bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of OR51E2 in colon cancer and rectal adenocarcinoma and the potential underlying mechanism
Authors: Chen Shujia , Wei Siang , Wang Jiwei
Published: June 2023

Objective

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by intestinal microbiota influence the pathogenesis and development of several intestinal diseases. OR51E2 is a newly discovered SCFA receptor. At present, research on the link between OR51E2 and intestinal cancer is limited. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between OR51E2 and colorectal cancer.

Methods

Bioinformatic analysis revealed the OR51E2 protein expression pattern in different parts of the intestine, regulation of related proteins, and immune cell infiltration. The expression pattern and prognostic value of OR51E2 in colon and rectal cancer was determined, and the miRNAs targeting OR51E2 were predicted.

Results

The expression level of OR51E2 was relatively high in the colon, small intestine, and duodenum. In addition, OR51E2 expression level was significantly reduced in colon and rectal cancer. A positive correlation between OR51E2 and immune cells was observed, which was associated with the survival of patients with colon and rectal cancer (hazard ratio: 1.5). Further, miR-96-5p and miR-1271-5-p were predicted to target OR51E2.

Conclusion

OR51E2 plays an important positive role in the survival of patients with colon cancer and rectal adenocarcinoma.
Effect of radiotherapy on tumor markers and serum immune-associated cells in patients with esophageal cancer*
Authors: Gao Wei , Liu Xiaoxiao , Ma Hongbing
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the effect of radiotherapy on serum immune-associated cells and tumor markers in patients with esophageal cancer.

Methods

A total of 87 patients with esophageal cancer admitted to our hospital between October 2016 and July 2020 were selected as the observation group, and all patients received radiotherapy. A total of 87 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examination at our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group in order to compare the changes in serum immune-associated cells and tumor markers between the two groups.

Results

The levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen (CA) 125, CA72-4, C-terminus of cytokeratin (CYFRA) 21-1, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen in the observation group before radiotherapy were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were significant (P < 0.05). The levels of CEA, CA125, CA72-4, CYFRA21-1, and SCC antigen in the research group after radiotherapy were significantly lower than those before radiotherapy, but were still significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, and natural killer cells in the research group before and after radiotherapy were significantly lower, while the levels of Treg and CD8+ cells were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ cells in the observation group after radiotherapy were lower, while the levels of CD8+ cells were significantly higher than those before radiotherapy (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Radiotherapy can effectively reduce the level of serum tumor markers in patients with esophageal cancer; these antigens and cells can be used as tumor markers of esophageal cancer in order to determine its prognosis. However, radiotherapy has adverse effects on the immune function of the body. The reasons behind this need to be further studied and analyzed.
Ultrasonographic and clinicopathologic features of benign Brenner tumors of the ovary*
Authors: Wang Shuyu , Zhou Xiaomei
Published: June 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to summarize and analyze the ultrasonographic and clinicopathologic features of benign brenner tumors of the ovary.

Methods

Forty-six patients with brenner tumors of the ovary were included, and the imaging and pathologic features of the tumors were analyzed.

Results

Thirty-eight cases were unilateral, while eight cases were bilateral. The tumors were located only in the left ovary in 32 patients and in the right ovary in six patients. The median diameter of the tumors was 62 mm, and the diameter ranged from 15 to 270 mm. Vascular tumors were not observed. Most of the tumors (22/46) showed micro-perfusion, while 16 tumors showed no blood flow signal. Acoustic signal shadows after the cysts were observed in 26 tumors, accounting for 57% of all brenner tumors. Fourteen patients showed unilocular or multilocular tumors with no distinct characteristics on ultrasonography. Sixteen masses showed a multilocular solid structure, accompanied by calcification and a post-mass shadow; the solid structure showed mild-to-moderate vascularization on Doppler examination. Sixteen masses showed a pure solid structure, accompanied by calcification, resulting in an acoustic shadow behind the tumor; the solid structure showed mild-to-moderate vascularization on Doppler examination.

Conclusion

Some ultrasonographic features, including calcification with shadow, poor blood circulation of solid components, and mass localization, are helpful in the diagnosis of benign brenner tumors.
Bioinformatics analysis of potential hub genes associated with biological characteristics and survival in patients with gastric cancer*
Authors: Feng Libo , Yu Liu , Chen Xiaolong
Published: June 2023

Objective

Gastric cancer (GC) is a serious threat to human health. In this study, we aimed to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and identify potential targets for the treatment of GC.

Methods

The gene expression profile of GSE79973 which compared tissue samples from gastric cancer patients and healthy individuals, downloaded from the GEO database, was submitted to the GCBI online analysis platform to screen for DEGs. Gene ontology (GO) analysis, pathway analysis, and construction of networks, including gene signal and gene co-expression networks, were performed to identify the core DEGs. Survival analysis was performed to determine the relationship between these genes and patient survival time.

