bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical outcome after thyroidectomy due to Graves’ disease and Lugol iodine treatment: a retrospective register-based cohort study
Authors: Hedberg Fredric , Falhammar Henrik , Calissendorff Jan , Bränström Robert
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Lugol iodine treatment in a rescue setting and surgical outcomes in Graves’ disease patients.

Methods

The retrospective register-based cohort study included 813 patients who had undergone primary total thyroidectomy with a primary diagnosis of Graves’ disease (ICD-code E05.0) at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, between January 2008 and December 2015. Of 813 patients, 33 (4.1%) were given Lugol iodine before surgery and the remaining, the non-Lugol group, did not. The study’s primary outcomes were post-operative calcium treatment day 1, calcium and vitamin D supplements at discharge and follow-up. Secondary outcomes were laryngeal nerve damage and bleeding (defined as re-operation).

Results

Differences were found between the Lugol and non-Lugol groups in the treatment of calcium day 1 (45.5% vs 26.7%, p = 0.018), at discharge (36.4% vs. 16.2%, p = 0.002) and vitamin D supplements at discharge (36.4% vs. 19.1%, p = 0.015) as surrogate variables for hypocalcemia post-operatively. No differences could be seen at 4–6 weeks and six-months follow-up. There were no differences between the Lugol and non-Lugol groups in terms of operation time, laryngeal nerve damage, and bleeding.

Conclusion

Patients in our cohort undergoing thyroidectomy due to Graves’ disease pre-operatively treated with Lugol iodine as a rescue therapy had a higher risk of experiencing short term post-operative hypocalcemia.
When National Origins Equal Socio-economic Background: The Effect of the Ethno-class Parental Background on the Education of Children Coming of Age in Switzerland
Authors: Guichard Eduardo , Chimienti Milena , Bolzman Claudio , Le Goff Jean-Marie
Published: February 2024

The educational outcomes of the descendants of migrants are important indicators of migrants’ incorporation into host societies and an indicator of intergenerational social im/mobility. This paper examines this relationship using data from a survey that follows a cohort of young adults, born between 1988 and 1997, who grew up in Switzerland. It looks at the relationship between the educational output of respondents and their parental migratory background, with the theoretical consideration that the family’s social capital is a starting point in the descendants’ trajectories. The paper is based on secondary data and exploratory cross-sectional quantitative analyses. The results highlight first a correspondence between migrant parents’ national origins and their socio-economic status—in other words, an ‘ethno-class’. Second, they show differences in educational outcomes between migrants’ descendants and native Swiss as well as between the migrants’ descendants themselves—which indicates a segmented incorporation process for both the first and the second generation, in confirmation of previous research. Third, results show that parental background and language region of residence are statistically significant in determining the level of education achieved by the migrants’ descendants, especially those with a low socio-economic status. Their social mobility is ‘limited’, and they remain mostly in vocational education. The paper concludes that the Swiss school system still fails to include the most unprivileged and that a glass ceiling remains for them.
Mind your language! how and when victims of email incivility from colleagues experience work-life conflict and emotional exhaustion
Authors: Bernuzzi Chiara , O’shea Deirdre , Setti Ilaria , Sommovigo Valentina
Published: February 2024

Recent years have seen an increase in the use of email for work-related matters. Although it represents a convenient way to communicate, it can expose workers to the risk of being victims of rude email communications. This two-sample study investigates whether email incivility is related to work-life conflict and emotional exhaustion, directly and indirectly through techno-invasion. In the second study, we replicate the findings in a different country and extend our findings by additionally examining the moderating role of resilience. A total of 199 Italian (Study 1) and 330 British (Study 2) workers completed online questionnaires. In both countries, employees who reported email incivility from colleagues were more likely to experience work-life conflict and emotional exhaustion both directly and indirectly through techno-invasion. In Study 2, resilience moderated the association between email incivility and techno-invasion. When confronted with email incivility, workers who scored low and moderate on resilience were more likely to experience techno-invasion and then work-life conflict and emotional exhaustion, unlike workers high in resilience, for whom the indirect effect was nonsignificant. Our findings suggest that organizations should put in place ‘‘netiquette’’ codes to provide their employees with rules about writing emails in a civil tone. Moreover, workers could benefit from psychological resilience training in addition to training on email management.
Reemergence and sister brood establishment in the bark beetle Polygraphus proximus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) under laboratory conditions
Authors: Takagi Etsuro , Yamanaka Shino
Published: February 2024

