bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating predictors of progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease based on different time intervals
Authors: Wu Yafei , Wang Xing , Gu Chenming , Zhu Junmin , Fang Ya
Published: September 2023

Background

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the early stage of AD, and about 10–12% of MCI patients will progress to AD every year. At present, there are no effective markers for the early diagnosis of whether MCI patients will progress to AD. This study aimed to develop machine learning-based models for predicting the progression from MCI to AD within 3 years, to assist in screening and prevention of high-risk populations.

Methods

Data were collected from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, a representative sample of cognitive impairment population. Machine learning models were applied to predict the progression from MCI to AD, using demographic, neuropsychological test and MRI-related biomarkers. Data were divided into training (56%), validation (14%) and test sets (30%). AUC (area under ROC curve) was used as the main evaluation metric. Key predictors were ranked utilising their importance.

Results

The AdaBoost model based on logistic regression achieved the best performance (AUC: 0.98) in 0–6 month prediction. Scores from the Functional Activities Questionnaire, Modified Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite with Trails test and ADAS11 (Unweighted sum of 11 items from The Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale) were key predictors.

Conclusion

Through machine learning, neuropsychological tests and MRI-related markers could accurately predict the progression from MCI to AD, especially in a short period time. This is of great significance for clinical staff to screen and diagnose AD, and to intervene and treat high-risk MCI patients early.
ASHP Survey of Health-System Specialty Pharmacy Practice: Practice Models, Operations, and Workforce — 2022
Authors: Kelley Tara N , Canfield Scott , Diamantides Erica , Ryther Ashley M K , Pedersen Craig A , Pierce Gabrielle
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The results of the 2022 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Survey of Health-System Specialty Pharmacy (HSSP) Practice: Practice Models, Operations, and Workforce are presented.

Methods

A total of 273 leaders in HSSPs were contacted by email to complete a survey hosted using Qualtrics. The survey sample was compiled from ASHP member lists, the presence of a specialty pharmacy indicated in previous ASHP surveys, and outreach to ASHP member organizational leaders.

Results

The survey response rate was 35.9%. Most HSSPs dispense 30,000 or fewer specialty prescriptions annually. Most respondents have an annual revenue of $100 million or less, are part of a 340B-covered entity, operate one location, have 1 to 2 specialty pharmacy accreditations, dispense both nonspecialty and specialty medications, and employ an average of 15.5 pharmacists and 17.6 technicians. The majority (66.7%) dispense 50% or less of prescriptions written by internal providers due to payor and manufacturer network restrictions. Over one-third employ nonpharmacist and nontechnician professionals. Specialty pharmacists are involved in treatment decisions and therapy selection before prescription generation (69.8%), and 47.7% of respondents report pharmacists operating under collaborative practice agreements. Most (82.6%) offer experiential or formal education in specialty pharmacy. The top point of pride remains patient satisfaction and level of service. Top challenges include access to payor networks, the ability to hire and retain qualified staff, and shrinking reimbursement from payors.

Conclusion

The HSSP is a continually maturing integrated advanced practice model focused on providing patient-centric care to all patients and employees of the health system regardless of network status. HSSPs are raising the standards for quality in specialty pharmacy care.
A deep dive into selected work sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic and the “living with COVID” phase: understanding similarities and differences in practice, perceptions, and preparedness
Authors: Coleman Anna , Canham Rebecca , Clabon Katie , Hosseini Paniz , Johnson Sheena , van Tongeren Martie
Published: September 2023

Objectives

When it comes to controlling workplace transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, different workplaces and industrial sectors face different challenges, both in terms of likely transmission routes and which control measures can be practically, economically, and effectively implemented. This article considers a large body of research in the United Kingdom across different work sectors and time points during the COVID-19 pandemic to better understand mitigation measures, challenges to mitigating the risk of SARS-COV-2 transmission, knowledge gaps, and barriers and enablers to control viral transmission.

Methods

Data is drawn from 2 phases of research. Phase 1 gathered data from an interactive workshop (April 2022) where PROTECT researchers working across 8 work sectors shared knowledge and expertise from research conducted between 2020 and 2022. Phase 2 revisited 6 of these sectors to explore participants’ views on the “living with COVID” phase of the pandemic (February–October 2022) through qualitative interviews.

Results

Our findings emphasise the importance of considering the characteristics of each work sector (and their sub-sectors), relative to the physical workplace and workforce, the ways organisations operate, and how they interact with the public. Study findings show that participant’s views and organisational practices changed quickly and significantly over the course of the pandemic. Most participants initially perceived that the majority of risk mitigations would remain in place for the foreseeable future. However, following the change in Government Guidance towards “living with COVID”, most mitigation measures were quickly removed and it had become necessary for sectors/organisations to restore normal operations, thereby treating the COVID-19 virus like any other illness, while remaining prepared for future health emergencies that may arise.