Results

Nine hundred eighty-three genes were identified as DEGs (P < 0.001; FC > 2). GO analysis showed that DEGs were primarily involved in processes such as angiogenesis, cell metabolism, cell adhesion, redox processes, and cell migration. The metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, ECM-receptor interaction, drug metabolism by cytochrome P450, metabolic pathways, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway were significantly enriched in pathway analysis. Genes such as UGT2B15, Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), Nidogen-2 (NID2), Follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1), and Inhibin beta A chain (INHBA) were closely linked to other genes in the network. Survival analyses indicated that HGF, NID2, FSTL1, and INHBA expression levels were inversely correlated with survival time in patients with gastric cancer.

Conclusion

HGF, NID2, FSTL1, and INHBA may be potential key genes associated with the biological characteristics and survival in patients with gastric cancer.
CEA levels predict tumor response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer*
Authors: Shen Lili , Li Chao , Wang Jingwen , Fan Jin , Zhu Ji
Published: June 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the prediction of pathological complete response (pCR) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT).

Methods

A total of 925 LARC patients who underwent nCRT followed by TME between March 2006 and February 2018 were enrolled at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Using logistic regression models, we investigated the associations between serum CEA levels and pathological complete remission (pCR). Further stratified analyses were performed according to different CEA thresholds.

Results

We found that pre-nCRT CEA and post-nCRT CEA were negatively correlated with pCR (P < 0.001). Stratified analyses revealed that when the CEA cutoff value was set to 5 ng/mL, 10.6% of patients with post-nCRT CEA levels > 5 ng/mL achieved pCR. Meanwhile, when the CEA cutoff value was set to 10 ng/mL, only 6.8% of the patients with post-nCRT CEA levels > 10 ng/mL achieved pCR.

Conclusion

In summary, pre- and post-nCRT CEA levels ≤ 5 ng/mL were favorable predictors of pCR in LACR patients, and the “watch and wait” strategy is not recommended for patients with post-nCRT CEA levels > 10 ng/mL.
Automatic delineation of organs at risk in non-small cell lung cancer radiotherapy based on deep learning networks*
Authors: Yang Anning , Lu Na , Jiang Huayong , Chen Diandian , Yu Yanjun , Wang Yadi , Wang Qiusheng , Zhang Fuli
Published: June 2023

Objective

To introduce an end-to-end automatic segmentation method for organs at risk (OARs) in chest computed tomography (CT) images based on dense connection deep learning and to provide an accurate auto-segmentation model to reduce the workload on radiation oncologists.

Methods

CT images of 36 lung cancer cases were included in this study. Of these, 27 cases were randomly selected as the training set, six cases as the validation set, and nine cases as the testing set. The left and right lungs, cord, and heart were auto-segmented, and the training time was set to approximately 5 h. The testing set was evaluated using geometric metrics including the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), 95% Hausdorff distance (HD95), and average surface distance (ASD). Thereafter, two sets of treatment plans were optimized based on manually contoured OARs and automatically contoured OARs, respectively. Dosimetric parameters including Dmax and Vx of the OARs were obtained and compared.

Results

The proposed model was superior to U-Net in terms of the DSC, HD95, and ASD, although there was no significant difference in the segmentation results yielded by both networks (P > 0.05). Compared to manual segmentation, auto-segmentation significantly reduced the segmentation time by nearly 40.7% (P < 0.05). Moreover, the differences in dose-volume parameters between the two sets of plans were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The bilateral lung, cord, and heart could be accurately delineated using the DenseNet-based deep learning method. Thus, feature map reuse can be a novel approach to medical image auto-segmentation.
Risk factors of lymph node metastasis in rectal neuroendocrine tumors*
Authors: Liang Donghong , Niu Zhennan , Sun Xiaofang , Meng Changjuan , Liu Zhuang
Published: June 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors of lymph node metastasis in rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms (RNENs).

Methods

We enrolled 168 patients with RNENs as the research object, and their clinicopathological and survival data were collected. The risk factors affecting lymph node metastasis were analyzed retrospectively, and independent risk factors affecting prognosis were evaluated.

Results

Analysis showed that age, tumor diameter, tumor function, grade, and T stage were correlated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that tumor size, grade, and T stage were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with RNENs. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with lymph node metastasis was 40.0% (10/25), and that of patients without lymph node metastasis was 93.0% (133/143). The prognosis of RNENs patients with lymph node metastasis along with patients with large tumor diameter and high grade was poor. Cox multivariate analysis showed that tumor diameter (HR = 1.985, P = 0.008), grade (HR = 3.416, P = 0.004), T stage (HR = 2.413, P = 0.014), and lymph node metastasis (HR = 3.119, P = 0.000) were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with RNENs.

Conclusion

Tumor size, grade, and T stage are the main risk factors for lymph node metastasis and prognosis in patients with RNENs. These risk factors should be fully evaluated before surgery.
Differential centrifugation enhances the anti-tumor immune effect of tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cell vaccine against glioblastoma*
Authors: Liu Xiaojin , Qi Yiwei , Hu Feng , Shu Kai , Lei Ting
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study aimed to improve the antitumor immunocompetence of a tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cell (DC) vaccine through differential centrifugation and provide a theoretical basis for its clinical application in glioblastoma.