Reemergence and sister broods (second broods) are commonly observed in bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), particularly in species with male-initiated polygyny and female-initiated monogyny. Polygraphus proximus Blandford, a male-initiated monogynous bark beetle, is a quarantine species in the EU, which has been introduced from east Asia into both Siberia and central European Russia, causing mortality of trees across large areas of Abies sibirica forests. To clear whether P. proximus females reemerge to lay additional broods (sister broods), we observed the reproduction of reemerged females under laboratory conditions. We prepared 25 females reproducing in galleries collected by peeling the infested logs and 25 females reemerged from such logs. These females were put into the tubes vertically attached onto the surfaces of logs. Consequently, approximately 40% of both the reproducing females in galleries and the reemerged females bored into the logs and established sister broods without repeated mating. Moreover, 21% of these reproducing females established sister broods again using the same procedures, suggesting that the females can establish sister broods more than once. Our results indicated that the fecundity of P. proximus is higher than previously assumed, suggesting that its population levels can rapidly increase in weakened or dead trees, ultimately leading to the ability to attack healthy trees during the epidemic phase.
Generating functions for polynomials derived from central moments involving bernstein basis functions and their applications
Authors: Ceylan Ayse Yilmaz , Simsek Yilmaz
Published: February 2024

The main objective of this article is to construct generating functions for central moments involving Bernstein basis functions. We give some alternating generating functions of these functions. We also give derivative formulas and a recurrence relation of central moments with the help of their generating functions. We also establish new relations between combinatorial numbers and polynomials, and also central moments. Furthermore, by applying Euler operator and Laplace transformation to central moments, we derive some important results. Finally, we give further remarks, observations and comments related to the content of this paper.
Clinical and immunological outcomes of SARS-CoV-2-infected vaccine responders, vaccine non-responders, and unvaccinated patients evaluated for neutralizing monoclonal antibody treatment at a single German tertiary care center: a retrospective cohort study with prospective follow-up
Authors: Triebelhorn J. , Schneider J. , Spinner C. D. , Iakoubov R. , Voit F. , Wagner L. , Erber J. , Rothe K. , Berthele A. , Pernpeintner V. , Strauß E.-M. , Renders L. , Willmann A. , Minic M. , Vogel E. , Christa C. , Hoffmann D. , Protzer U. , Jeske S. D.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study assessed the clinical and immunological outcomes of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with risk factors for severe disease depending on their immunological status.

Methods

In this retrospective study with single follow-up visit, clinical outcome and humoral immunity was monitored in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients at risk. The results were compared based on the patients’ initial immunological status: unvaccinated (UV), patients who did not develop neutralizing antibodies after vaccination (vaccine non-responders, VNR), and patients who expressed neutralizing antibodies after vaccination (vaccine responders, VR). Patients who lacked neutralizing antibodies (VNR and UV) were treated with nMABs.

Results

In total, 113 patients at risk of severe COVID-19 consented to participate in the study. VR and UV were not admitted to the hospital. During the observation period, UVs had the highest rate of SARS-CoV-2 re-infections. Three of 41 VNRs (7.3%) were hospitalized due to severe COVID-19, with two of them having undergone iatrogenic B-cell depletion. The humoral immune response after infection was significantly lower in the VNR group than in the VR group in terms of anti-N, anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD), anti-S antibody titers, and anti-S antibody avidity. In a sub-analysis of VNR, B cell-deficient non-responders had significantly lower levels of anti-N antibodies and anti-S avidity after infection than other VNRs.

Conclusion

VNR, particularly B-cell-depleted VNR, remained at risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19. In the VR group, however, no clinical complications or severe disease were observed, despite not receiving nMAbs. Tailoring the administration of nMABs according to patient vaccination and immunological status may be advisable.
A multi-step method to solve bipolar-fuzzy initial value problem
Authors: Ahmady E. , Ahmady N. , Allahviranloo T. , Shahriari M.
Published: February 2024

Bipolar-fuzzy differential equations applied for modeling in science, engineering, and social science. The aim of this paper is to provide a numerical method to determine the preferred level of accuracy with less computational cost. The proposed method is generated by combining three-step explicit and two-step implicit bipolar-fuzzy methods, which are obtained by the spline interpolation. For more illustration, the consistency, stability, and convergence theorems are discussed in detail. Finally, for show the performance and efficiency of the method, several numerical examples are presented.
Suppressing friction-induced stick-slip vibration through a linear PZT-based absorber and energy harvester
Authors: Chen Wei , Mo Jiliang , Ouyang Huajiang , Zhao Jing , Xiang Zaiyu
Published: February 2024