Conclusion

We suggest that national policy makers and organisational leaders remain mindful of the lessons learned and knowledge gained at all levels (national, regional, local, organisational, and individual) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We make recommendations in support of recovery as sectors/organisations continue “living with COVID” and other respiratory diseases; balanced with longer term planning for the next public health crisis.
Golden mimics use multiple defenses to counter generalist and specialist predators
Authors: Pekár Stano , Whiting Martin J , Herberstein Marie E
Published: September 2023

Many prey species employ multiple defenses during interactions with predators. Multiple defenses can provide a selective advantage against a single predator at different stages of the interaction or attack, as well as against multiple predator types. However, the efficacy of multiple defenses both during different sequences of an attack and against multiple predator types, remains poorly understood. We measured and classified defensive traits used by five mimics (Müllerian and Batesian) of the myrmecomorphic golden mimicry complex and one non-mimetic species. We then performed predatory trials using two different predators that differed markedly in their body size, trophic specialization, and how they handle prey—one being an ant specialist (spider) and the other a generalist which avoided ants (skink). We identified 12 defensive traits and classified them into four groups (primary, chemical, mechanical, and behavioral), which were strongly correlated. Skinks were much less likely to attack and capture mimics than the ant-eating spider predators. Our results show that multiple defenses (five or six) were used against each predator. The defensive behaviors and features that were most effective against skinks included appendage waving and large body size, whereas the golden “shine” warning signal, large body size, cuticle thickness, and defensive gland size were most effective against spiders. Most defenses appeared to be predator-specific. We conclude that potential prey in the golden mimicry complex have been selected for multiple defenses because of their vulnerability to different predator types and consequently, the efficacy of some of these defenses likely represents a trade-off.
HTCL-DDI: a hierarchical triple-view contrastive learning framework for drug–drug interaction prediction
Authors: Zhang Ran , Wang Xuezhi , Wang Pengfei , Meng Zhen , Cui Wenjuan , Zhou Yuanchun
Published: September 2023

Drug–drug interaction (DDI) prediction can discover potential risks of drug combinations in advance by detecting drug pairs that are likely to interact with each other, sparking an increasing demand for computational methods of DDI prediction. However, existing computational DDI methods mostly rely on the single-view paradigm, failing to handle the complex features and intricate patterns of DDIs due to the limited expressiveness of the single view. To this end, we propose a Hierarchical Triple-view Contrastive Learning framework for Drug–Drug Interaction prediction (HTCL-DDI), leveraging the molecular, structural and semantic views to model the complicated information involved in DDI prediction. To aggregate the intra-molecular compositional and structural information, we present a dual attention-aware network in the molecular view. Based on the molecular view, to further capture inter-molecular information, we utilize the one-hop neighboring information and high-order semantic relations in the structural view and semantic view, respectively. Then, we introduce contrastive learning to enhance drug representation learning from multifaceted aspects and improve the robustness of HTCL-DDI. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments on three real-world datasets. All the experimental results show the significant improvement of HTCL-DDI over the state-of-the-art methods, which also demonstrates that HTCL-DDI opens new avenues for ensuring medication safety and identifying synergistic drug combinations.
A risk assessment framework for multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using machine learning and mass spectrometry technology
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Pang Yuxuan , Chung Chia-Ru , Wang Hsin-Yao , Cui Haiyan , Chiang Ying-Chih , Horng Jorng-Tzong , Lu Jang-Jih , Lee Tzong-Yi
Published: September 2023

The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria is a critical global crisis that poses a serious threat to public health, particularly with the rise of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Accurate assessment of drug resistance is essential for appropriate treatment and prevention of transmission of these deadly pathogens. Early detection of drug resistance in patients is critical for providing timely treatment and reducing the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. This study aims to develop a novel risk assessment framework for S. aureus that can accurately determine the resistance to multiple antibiotics. The comprehensive 7-year study involved ˃20 000 isolates with susceptibility testing profiles of six antibiotics. By incorporating mass spectrometry and machine learning, the study was able to predict the susceptibility to four different antibiotics with high accuracy. To validate the accuracy of our models, we externally tested on an independent cohort and achieved impressive results with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0. 94, 0.90, 0.86 and 0.91, and an area under the precision–recall curve of 0.93, 0.87, 0.87 and 0.81, respectively, for oxacillin, clindamycin, erythromycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. In addition, the framework evaluated the level of multidrug resistance of the isolates by using the predicted drug resistance probabilities, interpreting them in the context of a multidrug resistance risk score and analyzing the performance contribution of different sample groups. The results of this study provide an efficient method for early antibiotic decision-making and a better understanding of the multidrug resistance risk of S. aureus.
Mutational signature assignment heterogeneity is widespread and can be addressed by ensemble approaches
Authors: Wu Andy J , Perera Akila , Kularatnarajah Linganesan , Korsakova Anna , Pitt Jason J
Published: September 2023