Methods

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were extracted using Ficoll-Paque PLUS and induced into mature DCs in vitro with a cytokine cocktail. The modified tumor lysate was generated by differential centrifugation. The maturity markers of DCs in each group, namely the modified tumor lysate, tumor lysate, and negative and positive control groups, were assessed using flow cytometry. Furthermore, their ability to stimulate lymphocyte proliferation and in vitro antitumor effects were assessed using Cell Trace TM CFSE. IFN-γ secretion levels were measured with ELISA. Intracellular reactive oxygen species were measured using 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) staining. The results were statistically analyzed using an unpaired Student’s t-test and were considered significant at P < 0.05.

Results

Compared with tumor lysate-pulsed DCs, modified tumor lysate-pulsed DCs had a higher expression of maturity markers: CD1a (7.38 ± 0.53% vs. 4.47 ± 0.75%) and CD83 (19.81 ± 4.09% vs. 9.64 ± 1.50%), were better capable of stimulating lymphocyte proliferation [proliferation index (PI): 8.54 ± 0.16 vs. 7.35 ± 0.05], secreting IFN-γ, and inducing stronger in-vitro cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) cytotoxicity against glioblastoma cells. In addition, we found that the level of ROS in modified tumor lysate-pulsed DCs was lower than that in tumor lysate-pulsed DCs.

Conclusion

Differential centrifugation of tumor lysates can improve the antitumor immunocompetence of DC vaccines, and reactive oxygen species may be the key to affecting DC function in the whole tumor lysate.
Allosteric probe-modified liposome loading bufalin-fluorouracil complex for targeted colorectal cancer therapy*
Authors: Mao Fajiang , Wu Xingli , Yuan Chenyue , Huang Haiyan , Qiu Yanyan , Ren Jianlin , Yin Peihao
Published: June 2023

Objective

Bufalin, the main active anti-tumor monomer of toad venom, is crucial in cancer treatment. However, intrinsic issues, such as poor solubility and systematic toxicity, have considerably mitigated its anticancer functions and caused unwanted side effects. It is essential to develop innovative targeting systems to precisely and efficiently deliver anticancer drugs to achieve satisfying therapeutic efficiency.

Methods

This work established a novel and more efficient system for simultaneously detecting and killing colorectal cancer cells. The proposed method designed two allosteric probes, a report probe and a recognize probe. The method exhibited high sensitivity towards cell detection via the recognizing probe identifying target cancer cells and the report probe’s signal report. Combining bufalin and fluorouracil endowed better tumor cell inhibition.

Results

We observed significantly enhanced fluorescence dots surrounding the HCT-116 cell membranes. No fluorescence increments in the other three cells were identified, indicating that the established liposome complex could specifically bind with target cells. In addition, the best ratio of bufalin to fluorouracil was 0.15 and 0.5, respectively. This improved the anti-tumor effects and achieved more than 60% tumor cell inhibition.

Conclusion

This method will provide new opportunities for intracellular biomolecule detection and targeted cancer cell therapy.
Gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma with paraneoplastic eosinophilia: A case report and literature review
Authors: Wang Shuguo , Wang Haixia , Sui Ping , Han Bo
Published: June 2023

We report the case of a 40-year-old female Chinese patient with gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma that was first diagnosed because of paraneoplastic eosinophilia. The patient’s eosinophil count reduced markedly to normal levels within 24 h after radical gastrectomy and Billroth II anastomosis. The patient recovered well after the surgery and no abnormalities were found during the regular follow-ups. Paraneoplastic eosinophilia is an unusual manifestation that usually remains asymptomatic; moreover, cases of solid malignant tumors with eosinophilia are uncommon. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of paraneoplastic eosinophilia in a patient with gastric carcinoma. We considered eosinophilia as a manifestation of a paraneoplastic syndrome, which can be the first clinical manifestation of a malignancy.
Role of miRNA-21 in radiation-induced heart disease
Authors: Fan Zhijie , Daba Motuma Yigezu , Xiao Lingyan , Yuan Xianglin
Published: June 2023

Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a potentially fatal clinical complication of chest radiotherapy (RT). RIHD is detrimental to the long-term health of post-RT survivors and limits the dose and intensity of RT required to effectively kill tumor cells. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain largely unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved, non-coding, single-stranded, small molecular RNAs that regulate gene expression and participate in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, and disease development. MicroRNA-21 (miRNA-21) has become one of the most intensively studied miRNAs in the fields of cancer and cardiovascular disease in recent years. miRNA-21 plays an important role in RIHD progression. This article reviews the origin and function of miRNA-21 in the cardiovascular system and its role in RIHD pathogenesis. In addition, the potential role of miRNA-21 as a new target for predicting and treating RIHD is also discussed.
The usefulness of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in white stork censusing
Authors: Tobółka Marcin , Aguirre José I. , Dylewski Łukasz , López-García Alejandro , Martínez Rodrigo Gimeno , Zbyryt Adam
Published: June 2023