In this paper, a PZT (lead zirconate titanate)-based absorber and energy harvester (PAEH) is used for passive control of friction-induced stick-slip vibration in a friction system. Its stability condition coupled with PAEH is analytically derived, whose efficiency is then demonstrated by numerical simulation. The results show that the structural parameters of the PAEH can significantly affect the system stability, which increases with the mass ratio between the PAEH and the primary system, but first increases and then decreases with the natural frequency ratio between the PAEH and the primary system. The impacts of the electric parameters of the PAEH on the system stability are found to be insignificant. In addition, the PAEH can effectively suppress the stick-slip limit cycle magnitude in a wide working parameter range; however, it does not function well for friction systems in all the working conditions. The stick-slip vibration amplitude can be increased in the case of a large loading (normal) force. Finally, an experiment on a tribo-dynamometer validates the findings of the theoretical study, in which the vibration reduction and energy harvesting performance of the PAEH is fully demonstrated.
Experimental studies on the energy dissipation of bolted structures with frictional interfaces: A review
Authors: Wang Yongfeng , Ma Yanhong , Hong Jie , Battiato Giuseppe , Firrone Christian M.
Published: February 2024

Bolted joints play a more and more important role in the structure with lighter weight and heavier load. This paper aims to provide an overview of different experimental approaches for the dynamic behavior of structures in the presence of bolted joints, especially the energy dissipation or damping at frictional interfaces. The comprehension of energy dissipation mechanisms due to friction is provided first, while the key parameters and the measurement techniques, such as the excitation force, the preload of the bolt, or the pressure at the interfaces, are briefly introduced. Secondly, the round-robin systems aim to measure the hysteresis parameters of the frictional joints under tangential loads are reviewed, summarizing the basic theory and the strategies to apply the excitation force or acquire the response in different testing systems. Followed by parameter identification strategies for bolted structures, the test rigs with one or more simplified bolted joints are summarized to give an insight into the understanding of typical characteristics of bolted structures, which are affected by the presence of friction. More complex test rigs hosting real-like or actual engineering structures with bolted lap or flange joints are also introduced to show the identification process of the dynamic characteristics of bolted connections employed in specific applications. Based on the review paper, researchers can get the basic knowledge about the experimental systems of the bolted structures, especially several classical round robin systems, such as the Gaul resonator and widely used Brake-Reuß beam system. Readers can take advantage of this background for more creative and effective future studies, make more progress on the study of assembled structures and understand the influence of bolting frictional connections on the dynamic response better.
After the trans brain: a critique of the neurobiological accounts of embodied trans* identities
Authors: Arraiza Zabalegui Maite
Published: February 2024

This paper critically analyses three main neurobiological hypotheses on trans* identities: the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria, the neurodevelopmental cortical hypothesis, and the alternative hypothesis of self-referential thinking and body perception. In this study I focus then the attention on three elements: the issue of (de)pathologisation, the idea of the trans brain, and the aetiology of trans* identities. While the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria and the neurodevelopmental cortical hypothesis claim the existence of the trans brain, each offering its own neurobiological depiction, the hypothesis of self-referential thinking and body perception doesn’t postulate a distinctive neurobiological trait for all trans* people. I problematize both portrayals of the trans brain departing from the findings and conceptualizations of the paradigm shifting brain mosaicism. Unlike the hypothesis of self-referential thinking and body perception that keeps the question of causation open, both the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria and the neurodevelopmental cortical hypothesis situate the origin of trans* identities in the neurobiological domain. I challenge the biological deterministic framework in which this aetiology is inscribed from a dynamic processual entanglement perspective. Finally, concerning the issue of (de)pathologisation of trans* identities, an evolution can be seen in each of the hypothesis and among them, from the least to the most depathologising. However, I question their complete departure from a pathologising framework.
Measuring primary school teachers’ attitudes towards new technology use: development and validation of the TANT questionnaire
Authors: Wijnen Frances , Walma van der Molen Juliette , Voogt Joke
Published: February 2024

This study concerns the development and validation of a questionnaire to measure primary school Teachers’ Attitudes towards New Technology use in teaching (TANT). Many researchers, policy makers and educators have emphasized the importance of using new technology in teaching. However, no instrument is available to measure teachers’ attitudes towards using new technology in teaching. In a previous literature study (authors), we used the well-known Theory of Planned Behaviour to identify and structure eight underlying factors that make up primary school teachers’ attitudes towards using technology in teaching. In the current study we aim to measure these factors. To that end, we developed eight corresponding scales, as well as a scale to measure primary school teachers’ use of new technology. Results of the validation study among 659 pre- and in-service teachers showed adequate convergent and discriminant validity for six attitudinal factors and teachers’ use of new technology. In addition, we explored the predictive validity of the attitudinal factors for explaining variability in teachers’ use of new technology and established configural, metric and scalar measurement invariance.
Review on synthesis of novel carbonyl derivatives of biological macromolecules by oxidation of polysaccharides with permanganate ion in alkaline media
Authors: Hassan R. M. , Ibrahim S. M.
Published: February 2024

