal cortex by about 49% in STZ rats, returning the enzyme activity to control values. The nephroprotection caused by NAR is mediated through counteraction of oxidative stress in mitochondria of proximal tubules. NAR might be a therapeutic strategy to reduce the complication of diabetic nephropathy in type 1 diabetic patients.
Azacalixphyrin nanostructures
Authors: Ferry Daniel , Pricl Sabrina , Marson Domenico , Chen Zhongrui , Canard Gabriel , Pascal Simon , Tintaru Aura , Siri Olivier
Published: March 2023

Azacalixphyrins are used as building blocks to elaborate nanostructures with different shapes depending on the nature of the N-substituents. In this work, the formation of nanoribbons from N-alkyl azacalixphyrin 4, and nanodonuts from the N-aryl analogue 5, is presented and rationalized by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Indeed, MD revealed different modes of intermolecular interactions (defines as nodes-and-trails and nodes-and-thorns models) according to the nature of the N-substituents. Nanoribbons based on 4 results from the stackings of the azacalixphyrin cores along the vertical direction generate the nodes, while the van der Waals interactions between the N-C8H17 aliphatic chains generate the trails among the nodes along the ribbon. On the other hand, azacalixphyrin 5 self-assemblies into a nanodonut shape, in which the macrocyclic cores (nodes) stack along the horizontal plane while the 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl groups (thorns) point along the vertical direction towards the solvent where they establish a network of [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] interactions among their aromatic portions and H-bond interactions among the CH3O-groups and the solvent molecules, respectively.
Density functional theory investigation of the coordination of Zn(II)-tetraphenylporphyrin with 1,2,3-triazole ligands
Authors: Nierengarten Jean-François
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we report density functional theory (DFT) studies to fully understand the coordination interactions between 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives and the metal center of Zn(II)-porphyrins. Coordination through the most electron-rich N3 atom of the triazole heterocycle is more favorable. However, the energy difference between the N2- and N3-coordinated isomers is moderate and the less stable is likely also present in the solution. The binding of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole ligands to oxidized and reduced Zn(II)-porphyrins has been also investigated. Upon reduction, the binding interactions are extremely weak and the formation of the complex is not favorable anymore. In contrast, the binding energy is considerably increased upon oxidation of the Zn(II)-porphyrin moiety thus leading to more stable complexes. The calculations fully support experimental findings and explain the differences observed for the redox potentials of complexed and uncomplexed Zn(II)-porphyrin residues.
AI-Empowered Persuasive Video Generation: A Survey
Authors: Liu Chang , Yu Han
Published: March 2023

Promotional videos are rapidly becoming a popular medium for persuading people to change their behaviours in many settings (e.g., online shopping, social enterprise initiatives). Today, such videos are often produced by professionals, which is a time-, labour- and cost-intensive undertaking. In order to produce such contents to support large applications (e.g., e-commerce), the field of
artificial intelligence (AI)-empowered persuasive video generation (AIPVG)
has gained traction in recent years. This field is interdisciplinary in nature, which makes it challenging for new researchers to grasp. Currently, there is no comprehensive survey of AIPVG available. In this paper, we bridge this gap by reviewing key AI techniques that can be utilized to automatically generate persuasive videos. We offer a first-of-its-kind taxonomy which divides AIPVG into three major steps: (1) visual material understanding, which extracts information from the
visual materials (VMs)
relevant to the target of promotion; (2) visual storyline generation, which shortlists and arranges high-quality VMs into a sequence in order to compose a storyline with persuasive power; and (3) post-production, which involves background music generation and still image animation to enhance viewing experience. We also introduce the evaluation metrics and datasets commonly adopted in the field of AIPVG. We analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the existing works belonging to the above-mentioned steps, and discuss interesting potential future research directions.