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are effective and often noninvasive tools successfully used in bird monitoring. However, when handling long-term data in the context of population changes, the consistency of methods over time is essential as the method-related bias may lead to wrong conclusions. In two distinct populations of white storkCiconia ciconia,in Poland and Spain, we compared two censusing methods: traditional observation by a human from the ground and using UAV. We recorded the number of recorded fledglings, the time needed to obtain this information, and the number of detected breeding pairs in colonies. We investigated 57 and 117 nests in Poland and Spain, respectively. In Poland and Spain, the number of fledglings was significantly lower when recorded by human observer than by UAV, i.e., 2.21 vs. 2.60 and 1.35 vs. 1.55. The probability of mistakenly recording the number of fledglings by the observer was significantly lower in colonial white storks in Spain than in solitary nesting in Poland. The mean time needed to record the number of fledglings was significantly longer when using a UAV than by a human observer in both populations. The mean number of detected nests in colonies in Spain differed significantly between the human observer and UAV, 13.1 vs. 7.4, respectively. The difference between human and UAV in recorded pairs was higher when colonies were on trees than on human-made structures. We conclude that introducing UAVs in long-term studies may affect the results and should be performed cautiously.
A one-sided love affair? On the potential for a coalition between degrowth and community-supported agriculture in Germany
Authors: Spanier Julia , Guerrero Lara Leonie , Feola Giuseppe
Published: June 2023

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a grassroots response to the threat the global industrial agri-food system poses to smallholders. The degrowth community, calling for a radical transformation away from the environmentally destructive and socially unjust primacy of economic growth in current societies, has started to pay tribute to CSA, commonly considering it an embodiment of degrowth ideas. However, the CSA movement does not reciprocate the interest of the degrowth community. This article therefore undertakes a systematic analysis of the potential for a coalition between CSA and degrowth in Germany. We draw on social movement theories to compare both movements’ ideological and strategic alignment, as well as the conducive and/or hindering factors for coalition building. We find that the ideologies and political strategies of the two movements are not aligned, which manifests in their main frames and action repertoires, among other areas, which are articulated at different levels of abstraction; CSA has a practical focus on the safeguarding of smallholder agriculture, while degrowth more abstractly centres on the growth-dependent economy. Scarce resources, differing forms of internal organisation, and a lack of knowledge about degrowth on the side of CSA represent further obstacles to entering a coalition. At the same time, our analysis shows existing social ties and an initial ideological alignment between the CSA movement and sufficiency-oriented degrowth. We conclude that, despite prevailing differences, the two movements seem complementary, and that entering a coalition would bring with it the benefits of combining practice- and discourse-driven social change.
Differential tissue regulation of nrf2/keap1 crosstalk in response to Aeromonas infection in Nile tilapia: a comparative study
Authors: Elbialy Zizy I. , Salah Abdullah S. , Elsheshtawy Ahmed , Elkatatny Nasema M. , Fouad Alamira Marzouk , Abo-Al-Ela Haitham G.
Published: June 2023

The antioxidant and detoxification systems involve intricate pathways in which nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) play pivotal roles. In the basal state, reactive oxygen species are generated and neutralized in a balanced manner. However, stressors can disrupt this equilibrium, resulting in oxidative stress and cellular damage. In this study, we analyzed the expression of nrf2 and keap1 in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) under homeostasis and challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila. During homeostasis, the predominant expression of nrf2 was observed in the liver, blood, muscle, gut, and gills, while keap1 was highly expressed in the brain, liver, blood, spleen, eye, head kidney, and gills. After the challenge, the spleen demonstrated the highest keap1 expression, while the liver displayed the highest nrf2 levels among the tissues examined. Apparently, our findings suggest that the spleen may be susceptible to initial damage following infection, leading to the manifestation of the first lesion. This susceptibility could be attributed to the spleen’s high expression of keap1, acting as a negative regulator of nrf2. Notably, a positive correlation was observed between nrf2 and keap1 expression in several tissues, with the strongest association observed in the blood, gills, and head kidney under both normal and inflammatory conditions. Our findings indicate that blood may serve as a crucial mediator of Nrf2/Keap1 signaling in tissues like the liver and gut during normal and inflammatory states. By shedding light on the altered expression and correlation of nrf2 and keap1 in various tissues, this study elucidates their potential connection to antioxidant and immune responses, as well as the pathological features of A. hydrophila infection.
The Yet Underestimated Importance of Communicating Findings from Educational Trials to Teachers, Schools, School Authorities, or Policy Makers (Comment on Brady et al. (2023))
Authors: Zitzmann Steffen , Machts Nils , Hübner Nicolas , Schauber Stefan , Möller Jens , Lindner Christoph
Published: June 2023

This article is a comment on Brady et al. (Educational Psychology Review 35:36–37, 2023) with which we largely agree. We add to this important discussion by pointing to the underestimated importance of communicating findings to stakeholders, which is important because recommendations are derived from them, and a correct understanding is essential for stakeholders to evaluate the usefulness of recommendations and strengthen stakeholders’ beliefs in their added value. Moreover, we suggest that in addition to an effect size, responder rates may be communicated so that stakeholders can better understand the consequences of implementing a treatment.
Feeding Infants: Choice-Specific Considerations, Parental Obligation, and Pragmatic Satisficing
Authors: Moriarty Clare Marie , Davies Ben
Published: June 2023