Synthesis of mono- and diketones as carbonyl group derivatives in biomacromolecular chemistry is very essential task for industrial biotechnology applications. However, there are various techniques to synthesize such carbonyl groups, the most common and efficient methods are the chemical oxidation of alcoholic biological macromolecule by suitable oxidizing agents. Therefore, diversified oxidants have emerged for such purpose, particularly for the derivatives of polysaccharides as natural polymeric carbohydrates in either acidic or alkaline solutions, however, the permanganate ion was found to be the most competitive oxidizing agent for clean and efficient synthesis of such carbonyl derivatives in alkaline media due to easy removal of formed Mn (IV) by complexation with fluoride ions, giving rise to the insoluble MnF4, which can be separated by filtration. Despite the extensive studies on the oxidation of organic compounds by alkaline permanganate. Little of knowledge regarding the type of electron transfer and transition states involved in the rate-determining processes during the oxidation of alcoholic macromolecules by this oxidant. In addition, the literature survey still remains suffering from a lack of information about the reaction kinetics, mechanistic in terms of the nature of electron-transfer and transition states in the rate determining steps of in such oxidation–reduction systems. All of the above arguments encouraged us to present the current review concerning the synthesis of either mono- or diketo derivatives of such homo (non-sulfated) or hetero (sulfated) polysaccharides using alkaline permanganate, aiming to compensate for the lack of information with respect to the nature of electron transfer pathway routes through pertinent interpretations and discussions, as well as to develop innovative methodologies for the synthesis of carbonyl derivatives of biological macromolecules with high potential applications in pharmaceutics and medicine as well as industrial biotechnology.
Effect of strain rate on the stress corrosion cracking of TP439 stainless steel in water vapor environment at 500 ℃
Authors: Li Futian , Liu Guangming , Liu Shuaiqi , Zhu Yanbin , Dong Meng , Zhang Bangyan
Published: February 2024

The effect of water vapor on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of TP439 stainless steel at 500 °C was investigated using slow strain rate tensile tests at three strain rates of 2 × 10–5/s, 2 × 10–6/s, and 2 × 10–7/s. Air was selected as a comparative blank test environment for the water vapor environment. The results showed that the tensile strength of the specimens increased significantly in air when the strain rate was decreased from 2 × 10–5/s to 2 × 10–7/s, while it decreased in water vapor. Dynamic strain aging (DSA) and SCC are the main factors contributing to the difference in tensile strength of the specimens in air and water vapor. The SCC of TP439 stainless steel in water vapor at 500 °C occurs at a strain rate of 2 × 10–7/s or even lower. Based on the SCC susceptibility index and SEM observation of specimen fracture, TP439 stainless steel exhibits a slight transgranular SCC in water vapor with low SCC susceptibility.
RNA structure: implications in viral infections and neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Lu Suiru , Tang Yongkang , Yin Shaozhen , Sun Lei
Published: February 2024

RNA is an intermediary between DNA and protein, a catalyzer of biochemical reactions, and a regulator of genes and transcripts. RNA structures are essential for complicated functions. Recent years have witnessed rapid advancements in RNA secondary structure probing techniques. These technological strides provided comprehensive insights into RNA structures, which significantly contributed to our understanding of diverse cellular regulatory processes, including gene regulation, epigenetic regulation, and post-transactional regulation. Meanwhile, they have facilitated the creation of therapeutic tools for tackling human diseases. Despite their therapeutic applications, RNA structure probing methods also offer a promising avenue for exploring the mechanisms of human diseases, potentially providing the key to overcoming existing research constraints and obtaining the in-depth information necessary for a deeper understanding of disease mechanisms.
The New Witches of the West
Authors: Doyle White Ethan
Published: February 2024

The terms 'witch' and 'witchcraft' have been used to mean many different things over the years. In the twentieth century, some people began referring to themselves as witches and espousing esoteric new religions that they called witchcraft. Some of these new religions – most notably Wicca – were forms of modern Paganism, devoted to the veneration of ancient divinities. Others constituted types of Satanism or Luciferianism, embracing the early modern idea of the witch as a Devil worshipper. Recent years have seen growing numbers of Black Americans who practice African diasporic religions adopt the term 'witch' too. This Element explores why the image of the witch is so appealing to numerous people living in modern Western countries, examining how witchcraft offers people a connection to the past, a vehicle for liberation, and a means of empowering themselves in an often-troubling world.
Evaluation of the Situations of Coping With Mental Trauma and Trauma in Emergency Service Personnel Who Medically Intervened to Earthquake Affected People in the 2020 Izmir Earthquake
Authors: Keskin Gülseren , Yurt Esra
Published: February 2024

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the mental trauma and coping status of emergency health care workers who responded to the earthquake affected people in the October 2020 Izmir earthquake.

Methods:

This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory, Strategies for Coping with Earthquake Stress Scale (SCESS), and Post-earthquake Trauma Level Determination Scale (PETLDS) were used. Independent t-test, analysis of variance, Tukey’s test, and Pearson’s correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Statistical significance was accepted as P ≤ 0.05.