Single-base substitution (SBS) mutational signatures have become standard practice in cancer genomics. In lieu of de novo signature extraction, reference signature assignment allows users to estimate the activities of pre-established SBS signatures within individual malignancies. Several tools have been developed for this purpose, each with differing methodologies. However, due to a lack of standardization, there may be inter-tool variability in signature assignment. We deeply characterized three assignment strategies and five SBS signature assignment tools. We observed that assignment strategy choice can significantly influence results and interpretations. Despite varying recommendations by tools, Refit performed best by reducing overfitting and maximizing reconstruction of the original mutational spectra. Even after uniform application of Refit, tools varied remarkably in signature assignments both qualitatively (Jaccard index = 0.38–0.83) and quantitatively (Kendall tau-b = 0.18–0.76). This phenomenon was exacerbated for ‘flat’ signatures such as the homologous recombination deficiency signature SBS3. An ensemble approach (EnsembleFit), which leverages output from all five tools, increased SBS3 assignment accuracy in BRCA1/2-deficient breast carcinomas. After generating synthetic mutational profiles for thousands of pan-cancer tumors, EnsembleFit reduced signature activity assignment error 15.9–24.7% on average using Catalogue of Somatic Mutations In Cancer and non-standard reference signature sets. We have also released the EnsembleFit web portal (https://www.ensemblefit.pittlabgenomics.com) for users to generate or download ensemble-based SBS signature assignments using any strategy and combination of tools. Overall, we show that signature assignment heterogeneity across tools and strategies is non-negligible and propose a viable, ensemble solution.
Civiale’s litholabe
Authors: Wilkie Louise
Published: September 2023

A review of the first minimally invasive surgical procedure and the development of lithotrity in the nineteenth century.
Genomic data resolve phylogenetic relationships of Australian mat-rushes,Lomandra(Asparagaceae: Lomandroideae)
Authors: Gunn Bee F , Murphy Daniel J , Walsh Neville G , Conran John G , Pires J Chris , Macfarlane Terry D , Crisp Michael D , Cook Lyn G , Birch Joanne L
Published: September 2023

Lomandra is the largest genus in Asparagaceae subfamily Lomandroideae and possesses economic, ecological, and ethnobotanical significance in Australia. Lomandra comprises four sections, L. section Capitatae, L. section Macrostachya, L. section Typhopsis and L. section Lomandra, the latter comprising series Lomandra and series Sparsiflorae, all recognized based solely on morphology. In this study, phylogenetic relationships were estimated for 79 Lomandroideae individuals, including 45 Lomandra species and subspecies (c. 63% of species and subspecies diversity). We generated genome-scale plastome sequence data and used maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference criteria for phylogenetic estimation. Lomandra was non-monophyletic, with Xerolirion divaricata nested within it. Two major clades were recovered: Capitatae–Macrostachya (CM) and Lomandra–Typhopsis (LT). The CM clade included a monophyletic Lomandra section Capitatae with a base chromosome number x = 7, and L. section Macrostachya (x = 8); the LT clade included L. sections Typhopsis and Lomandra, both x = 8. Section Lomandra series Lomandra and series Sparsiflorae were both recovered as non-monophyletic. Morphological characters were assessed to identify combinations of characters that characterize clades. A base chromosome number of x = 8 was plesiomorphic for Lomandra. The largest number of Lomandra species occupy the Mediterranean ecoregion and occupancy of sclerophyll vegetation was reconstructed as ancestral for the genus.
Balancing selection shapes population differentiation of major histocompatibility complex genes in wild golden snub-nosed monkeys
Authors: Dong Shixuan , Zhang Bingyi , Huang Kang , Ying Meijing , Yan Jibing , Niu Fei , Hu Hanyu , Dunn Derek W , Ren Yi , Li Baoguo , Zhang Pei
Published: September 2023