Health institutions recommend that young infants be exclusively breastfed on demand, and it is widely held that parents who can breastfeed have an obligation to do so. This has been challenged in recent philosophical work, especially by Fiona Woollard. Woollard’s work critically engages with two distinct views of parental obligation that might ground such an obligation—based on maximal benefit and avoidance of significant harm—to reject an obligation to breastfeed. While agreeing with Woollard’s substantive conclusion, this paper (drawing on philosophical discussion of the ‘right to rear’) argues that there are several more moderate views of parental obligation which might also be thought to ground parental obligation. We first show that an obligation to breastfeed might result not from a general obligation to maximally benefit one’s child, but from what we call ‘choice-specific’ obligations to maximise benefit within particular activities. We then develop this idea through two views of parental obligation—the Dual Interest view, and the Best Custodian view—to ground an obligation to exclusively breastfeed on demand, before showing how both these more moderate views fail. Finally, we argue that not only is there no general obligation to breastfeed children, but that it is often morally right not to do so. Since much advice from health institutions on this issue implies that exclusive breastfeeding on demand is the best option for all families, our argument drives the feeding debate forward by showing that this advice often misrepresents parents’ moral obligations in potentially harmful ways.
A mosaic pathogenic variant in MSH6 causes MSH6-deficient colorectal and endometrial cancer in a patient classified as suspected Lynch syndrome: a case report
Authors: Walker Romy , Clendenning Mark , Joo Jihoon E. , Xue Jessie , Mahmood Khalid , Georgeson Peter , Como Julia , Joseland Sharelle , Preston Susan G. , Chan James M. , Jenkins Mark A. , Rosty Christophe , Macrae Finlay A. , Di Palma Stephanie , Campbell Ainsley , Winship Ingrid M. , Buchanan Daniel D.
Published: June 2023

Germline pathogenic variants in the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes (Lynch syndrome) predispose to colorectal (CRC) and endometrial (EC) cancer. However, mosaic variants in the MMR genes have been rarely described. We identified a likely de novo mosaic MSH6:c.1135_1139del p.Arg379* pathogenic variant in a patient diagnosed with suspected Lynch syndrome/Lynch-like syndrome. The patient developed MSH6-deficient EC and CRC at 54 and 58 years of age, respectively, without a detectable germline MMR pathogenic variant. Multigene panel sequencing of tumor and blood-derived DNA identified an MSH6 somatic mutation (MSH6:c.1135_1139del p.Arg379*) common to both the EC and CRC, raising suspicion of mosaicism. A droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay detected the MSH6 variant at 5.34% frequency in normal colonic tissue, 3.49% in saliva and 1.64% in blood DNA, demonstrating the presence of the MSH6 variant in all three germ layers. This study highlights the utility of tumor sequencing to guide sensitive ddPCR testing to detect low-level mosaicism in the MMR genes. Further investigation of the prevalence of MMR mosaicism is needed to inform routine diagnostic approaches and genetic counselling.
Mass Balances of the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets Monitored from Space
Authors: Otosaka Inès N. , Horwath Martin , Mottram Ruth , Nowicki Sophie
Published: June 2023

Satellite data have revealed that the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets are changing rapidly due to warming air and ocean temperatures. Crucially, Earth Observations can now be used to measure ice sheet mass balance at the continental scale, which can help reduce uncertainties in the ice sheets’ past, present, and future contributions to global mean sea level. The launch of satellite missions dedicated to the polar regions led to great progress towards a better assessment of the state of the ice sheets, which, in combination with ice sheet models, have furthered our understanding of the physical processes leading to changes in the ice sheets' properties. There is now a three-decade-long satellite record of Antarctica and Greenland mass changes, and new satellite missions are planned to both continue this record and further develop our observational capabilities, which is critical as the ice sheets remain the most uncertain component of future sea-level rise. In this paper, we review the mechanisms leading to ice sheets' mass changes and describe the state of the art of the satellite techniques used to monitor Greenland’s and Antarctica’s mass balance, providing an overview of the contributions of Earth Observations to our knowledge of these vast and remote regions.
Collection and characterization of cassava germplasm in Comoros
Authors: Ferguson M. E. , Ntawuruhunga P. , Fouad M. O. , Hassane O. K. M. A. , Charmila M. A. , Hamza A. A. , Mohamed N. A. , Dieng I. , Njukwe E. , Shah T. M.
Published: June 2023