Results:

A total of 113 health-care professionals participated in the study. There is a positive and high degree of correlation between the religious coping sub-dimension of the SCESS and the PETLDS (P < 0.001). There was a moderate positive correlation between the religious coping sub-dimension of the SCESS and the state anxiety (P < 0.001) and trait anxiety (P < 0.001) subscales of the STAI.

Conclusions:

In our study, mental trauma and post-traumatic coping levels of health-care workers who were exposed to earthquakes differed according to age, gender, and educational status. We found that post-earthquake trauma levels were directly related to state and trait anxiety levels and religious coping levels. We found that, after the earthquake, social support seeking behavior, state and trait anxiety levels increased; negative cognitions about self, negative cognitions about the world, and self-blame increased.

Practice implications: This study draws attention to the evaluation of emergency health workers who work at the forefront of disasters in terms of subsyndromal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is recommended to make plans for psychologically protective and preventive interventions for health-care workers especially after disasters.
Sub-regional variability in the influence of ice-contact lakes on Himalayan glaciers
Authors: Scoffield Alex C. , Rowan Ann V. , Quincey Duncan J. , Carrivick Jonathan L. , Sole Andrew J. , Cook Simon J.
Published: February 2024

Ice-contact lakes modify glacier geometry and dynamics by shifting the majority of mass loss from the ice surface to the terminus. Lake-terminating glaciers are known to experience greater thinning rates and higher velocities than land-terminating glaciers, but the controls on variability in surface elevation change and ice flow between lake-terminating glaciers in different regions remain poorly explored. We combined existing datasets of glacier velocity, surface elevation change and glacial lake area to characterise the evolution of 352 lake-terminating and land-terminating glaciers within three Himalayan sub-regions between 2000 and 2019. These analyses show that the influence of ice-contact lakes propagates up-glacier across only the lowermost 30% of the hypsometric distribution, even where lakes are well established. We find that ice-contact lakes only affect glacier behaviour when the lakes reach an advanced evolutionary stage; most clearly manifested in the Eastern Himalaya by statistically robust differences in glacier-wide surface elevation change between lake-terminating (–0.68 ± 0.05 m a–1) and land-terminating (–0.54 ± 0.04 m a–1) glaciers. These differences are driven by the presence of a greater number of well-developed ice-contact lakes in the Eastern Himalaya compared to in the Western and Central Himalaya, resulting from greater mass loss rates to date.
ON THE LIMIT SET OF A COMPLEX HYPERBOLIC TRIANGLE GROUP
Authors: SHI MENGQI , WANG JIEYAN
Published: February 2024

Let
$\Gamma =\langle I_{1}, I_{2}, I_{3}\rangle $
be the complex hyperbolic
$(4,4,\infty )$
triangle group with
$I_1I_3I_2I_3$
being unipotent. We show that the limit set of
$\Gamma $
is connected and the closure of a countable union of
$\mathbb {R}$
-circles.
Nature of the evidence base and approaches to guide nutrition interventions for individuals: a position paper from the Academy of Nutrition Sciences
Authors: Hickson Mary , Papoutsakis Constantina , Madden Angela M , Smith Mary Anne , Whelan Kevin
Published: February 2024

This Position Paper from the Academy of Nutrition Sciences is the third in a series which describe the nature of the scientific evidence and frameworks that underpin nutrition recommendations for health. This paper focuses on evidence which guides the application of dietary recommendations for individuals. In some situations, modified nutrient intake becomes essential to prevent deficiency, optimise development and health, or manage symptoms and disease progression. Disease and its treatment can also affect taste, appetite and ability to access and prepare foods, with associated financial impacts. Therefore, the practice of nutrition and dietetics must integrate and apply the sciences of food, nutrition, biology, physiology, behaviour, management, communication and society to achieve and maintain human health. Thus, there is huge complexity in delivering evidence-based nutrition interventions to individuals. This paper examines available frameworks for appraising the quality and certainty of nutrition research evidence, the development nutrition practice guidelines to support evidence implementation in practice and the influence of other sources of nutrition information and misinformation. The paper also considers major challenges in applying research evidence to an individual and suggests consensus recommendations to begin to address these challenges in the future. Our recommendations target three groups; those who deliver nutrition interventions to individuals, those funding, commissioning or undertaking research aimed at delivering evidence-based nutrition practice, and those disseminating nutritional information to individuals.
Depression is associated with blunted affective responses to naturalistic reward prediction errors
Authors: Villano William J , Heller Aaron S
Published: February 2024

Background

Depression is characterized by abnormalities in emotional processing, but the specific drivers of such emotional abnormalities are unknown. Computational work indicates that both surprising outcomes (prediction errors; PEs) and outcomes (values) themselves drive emotional responses, but neither has been consistently linked to affective disturbances in depression. As a result, the computational mechanisms driving emotional abnormalities in depression remain unknown.