Small and isolated populations face several intrinsic risks, such as genetic drift, inbreeding depression, and reduced gene flow. Thus, patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation have become an important focus of conservation genetics research. The golden snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus roxellana, an endangered species endemic to China, has experienced rapid reduction in population size and severe population fragmentation over the past few decades. We measured the patterns of genetic diversity and population differentiation using both neutral microsatellites and adaptive major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes in 2 R. roxellana populations (DPY and GNG) distributed on the northern and southern slopes of the Qinling Mountains, respectively. Eight MHC-linked haplotypes formed by 5 DQA1 alleles, 5 DQB1 alleles, 5 DRB1 alleles, and 4 DRB2 alleles were detected in the 2 populations. The larger GNG population showed higher genetic variation for both MHC and microsatellites than the smaller DPY population, suggesting an effect of genetic drift on genetic variation. Genetic differentiation index (FST) outlier analyses, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), and inferred population genetic structure showed lower genetic differentiation in the MHC variations than microsatellites, suggesting that pathogen-mediated balancing selection, rather than local adaptation, homogenized the MHC genes of both populations. This study indicates that both balancing selection and genetic drift may shape genetic variation and differentiation in small and fragmented populations.
Predictive value of the thrombotic risk criteria proposed in the 2023 ESC guidelines for the management of ACS: insights from a large PCI registry
Authors: Spirito Alessandro , Cao Davide , Sartori Samantha , Sharma Ashutosh , Smith Kenneth F , Vogel Birgit , Kamaleldin Karim , Koshy Anoop N , Feng Yihan , Power David , Baber Usman , Krishnamoorthy Parasuram , Dangas George , Kini Annapoorna , Sharma Samin K , Mehran Roxana
Published: September 2023

Aim

To assess the value of the thrombotic risk criteria proposed in the 2023 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) for the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to predict the ischaemic risk after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods and results

Consecutive patients with acute or chronic coronary syndrome undergoing PCI at a large tertiary-care center from 2014 to 2019 were included. Patients were stratified into low, moderate, or high thrombotic risk based on the ESC criteria. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) at 1 year, a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke. Secondary endpoints included major bleeding. Among 11 787 patients, 2641 (22.4%) were at low-risk, 5286 (44.8%) at moderate risk, and 3860 (32.7%) at high-risk. There was an incremental risk of MACE at 1 year in patients at moderate (hazard ratios (HR) 2.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.78–3.58) and high-risk (HR 3.39, 95% CI 2.39–4.80) as compared to those at low-risk, due to higher rates of all-cause death and MI. Major bleeding rates were increased in high-risk patients (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.25–2.02), but similar between the moderate and low-risk group. The Harrell's C-index for MACE was 0.60.

Conclusion

The thrombotic risk criteria of the 2023 ESC guidelines for ACS enable to stratify patients undergoing PCI in categories with an incremental 1 year risk of MACE; however, their overall predictive ability for MACE is modest. Future studies should confirm the value of these criteria to identify patients benefiting from an extended treatment with a second antithrombotic agent.
Plant growth promoting activities of Pseudomonas sp. and Enterobacter sp. isolated from the rhizosphere of Vachellia gummifera in Morocco
Authors: Bennis Meryeme , Kaddouri Koutar , Badaoui Bouabid , Bouhnik Omar , Chaddad Zohra , Perez-Tapia Vicente , Lamin Hanane , Alami Soufiane , Lamrabet Mouad , Abdelmoumen Hanaa , Bedmar Eulogio J , Missbah El Idrissi Mustapha
Published: September 2023

The Moroccan endemic Vachellia gummifera grows wild under extreme desert conditions. This plant could be used as an alternative fodder for goats, and camels, in order to protect the Argan forests against overgrazing in Central and Southwestern Moroccan semiarid areas. With the aim to improve the V. gummifera population’s density in semiarid areas, we proposed its inoculation with performing plant growth-promoting bacteria. Hence, 500 bacteria were isolated from the plant rhizosphere. From these, 291 isolates were retained for plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities assessment. A total of 44 isolates showed the best phosphates solubilization potential, as well as siderophore and auxin production. The combination of REP–PCR (repetitive extragenic palindromic–polymerase chain reaction) fingerprinting, PGP activities, and phenotypic properties, allowed the selection of three strains for the inoculation experiments. The three selected strains’ 16S rRNA sequencing showed that they are members of the Enterobacter and Pseudomonas genera. The inoculation with three strains had diverse effects on V. gummifera growth parameters. All single and combined inoculations improved the plant shoot weight by more than 200%, and the root length by up to 139%, while some combinations further improved protein and chlorophyll content, thereby improving the plant’s forage value. The three selected strains constitute an effective inoculum for use in the arid and semiarid zones of southern Morocco.
Optimization of breeding program design through stochastic simulation with kernel regression
Authors: Hassanpour Azadeh , Geibel Johannes , Simianer Henner , Pook Torsten
Published: September 2023