In Comoros, cassava plays a major food security role, however yields are low as few modern cultivars are grown. Prior to the introduction of new cultivars, and as a germplasm resource for breeders, germplasm collection missions were undertaken in the three largest islands; Ngazidja, Ndzouani and Mwali; and associated farmer knowledge documented. Cassava landraces were collected from 34 farms, and 17 key informant interviews conducted. Stakes of 79 collected landraces were planted for agro-morphological characterization. All landraces were genotyped using DaRTSeq technology and data analysed to identify duplicates. Genetic fingerprints of 46 unique landraces were co-analysed with 402 previously genotyped landraces and improved cultivars from Tanzania. From this set only one match was made with a very old cultivar, Aipin Valenca, from the Northern Zone in Tanzania. According to SNP data, germplasm from the three islands of Comoros were similarly related to one another, and more distantly related to germplasm from Tanzania. They were most closely related to germplasm from the Northern Zone in Tanzania, suggesting a possible historical introduction of germplasm from this area. Lower levels of diversity were observed on these islands, as well as the islands of Pemba and Zanzibar. This implies limited introduction and movement of cassava germplasm into the islands. Introductions of improved germplasm to Comoros is recommended with the simultaneous conservation of collected unique landraces. Two landraces with high market demand and reported tolerance to diseases were identified for further evaluation with a view to multiplication and distribution and incorporation into the breeding program.
The Hall-Colley Debate: a Stop on the Road to the 1619 Project
Authors: Welsh John
Published: June 2023

The publication of the 1619 Project in 2019 by the New York Times Magazine has proved to be a discursive pivot for historiographic debate over the place of liberty, justice and servitude in the social history of the USA. Discussion around this event has been focused and intense, but little has been done to situate the Project in either a wider field of historical sociology or a longer trajectory in the discourses of social and political history. By tracing a certain genealogy in this historiography back through the recent New History of Capitalism to a broader Atlantic and even global set of concerns in late-twentieth century social and cultural history, the article focuses on something I have named the Hall-Colley debate. Back in the early 2000s, this debate struck at the very heart of how liberty, captivity, servitude and domination are conceptualized and experienced historically, and it indicates an early formation of something much more developed by the time of the 1619 Project. While delving into the historiographic particulars of this debate around empire, freedom and capitalism, the purpose of this analysis is to identify how something one might call the ‘hierarchy of unfreedoms’ has gradually insinuated its way into the discourses of historical sociology up to and including the 1619 Project. The implication of this development has been a growing censoriousness in how we do social history, an increasingly maladroit handling of historical revision and reassessment, and a strengthening tendency towards closure in how we explore socially heterogenous experiences of unfreedom in unanticipated places.
The core of a complementary prism
Authors: Orel Marko
Published: June 2023

The complementary prism $$\Gamma {\bar{\Gamma }}$$

Γ

Γ

¯

is constructed from the disjoint union of a graph $$\Gamma $$
Γ
and its complement $${\bar{\Gamma }}$$

Γ

¯

if an edge is added between each pair of identical vertices in $$\Gamma $$
Γ
and $${\bar{\Gamma }}$$

Γ

¯

. It generalizes the Petersen graph, which is obtained if $$\Gamma $$
Γ
is the pentagon. The core of the complementary prism is investigated for arbitrary simple graph $$\Gamma $$
Γ
. In particular, it is shown that if $$\Gamma $$
Γ
is strongly regular and self-complementary, then $$\Gamma {\bar{\Gamma }}$$

Γ

Γ

¯

is a core, i.e. all its endomorphisms are automorphisms.
Non-stationary wave relaxation methods for general linear systems of Volterra equations: convergence and parallel GPU implementation
Authors: Dajana Conte , Eduardo Cuesta , Carmine Valentino
Published: June 2023

In the present paper, a parallel-in-time discretization of linear systems of Volterra equations of type $$\begin{aligned} \bar{u}(t) = \bar{u}_0 + \int _0^t \textbf{K}(t-s) \bar{u}(s)\,\text{ d }s + \bar{f}(t),\qquad 0<t\le T, \end{aligned}$$

u

¯

(
t
)

=

u

¯

0

+

∫
0
t

K

(
t
-
s
)

u

¯

(
s
)

d

s
+

f

¯

(
t
)

,

0
<
t
≤
T
,

is addressed. Related to the analytical solution, a general enough functional setting is firstly stated. Related to the numerical solution, a parallel numerical scheme based on the Non-Stationary Wave Relaxation (NSWR) method for the time discretization is proposed, and its convergence is studied as well. A CUDA parallel implementation of the method is carried out in order to exploit Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), which are nowadays widely employed for reducing the computational time of several general purpose applications. The performance of these methods is compared to some sequential implementation. It is revealed throughout several experiments of special interest in practical applications the good performance of the parallel approach.
A quantitative history of ordinary language philosophy
Authors: Porter J. D. , Hansen Nat
Published: June 2023

There is a standard story told about the rise and fall of ordinary language philosophy: it was a widespread, if not dominant, approach to philosophy in Great Britain in the aftermath of World War II up until the early 1960s, but with the development of systematic approaches to the study of language—formal semantic theories on one hand and Gricean pragmatics on the other—ordinary language philosophy more or less disappeared. In this paper we present quantitative evidence to evaluate the standard story of the rise and fall of ordinary language philosophy, building on the topic model of over 30,000 philosophy articles in Weatherson in (A History of Philosophy Journals, Volume 1: Evidence from Topic Modeling, 1876–2013, 2022). Using a combination of qualitative judgment and a topic-model-based measurement of similarity between individual articles, we find evidence that supports the first part of the standard story, according to which ordinary language philosophy arises in the 1940s, peaks between the early 1950s and the late 1960s, and then rapidly declines. But we argue that there is also evidence of a “new wave” of ordinary language philosophy in the early twenty-first century that defies the second part of the standard story.
Analysis of the relationship between short tandem repeats and lactation performance of Xinjiang Holstein cows
Authors: Li Yongqing , Liu Li , Zunongjiang Abula , Cao Lijun , Fan Yikai , Hu Bo , Zhang Shujun
Published: June 2023