Methods

Here, in 687 individuals, one-third of whom qualify as depressed via a standard self-report measure (the PHQ-9), we use high-stakes, naturalistic events – the reveal of midterm exam grades – to test whether individuals with heightened depression display a specific reduction in emotional response to positive PEs.

Results

Using Bayesian mixed effects models, we find that individuals with heightened depression do not affectively benefit from surprising, good outcomes – that is, they display reduced affective responses to positive PEs. These results were highly specific: effects were not observed to negative PEs, value signals (grades), and were not related to generalized anxiety. This suggests that the computational drivers of abnormalities in emotion in depression may be specifically due to positive PE-based emotional responding.

Conclusions

Affective abnormalities are core depression symptoms, but the computational mechanisms underlying such differences are unknown. This work suggests that blunted affective reactions to positive PEs are likely mechanistic drivers of emotional dysregulation in depression.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza causes mass mortality in Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisbreeding colonies across north-western Europe
Authors: Knief Ulrich , Bregnballe Thomas , Alfarwi Ibrahim , Ballmann Mónika Z. , Brenninkmeijer Allix , Bzoma Szymon , Chabrolle Antoine , Dimmlich Jannis , Engel Elias , Fijn Ruben , Fischer Kim , Hälterlein Bernd , Haupt Matthias , Hennig Veit , Herrmann Christof , in ‘t Veld Ronald , Kirchhoff Elisabeth , Kristersson Mikael , Kühn Susanne , Larsson Kjell , Larsson Rolf , Lawton Neil , Leopold Mardik , Lilipaly Sander , Lock Leigh , Marty Régis , Matheve Hans , Meissner Włodzimierz , Morrison Paul , Newton Stephen , Olofsson Patrik , Packmor Florian , Pedersen Kjeld T. , Redfern Chris , Scarton Francesco , Schenk Fred , Scher Olivier , Serra Lorenzo , Sibille Alexandre , Smith Julian , Smith Wez , Sterup Jacob , Stienen Eric , Strassner Viola , Valle Roberto G. , van Bemmelen Rob S. A. , Veen Jan , Vervaeke Muriel , Weston Ewan , Wojcieszek Monika , Courtens Wouter
Published: February 2024

In 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus clade 2.3.4.4b became enzootic and caused mass mortality in Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisand other seabird species across north-western Europe. We present data on the characteristics of the spread of the virus between and within breeding colonies and the number of dead adult Sandwich Terns recorded at breeding sites throughout north-western Europe. Within two months of the first reported mortalities, 20,531 adult Sandwich Terns were found dead, which is >17% of the total north-western European breeding population. This is probably an under-representation of total mortality, as many carcasses are likely to have gone unnoticed and unreported. Within affected colonies, almost all chicks died. After the peak of the outbreak, in a colony established by late breeders, 25.7% of tested adults showed immunity to HPAI subtype H5. Removal of carcasses was associated with lower levels of mortality at affected colonies. More research on the sources and modes of transmission, incubation times, effective containment, and immunity is urgently needed to combat this major threat for colonial seabirds.
Circulating leptin is associated with adverse vascular changes in young adult survivors of childhood cancer
Authors: Broberg Olof , Feldreich Tobias , Weismann Constance G. , Øra Ingrid , Wiebe Thomas , Ärnlöv Johan , Liuba Petru
Published: February 2024

Introduction:

Proteomics may help discover novel biomarkers and underlying mechanisms for cardiovascular disease. This could be useful for childhood cancer survivors as they show an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate circulating cardiovascular proteins in young adult survivors of childhood cancer and their relationship to previously reported subclinical cardiovascular disease.

Methods:

Ninety-two cardiovascular proteins were measured in 57 childhood cancer survivors and in 52 controls. For proteins that were significantly different between childhood cancer survivors and controls, we performed correlations between protein levels and measures of peripheral arterial stiffness (carotid distensibility and stiffness index, and augmentation index) and endothelial dysfunction (reactive hyperemia index).

Results:

Leptin was significantly higher in childhood cancer survivors compared to controls (normalized protein expression units: childhood cancer survivors 6.4 (1.5) versus 5.1 (1.7), p < 0.0000001) after taking multiple tests into account. Kidney injury molecule-1, MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase, selectin P ligand, decorin, alpha-1-microglobulin/bikunin precursor protein, and pentraxin 3 showed a trend towards group differences (p < 0.05). Among childhood cancer survivors, leptin was associated with anthracycline treatment after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index (p < 0.0001). Higher leptin correlated with lower carotid distensibility after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and treatments with radiotherapy and anthracyclines (p = 0.005).