In recent years, breeding programs have increased significantly in size and complexity, with various highly interdependent parameters and many contrasting breeding goals. As a result, resource allocation in these programs has become more complex, and deriving an optimal breeding strategy has become increasingly challenging. To address this, a common practice is to reduce the optimization problem to a set of scenarios that differ only in a few parameters and can therefore be analyzed in detail. The goal of this article is to provide a framework for the numerical optimization of breeding programs that goes beyond the simple comparison of scenarios. For this, we first determine the space of potential breeding programs only limited by basic constraints like the budget and housing capacities. Subsequently, the goal is to identify the optimal breeding program by finding the parametrization that maximizes the target function by combining different breeding goals. To assess the value of the target function for a parametrization, we propose using stochastic simulations and the subsequent use of a kernel regression method to cope with the stochasticity of simulation outcomes. This procedure is performed iteratively to narrow down the most promising areas of the search space and perform more and more simulations in these areas of interest. In a simplified example applied to a dairy cattle program, our proposed framework has shown its ability to identify an optimal breeding strategy that aligns with a target function aiming at genetic gain and genetic diversity conservation limited by budget constraints.
Minority Stress and Psychosocial Influences on Cognitive Performance in Sexual Minority Older Adults
Authors: Manca Riccardo , Venneri Annalena
Published: September 2023

Background and Objectives

Sexual minorities experience health inequalities, but little is known about differences in neurocognitive health between heterosexual and sexual minority older adults and potential risk factors. To investigate minority stress, depression, and marital status as risk factors for worse cognitive performance in sexual minority older adults.

Research Design and Methods

A total of 336 sexual minorities and 5,561 heterosexual participants aged 50+, noninstitutionalized, and free from neurodegenerative diseases from Wave 6 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing were included. Cognitive performance (i.e., temporal orientation, episodic memory, and fluid intelligence) of sexual minority and heterosexual older adults was compared using general linear models including age, sex, and education as covariates. The differential impact of minority stress, depressive symptoms, and marital status on cognition in the 2 groups were also tested. Analyses were weighted for sampling probability and differential nonresponse.

Results

Sexual minority participants were more likely to report minority stress and to be single but had better episodic memory than heterosexual participants. Depression and being single were associated with worse cognitive performance in both groups. However, minority stress was negatively associated (B = −2.116, p = .016) with fluid intelligence in the sexual minority group only.

Discussion and Implications

Better memory in sexual minority participants and a negative effect of risk factors on cognition are in line with previous studies. However, this study provides the first evidence of a potential negative impact of minority stress on cognitive performance in sexual minorities. Further investigations are needed to assess minority stress more in detail and clarify its potential mechanisms of action on cognition in sexual minorities.
Evolution of the North Anatolian Fault from a diffuse to a localized shear zone in the North Aegean Sea during the Plio-Pleistocene
Authors: Rodriguez M , Sakellariou D , Gorini C , Janin A , D'Acremont E , Pourhiet L Le , Chamot-Rooke N , Tsampouraki-Kraounaki K , Morfis I , Rousakis G , Henry P , Lurin A , Delescluse M , Briole P , Rigo A , Arsenikos S , Bulois C , Fernández-Blanco D , Beniest A , Grall C , Chanier F , Caroir F , Dessa J-X , Oregioni D , Nercessian A
Published: September 2023

The North Anatolian Fault is the ∼1200-km-long active continental transform boundary between Anatolia and Eurasia. This strike-slip system initiated around 10–12 Ma and experienced diachronous episodes of strain localization along its strike. The structural evolution of the ∼350-km-long fault segments crossing the North Aegean Sea remains to be accurately investigated. There, the modern North Anatolian Fault is localized along two main branches: the northern branch ends at the North Aegean Trough and the southern branch ends at the Edremit-Skyros Trough. The Evia Basin is located in the North Aegean Domain between the North Anatolian Fault and the Corinth Rift. This study presents seismic reflection lines crossing the aforementioned structures of the North Aegean Domain, which document their subsurface structure and the sedimentary record of their activity since the Messinian. The seismic-reflection data set is tied to regional-scale stratigraphic markers, which constrains the age of main tectonic events related to the formation of the North Anatolian Fault. The seismic-reflection lines show that the two main branches of the North Anatolian Fault became localized structures at 1.3–2 Ma, coevally with the formation of the Evia Basin. Since 2 Ma, the North Aegean Troughs developed as a series of horsetail basins propagating westwards at the termination of the branches of the North Anatolian Fault. On a regional scale, the wide and diffuse North Anatolian transtensive shear zone active from Serravalian to Late Pliocene turned into a narrower shear zone at the two main branches of the North Anatolian Fault since the Early Pleistocene. This abrupt episode of strain localization occurred in the frame of the major Early Pleistocene change in stress regime from NE–SW to N–S extension, which has been observed throughout the Aegean Sea.
High spatial resolution marine gravity trend determined from multisatellite altimeter data over Bay of Bengal
Authors: Zhu Fengshun , Liu Xin , Li Zhen , Yuan Jiajia , Guo Jinyun , Sun Heping
Published: September 2023