Microsatellite markers, also known as short tandem repeats (STRs), are important for marker-assisted selection to detect genetic polymorphism, and they are uniformly distributed in eukaryotic genomes. To analyze the relationship between microsatellite loci and lactation traits of Holstein cows in Xinjiang, 175 lactating cows with similar birth dates, the same parity, and similar calving dates were selected, and 10 STR loci closely linked to quantitative trait loci were used to analyze the correlation between each STR locus and four lactation traits (daily milk yield, milk fat percentage, milk protein percentage, and lactose percentage). All loci showed different degrees of genetic polymorphism. The average values of observed alleles, effective alleles, expected heterozygosity, observed heterozygosity, and polymorphic information content of the 10 STR loci were 10, 3.11, 0.62, 0.64, and 0.58, respectively. Chi-square and G-square tests showed that all populations of loci were in accordance with the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Analysis of the correlation between STR locus genotype and lactation performance in the whole lactation period showed three loci (namely, BM143, BM415, and BP7) with no significant correlation with all lactation traits, two loci (BM302 and UWCA9) related to milk yield, three loci (BM103, BM302, and BM6425) related to milk fat percentage, two loci (BM302 and BM6425) related to milk protein percentage, and three loci (BM1443, BM302, and BMS1943) related to lactose percentage. The microsatellite loci selected in this study showed rich polymorphism in the experimental dairy cow population and were related to the lactation traits, which can be used for the evaluation of genetic resources and early breeding and improvement of Holstein dairy cows in Xinjiang.
Evaluation of an Adaptation Strategy for Flood Damage Mitigation Under Climate Change Through the Use of Irrigation Reservoirs in Japan
Authors: Ikemoto Atsuya , Kazama So , Yoshida Takeo , Yanagihara Hayata
Published: June 2023

This study performed flood analysis, considering the water storage of irrigation reservoirs, to realize flood control by reservoirs, which are traditional irrigation facilities. The effect on flood control was determined through flood analysis performed by varying the reservoir storage rates. Based on the flood analysis results, Japan’s flood damage costs were estimated. Using three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5), we evaluated the flood control potential of reservoirs under future climate conditions. When the reservoirs were empty, the damage cost reduction rate resulting from the use of reservoirs across Japan was small, ranging from 1.1% to 2.3%, but as the damage cost reduction rate did not change under all future scenarios, reductions in flood damage were not affected by changes in rainfall under future climate conditions. Moreover, some prefectures showed high damage cost reduction effects. In northern part of Japan and numerous prefectures in western Japan, the potential to reduce damage through flood control by irrigation reservoirs was high. Some prefectures experienced similar reduction levels as those under alternative adaptation strategies. In the Kanto region, flood control by irrigation reservoirs had low potential for reducing damages. Even among prefectures with low water storage capacities of irrigation reservoirs, the potential to mitigate the effect of damage was high.
Social Integration Through Conflict: Mechanisms and Challenges in Pluralist Democracies
Authors: Deitelhoff Nicole , Schmelzle Cord
Published: June 2023

Conflicts are not usually associated with social integration, but rather with threats to it. They appear as a cause of social distance, alienation and division. However, the sociology of conflict maintains that conflicts are as much a source of social integration and cohesion as they are of division. Modern democratic societies in particular have developed the ability to enable and maintain social integration by simultaneously promoting and containing conflict. To do so, they make use of three different mechanisms: the dilution and pluralisation of conflicts, their institutional embedding, and the adaptation and appropriation of the social order through conflict. The article introduces these mechanisms, outlines how they materialise in modern democracies and discusses three current developments that threaten the balance between the promotion and containment of conflict: polarisation, radicalisation and depoliticisation.
Job Resources in the Police: Main and Interaction Effects of Social and Organizational Resources
Authors: Rauschmayr Sophie , Schleicher Katja , Dohnke Birte
Published: June 2023