Conclusion:

This proteomics approach identified that leptin is higher in young asymptomatic adult survivors of childhood cancer than in healthy controls and is associated with adverse vascular changes. This could indicate a role for leptin in driving the cardiovascular disease burden in this population.
Longitudinal changes in home food availability and concurrent associations with food and nutrient intake among children at 24–48 months
Authors: Barton Jennifer M , McMath Arden L , Montgomery Stewart P , Donovan Sharon M , Fiese Barbara H
Published: February 2024

Objectives:

To describe changes in home food availability during early childhood, including modified, developmentally sensitive obesogenic scores, and to determine whether home food availability is associated with food and nutrient intakes of children concurrently, over time.

Design:

Data were drawn from the STRONG Kids 2 longitudinal, birth cohort to achieve the study objectives. Home food availability was assessed with the Home Food Inventory (HFI) and included fifteen food groups (e.g. fruit and vegetables) and three obesogenic scores (one original and two modified). Food and nutrient intakes were measured using the Block FFQ and included twenty-seven food groups and eighteen nutrients (e.g. vitamins A and C, protein). HFI and FFQ were completed by trained researchers or mothers, respectively, at 24, 36 and 48 months. Repeated-measures ANOVA and Spearman’s correlations were used to achieve the study objectives.

Setting:

Central Illinois, USA.

Participants:

Participants were 468 children at 24, 36 and 48 months of age.

Results:

Availability of less nutritious foods and obesogenic foods and beverages increased as children aged, and availability of both nutritious and less nutritious foods were associated with child food and nutrient intake. The three obesogenic scores demonstrated similar, positive associations with the intake of energy, saturated fat, added sugars and kilocalories from sweets.

Conclusion:

These findings offer novel insight into changes in home food availability and associations with food and nutrient intake during early childhood. Additional attention is needed examining antecedents (e.g. built environments, purchasing behaviours) and consequences (e.g. child diet quality and weight) of home food availability.
Raiders of the Lost Archive
Authors: Breslin Mike , Breslin Jas
Published: February 2024

In the latest in our series of articles reviewing archived issues of Legal Information Management and The Law Librarian – as the journal was once known – the LIM editors leaf through the issues of 2003.
German Translation of the Revised Physical Self-Perception Profile Competence (PSPP-R Competence)
Authors: Bringmann Emily , Horstmann Kai T.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This paper examines the validity of the competence scale of the Revised Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP-R Competence) in a large German sample of 1,007 predominantly female participants by assessing construct validity, discriminant and criterion validity, and reliability. The PSPP-R Competence measures four factors: Body Attractiveness, Physical Strength, Sports Competence, and Physical Condition. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the hypothesized correlated four-factor structure and offered support for a hierarchical factor structure. Discriminant and criterion validity analyses offered insight into the nomological net and were in line with theoretical considerations. Reliability of all subscales was estimated using Cronbach’s α and found to be good to excellent ranging from .84 to .92. Overall, this study provides support for a good adaptation of the PSPP-R in the German language and enriches previous validation studies focused mainly on factorial validity by adding discriminant and concurrent validity estimates.
Response Time of Joule Heating Rate and Nitric Oxide Cooling Emission During Geomagnetic Storms: Correlated Ground‐Based and Satellite Observations
Authors: Bag Tikemani , Ogawa Y.
Published: February 2024

Joule heating is the primary source of the high latitude thermospheric energy dissipation during geomagnetic storm period. The nitric oxide (NO) emission at 5.3 μm accounts for the majority of Joule heating energy due to its radiative nature. It is the dominating cooling agent above 100 km that effectively regulates the thermospheric temperature. We studied the relationship between the response time of NO cooling emission and Joule heating rate during geomagnetic storm periods by using the NO emission observations by Sounding of Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) onboard NASA’s Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite and the Joule heating rate measured by the European incoherent scatter (EISCAT) radar over Tromsø (geographic:69.59°N, 19.22°E), Norway, and the thermosphere‐ionosphere‐electrodynamics general circulation model (TIEGCM) simulation. We selected seven geomagnetic storms during which there were continuous measurements of the Pederson conductivity and electric fields when the TIMED/SABER satellite was in the northview mode. The TIEGCM gives a fair description of NO cooling. However, it was found that the Joule heating rates obtained with the TIEGCM often do not show good agreement with those from EISCAT observations. The Joule heating rate peaks with 3–7 hr of storm' onset. The NO cooling flux takes longer time to respond to the energy input during storm period. The fastest response of the NO cooling emission to the Joule heating rate is found during the strongest storm. The weakest storm does not have the longest response time. No correlation between the response time of NO cooling flux with respect to the Joule heating rate and storm’s intensity was observed.
Granite Exposure Mapping Through Sentinel‐2 Visible and Short Wave Infrared Bands
Authors: Jan Nazir , Minallah Nasru , Gohar Neelam , Jan Naveed , Khan Shahid , Khan Salahuddin , Alibakhshikenari Mohammad
Published: February 2024