Mass redistribution in the Earth system induce variations of the Earth's gravity field. Now, the time-varying gravity models from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission can only estimate the large-scale gravity changes, so the high-resolution marine gravity trend (MGT) model is urgently required to detect small-scale Earth's mass migration. The sea level change is a significant response to marine gravity field change. Here, we propose to estimate the high-resolution MGT using the sea level trend (SLT). Firstly, the SLT model caused by marine mass change (MMC) on 5′ × 5′ grids covering the Bay of Bengal (BOB) is established based on multisatellite altimetry data and EN4 quality-controlled ocean data, named BOB_MMC_SLT. Then, the marine mass trend (MMT) is calculated using the BOB_MMC_SLT. The spherical harmonic function (SHF) method is applied to estimate MGT using the MMT, and this MGT model on 5′ × 5′ grids, named BOB_SHF_MGT, is used to study marine gravity changes and their associated geophysical processes. The results show that, the MGT mean of BOB_SHF_MGT is about 0.14 μGal yr−1, which indicates that marine gravity in BOB is rising. The earthquakes mainly occur in the southeastern BOB where MGT is obviously rising, which may be related to the increased density of the Burma Plate due to the subduction of the India Plate and the Australia Plate. BOB_SHF_MGT shows that the marine gravity rise rate is increasing from the 85°E ridge to Andaman–Nicobar ridge, with a maximum at the location where the India Plate subducts to the Burma Plate. The MGT model based on altimetry data constructed by SHF method is important for the study of small-scale mass migration near the subduction boundaries.
Psychometric properties of the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey-2 for Turkish nursing students
Authors: Haney Meryem Öztürk , Yoğurtcu Huri
Published: September 2023

Nursing students should be able to assess the health literacy levels of patients and enable patients to understand important health information. No scale has been developed to measure the health literacy knowledge and experience of Turkish nursing students. The Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey-2 (HLKES-2) is a measurement tool with excellent psychometric properties that can be used to assess the health literacy knowledge and experience of nursing students. In this study, we aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey-2 (HLKES-2-T) among Turkish nursing students. The study sample consisted of 510 undergraduate nursing students. The psychometric properties of the HLKES-2-T were analysed in terms of internal consistency, item-total score correlations, content validity, discriminant validity and known-group comparison. The HLKES-2-T total mean ± SD score was 11.69 ± 3.32. The Kuder–Richardson 20 coefficient of the knowledge subscale of the HLKES-2-T was 0.67, and its item-total score correlations ranged between 0.20 and 0.50. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the experience subscale of the HLKES-2-T was 0.73, and its item-total score correlations ranged between 0.75 and 0.78. The content validity index for the overall HLKES-2-T was 0.98. The HLKES-2-T is thus a reliable and valid tool that can be used to assess the health literacy knowledge and experience levels of Turkish nursing students.
Knowledge-based science in support of the blue growth ambition for small island developing states
Authors: Birchenough S N R
Published: September 2023

The “blue economy” idea promotes the responsible and sustainable use of coastal and marine resources. The need to balance the exploitation and economic use of these resources has moved to the top of the research agenda and management priorities for small island developing states (SIDS). SIDS face unique challenges due to their geographic, economic, and environmental characteristics. While the specific challenges can vary based on the individual SIDS, some common future challenges include (i) climate change and sea-level rise resulting from the increased frequency and intensity of storms and coastal erosion; (ii) natural disasters such as hurricanes, cyclones, tsunamis, and earthquakes, resulting in extensive damage, disruption of essential services, and lead to loss of lives and livelihoods; (iii) lack of sustainable development and economic diversification leading to reliance on few key sectors, such as tourism and agriculture, which are vulnerable to market fluctuations; (iv) energy security and renewable energy transition; as there is dependency on imported fossil fuels for their energy needs, price fluctuations and supply disruptions occurs; (v) biodiversity conservation and marine resource management; they host unique ecosystems and rich biodiversity, including coral reefs, mangroves, and marine species; and (vi) access to finance and technology; there are direct opportunities, for accessing funds to support technology development under sustainable finance projects. This themed article set attracted 14 submissions, 7 of which were accepted for publication. The topics covered fisheries, climate change effects, marine litter, and development of new technologies and finance mechanisms to support the SIDS. Overall, these contributions have emphasized the remarkable role that SIDS play in the protection and management of coastal and marine ecosystems, but also highlighted several needs and key priorities.
Surface sampling for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in workplace outbreak settings in the UK, 2021–22
Authors: Nicholls Ian , Spencer Antony , Chen Yiqun , Bennett Allan , Atkinson Barry
Published: September 2023