The Job Demands-Resources model postulates job resources to directly promote employees’ mental health and to interact with job demands. Recent meta-analyses revealed differential effects of social and organizational resources. Studies of job resources in police officers predominantly included social resources and have rarely examined differential effects, interaction effects, and both negative and positive mental health outcomes. The present study provides a comprehensive test of job resources for the mental health of police officers: Main and interaction effects of social and organizational resources were tested on burnout symptoms and job satisfaction. Survey data were collected from 493 German police officers. Social (support, sense of community, leadership quality) and organizational resources (influence at work, possibilities for development, meaning of work), demands (quantitative, emotional, work privacy conflicts), burnout symptoms, and job satisfaction were assessed with an online questionnaire. Stepwise regression analyses and moderator analyses (PROCESS) were performed. Job resources contributed to the prediction of burnout symptoms and job satisfaction beyond job demands. Organizational resources explained substantial variance beyond social resources. Sense of community and possibilities for development were the most influential resources, and work privacy conflicts were the most influential demand. In addition, work privacy conflicts strengthened the association between sense of community and job satisfaction. The study confirms that social as well as organizational resources are protective for police officers’ mental health. Sense of community and possibilities for development emerged as promising starting points for measures to prevent burnout and promote job satisfaction.
Solvability of the product of n-integral equations in Orlicz spaces
Authors: Metwali Mohamed M. A. , Cichoń Kinga
Published: June 2023

We study the existence of a.e. monotonic $$L_\varphi $$

L
φ

-solutions for the product of n-quadratic integral equations. As indicated by the different continuity properties of the considered operators in Orlicz spaces, we study three different cases in which the generating N-functions satisfy the conditions $$\Delta '$$

Δ
′

, $$\Delta _2,$$

Δ
2

,

and $$\Delta _3$$

Δ
3

. The method adopted in this paper consists of an appropriate application of some measure of noncompactness and the Darbo fixed point theorem for solving operators acting on the product of n-Orlicz spaces.
Morse Index of Free Boundary Disk in Pseudoconvex Domain
Authors: Chau Chi Fai
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we study the Morse index for the $$\overline{\partial }$$

∂
¯

-energy of a non-holomorphic disk in a strictly pseudoconvex domain in $$\mathbb {C}^n$$

C

n

or in a Kähler manifold with non-negative bisectional curvature. We give a proof that a $$\overline{\partial }$$

∂
¯

-energy minimizing disk is holomorphic; in fact, more generally we show that a non-holomorphic critical disk for the $$\overline{\partial }$$

∂
¯

-energy has Morse index at least $$n-1$$

n
-
1

. We also extend the result to domains which satisfy the weaker k-pseudoconvexity property for $$k\ge 2$$

k
≥
2

.
Intra-Cardiac Flow from Geometry Prescribed Computational Fluid Dynamics: Comparison with Ultrasound Vector Flow Imaging
Authors: Hvid Rasmus , Stuart Matthias Bo , Jensen Jørgen Arendt , Traberg Marie Sand
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This paper investigates the accuracy of blood flow velocities simulated from a geometry prescribed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) pipeline by applying it to a dynamic heart phantom. The CFD flow patterns are compared to a direct flow measurement by ultrasound vector flow imaging (VFI). The hypothesis is that the simulated velocity magnitudes are within one standard deviation of the measured velocities.

Methods

The CFD pipeline uses computed tomography angiography (CTA) images with 20 volumes per cardiac cycle as geometry input. Fluid domain movement is prescribed from volumetric image registration using the CTA image data. Inlet and outlet conditions are defined by the experimental setup. VFI is systematically measured in parallel planes, and compared to the corresponding planes in the simulated time dependent three dimensional fluid velocity field.

Results

The measured VFI and simulated CFD have similar flow patterns when compared qualitatively. A quantitative comparison of the velocity magnitude is also performed at specific regions of interest. These are evaluated at 11 non-overlapping time bins and compared by linear regression giving R2 = 0.809, SD = 0.060 m/s, intercept = − 0.039 m/s, and slope = 1.09. Excluding an outlier at the inlet, the correspondence between CFD and VFI improves to: R2 = 0.823, SD = 0.048 m/s, intercept = -0.030 m/s, and slope = 1.01.

Conclusion

The direct comparison of flow patterns shows that the proposed CFD pipeline provide realistic flow patterns in a well-controlled experimental setup. The demanded accuracy is obtained close to the inlet and outlet, but not in locations far from these.
Effect of Modified Halloysite/Expandable Graphite Addition on Thermal and Intumescent Properties of the Fire-Resistant Paints for Steel
Authors: Mastalska-Popławska Joanna
Published: June 2023

The article presents results of the research on the influence of halloysite and its modified versions in a configuration with expandable graphite on thermal stability, integrity and intumescence of the fire-resistant paints for steel based on the epoxy resin and ammonium polyphosphate/pentaerythritol/melamine (APP/PER/MEL) system. The preliminary scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed that halloysite modified with sulfuric acid (M2) has the best surface expansion. Nanotubes increased their volume and nanoplates were more delaminated. Temperature tests of the fire-resistant paints and subsequent SEM analysis confirmed these results, as a homogeneous structure with 50-fold multiplication was obtained for the sample with modified halloysite M2/expandable graphite, while the sample with pure halloysite/expandable graphite multiplied only 15-fold. Thermogravimetry/ differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC) analysis showed that the modified halloysite can significantly change the course of thermograms, even at low addition (7 wt%), and the mass loss can be reduced by up to about 13 wt%. The obtained results showed that the modified halloysite can successfully cooperate with expandable graphite and can be introduced into the intumescent system without deteriorating the physicochemical properties of the coating.