Nonmetallic minerals like granite and limestone have calcite and biotitic ingredients as their major part which exhibit wonderful absorption features in the visible and short wave range of the electromagnetic spectrum. This research puts emphasis on delineating granite and limestone deposits of the Mardan district through the latest multispectral Landsat‐9 and Sentinel‐2 sensors of which the latter provided 94% mapping accuracy in delineating granites (biotitic bearing minerals) and limestone (calcite‐bearing minerals). The Image processing techniques of minimum noise fraction, which is double cascaded principal components analysis and pixel purity index algorithms proved helpful to bring significant improvements in classification results and in the reduction of noise and data size. The outcomes of the research study show that supervised machine learning algorithms are impactful to map such minerals provided that the data must be well organized and limited in size. The results achieved were verified through validation steps like, (a) Independent reference data of high‐resolution Google Earth maps and (b) Ground survey reports. Arc GIS 10.2 and Envi 5.3 software suite were used to create (a) ground truth points at random for accuracy assessment (b) portraying study area maps (c) Image Processing and Preprocessing tools and (d) implementation of machine learning algorithms. Access to the data and software suite is being provided for open research work.
A non-invasive 25-Gene PLNM-Score urine test for detection of prostate cancer pelvic lymph node metastasis
Authors: Guo Jinan , Gu Liangyou , Johnson Heather , Gu Di , Lu Zhenquan , Luo Binfeng , Yuan Qian , Zhang Xuhui , Xia Taolin , Zeng Qingsong , Wu Alan H. B. , Johnson Allan , Dizeyi Nishtman , Abrahamsson Per-Anders , Zhang Heqiu , Chen Lingwu , Xiao Kefeng , Zou Chang , Persson Jenny L.
Published: February 2024

Background

Prostate cancer patients with pelvic lymph node metastasis (PLNM) have poor prognosis. Based on EAU guidelines, patients with >5% risk of PLNM by nomograms often receive pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) during prostatectomy. However, nomograms have limited accuracy, so large numbers of false positive patients receive unnecessary surgery with potentially serious side effects. It is important to accurately identify PLNM, yet current tests, including imaging tools are inaccurate. Therefore, we intended to develop a gene expression-based algorithm for detecting PLNM.

Methods

An advanced random forest machine learning algorithm screening was conducted to develop a classifier for identifying PLNM using urine samples collected from a multi-center retrospective cohort (n = 413) as training set and validated in an independent multi-center prospective cohort (n = 243). Univariate and multivariate discriminant analyses were performed to measure the ability of the algorithm classifier to detect PLNM and compare it with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) nomogram score.

Results

An algorithm named 25 G PLNM-Score was developed and found to accurately distinguish PLNM and non-PLNM with AUC of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.85–1.01) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87–0.99) in the retrospective and prospective urine cohorts respectively. Kaplan–Meier plots showed large and significant difference in biochemical recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival in the patients stratified by the 25 G PLNM-Score (log rank P < 0.001 and P < 0.0001, respectively). It spared 96% and 80% of unnecessary PLND with only 0.51% and 1% of PLNM missing in the retrospective and prospective cohorts respectively. In contrast, the MSKCC score only spared 15% of PLND with 0% of PLNM missing.

Conclusions

The novel 25 G PLNM-Score is the first highly accurate and non-invasive machine learning algorithm-based urine test to identify PLNM before PLND, with potential clinical benefits of avoiding unnecessary PLND and improving treatment decision-making.
Alternative splicing and related RNA binding proteins in human health and disease
Authors: Tao Yining , Zhang Qi , Wang Haoyu , Yang Xiyu , Mu Haoran
Published: February 2024

Alternative splicing (AS) serves as a pivotal mechanism in transcriptional regulation, engendering transcript diversity, and modifications in protein structure and functionality. Across varying tissues, developmental stages, or under specific conditions, AS gives rise to distinct splice isoforms. This implies that these isoforms possess unique temporal and spatial roles, thereby associating AS with standard biological activities and diseases. Among these, AS-related RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an instrumental role in regulating alternative splicing events. Under physiological conditions, the diversity of proteins mediated by AS influences the structure, function, interaction, and localization of proteins, thereby participating in the differentiation and development of an array of tissues and organs. Under pathological conditions, alterations in AS are linked with various diseases, particularly cancer. These changes can lead to modifications in gene splicing patterns, culminating in changes or loss of protein functionality. For instance, in cancer, abnormalities in AS and RBPs may result in aberrant expression of cancer-associated genes, thereby promoting the onset and progression of tumors. AS and RBPs are also associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases and autoimmune diseases. Consequently, the study of AS across different tissues holds significant value. This review provides a detailed account of the recent advancements in the study of alternative splicing and AS-related RNA-binding proteins in tissue development and diseases, which aids in deepening the understanding of gene expression complexity and offers new insights and methodologies for precision medicine.