Aims

To utilize environmental surface sampling to evaluate areas of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) contamination within workplaces to identify trends and improve local coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) control measures.

Methods and results

Surface sampling was undertaken at 12 workplaces that experienced a cluster of COVID-19 cases in the workforce between March 2021 and March 2022. A total of 7.4% (61/829) samples collected were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by the quantitative PCR (qPCR) with only 1.8% (15/829) of samples identified with crossing threshold (Ct) values <35.0. No sample returned whole-genome sequence inferring RNA detected was degraded.

Conclusions

Few workplace surface samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and positive samples typically contained low levels of nucleic acid. Although these data may infer a low probability of fomite transmission within the workplace, Ct values may have been lower at the time of contamination. Workplace environmental sampling identified lapses in COVID-19 control measures within individual sites and showed trends throughout the pandemic.
Managing Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease: Should the Target Be Endoscopy, Histology, or Both?
Authors: Magro Fernando , Estevinho Maria Manuela , Valois André
Published: September 2023

In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), mucosal healing is the primary long-term treatment goal, encompassing both endoscopic and histological outcomes. This paper aims to overview the ability of new treatment options to promote endoscopic and histological healing and to discuss the prognostic significance of endoscopic and histological outcomes. The analysis included randomized-controlled trials (published since 2020) focused on the impact of pharmacological interventions on endoscopic and histological remission in IBD. Even though the Mayo endoscopic subscore is routinely used, the application of validated scoring systems for ulcerative colitis is uncommon. In Crohn’s disease (CD), the application of endoscopic scores remains limited to clinical studies. The standardized evaluation of histological features has been performed in several recent ulcerative colitis trials, resorting mostly to the Geboes score and the Nancy histological index. Still, the use of histological scores for CD remains elusive. Current evidence underscores that histological remission conveys the best long-term prognosis, supporting the inclusion of histology as a treatment guide in ulcerative colitis. In CD, data are promising but originated from a few retrospective studies. Further efforts are warranted to: (1) use validated histological indexes for ulcerative colitis, aiming their adoption as treatment targets; (2) promote the validation and utilization of histological scores for CD, at least in clinical studies; (3) confirm the prognostic impact of histological remission in CD; (4) integrate artificial intelligence assets to support grading, particularly in the setting of histology; (5) prospectively define the monitoring frequency of IBD patients who achieved histological remission.
Partial characterization of digestive proteases in the river prawn Macrobrachium americanum () (Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemonidae) in Mexico
Authors: Laguna-Nataren Victor M , Uscanga-Martínez Arkady , Perales-García Natalia , Álvarez-González Carlos A , López-Rasgado Francisco J , Díaz-Gallegos José R , Velazco-Ortiz Alexis F
Published: September 2023

We characterized the digestive enzymes in adults of Macrobrachium americanum (Spence Bate, 1868) in southeastern Mexico. The digestive enzyme extracts were made from the specimens’ hepatopancreas. Alkaline proteases, trypsin, chymotrypsin, carboxypeptidase A, leucine aminopeptidase, lipases, α-amylase and alkaline phosphatase activities were determined, as well as the percentage of inhibition, pH, and temperature stabilities through biochemical and electrophoretic techniques. The maximum digestive activity of proteases was at 35 °C and pH 11. Alkaline digestive proteases were highly stable at pHs 4, 9 and 11 at 55 °C after 30 min pre-incubation. PMSF inhibited two bands with proteolytic activity (35.1 and 23.2 kDa), and SBT1 inhibited all bands, including the one with the highest molecular weight (64.2 kDa). We concluded that enzymes in M. americanum coincide with those of omnivorous decapods with a tendency to carnivory.
An integrated workflow for pre-stack gather optimization
Authors: Zhou Jie , Zhou Huailai , Liu Junping , Sun Yaoguang
Published: September 2023

High-quality seismic data contribute to improving the prediction accuracy of complex reservoirs. Currently, there are several methods for enhancing pre-stack gather resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Meanwhile, to avoid incorrect seismic interpretation, we must evaluate whether the processed data maintains its original characteristics and reliability. This paper establishes an integrated workflow for optimizing common-reflection-point (CRP) gather that is divided into processing and quality control. Furthermore, we summarize the comprehensive quality control means and explain their specific significance in each step. Data processing includes four parts: gather flattening, SNR enhancement, energy compensation, and resolution improvement. Simultaneously, we use well log data, forward simulation, stack data, and inversion to guarantee the processed data is optimized and keeps its original characteristics. Applications in carbonate reservoir CRP gathers demonstrate that this workflow can comprehensively optimize pre-stack seismic data and improve SNR and resolution. Importantly, the quality controls guarantee results have improved accuracy in reservoir prediction and stronger correlation coefficients with well data.
Coculturing liver cancer cells and monocytes in spheroids conditions monocytes to adopt tumor-associated macrophage phenotypes that favor tumor growth via cholesterol metabolism
Authors: Keawvilai Pornlapat , Kueanjinda Patipark , Klomsing Jeerameth , Palaga Tanapat
Published: September 2023

Tumor-infiltrating immune cells and their crosstalk with cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a crucial role in shaping tumor progression and response to therapy. We utilized 3-dimensional liver cancer spheroids incorporating human primary monocytes to investigate the crosstalk between tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5. Using multiplexed gene expression panels, the critical pathways involved in shaping primary human monocytes to adopt TAMs phenotypes were identified. The specific inhibitor for an identified pathway was used to explore its involvement in polarization of TAMs. In the cocultured spheroids comprising the human HCC cell lines, the infiltrating monocytes resembled protumor M2-like macrophage phenotypes. Gene expression panels of the infiltrating monocytes demonstrated that the upregulated genes were enriched in the cholesterol metabolism pathway. Cholesterol metabolism–related genes were upregulated together with the nuclear receptors, PPARG and LXR. When lysosomal acid lipase (LAL), the key enzyme necessary for the hydrolysis of lipoprotein, was inhibited, infiltrating monocytes in 3-dimensional spheroid coculture showed significantly decreased M2 marker and lipid uptake receptor expression as well as increased cellular lipid content, which indicated that cholesterol metabolism was important for conditioning the TAMs. Moreover, LAL inhibition reduced the spheroid growth and invasiveness of HCC cell lines. Small interfering RNA–mediated LAL silencing in monocytes yielded similar results upon spheroid coculture. These data indicated that liver cancer cells and infiltrating monocytes participate in crosstalk via cholesterol metabolism to condition monocytes toward TAMs, which favors tumor growth and survival, thereby promoting liver cancer progression.
Why states refuse to participate in judicial proceedings: uncovering key reasons and historical evolution
Authors: Sun Ying
Published: September 2023

Over the past decade, non-participation in inter-state cases has been on the rise. While previous research on the topic has centred around the impact of states' non-participation, this article delves into the reasons behind non-participation. By analysing states’ public statements, diplomatic documents, informal correspondence with adjudicators, as well as commentators’ views, this article describes the evolution of reasons for non-participation. The research reveals that over time, more states refer to jurisdictional objections, doubts about the impartiality of adjudicators and concerns about the strategic use of judicial proceedings for achieving political goals as reasons for non-participation. Moreover, the reasons behind non-participation have become increasingly diverse. These findings suggest a growing sense of distrust and suspicion towards the use of international courts and tribunals to resolve inter-state disputes.
The impact of probiotic cell-free metabolites in MDRPseudomonas aeruginosa: antibacterial properties and effect on antibiotic resistance genes expression
Authors: Mehboudi Nastaran , Rahimi Hamid R , Bakhtiari H Aghaee , Alimardani Maliheh , Jalili Amin
Published: September 2023

There is a significant demand for novel antibacterial agents against multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria. Recently, probiotics have been noted for their antibacterial properties against various pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the effects of probiotic cell-free supernatants on MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Clinical isolates demonstrating the highest degree of antibiotic resistance were chosen, and the antibacterial effect of probiotic metabolites was evaluated using an agar-well diffusion assay. In addition, the effect of probiotics on the expression of resistance genes was evaluated using real-time PCR. The CFS was assessed using GC-MS to determine the antibacterial compounds. The supernatants inhibited the growth of the isolates (P < 0.0001); however, there was no noticeable difference in the effectiveness of the probiotics. In addition, the supernatants decreased the expression levels of mexD, mexB, mexF, and ampC, and an increase in oprD was observed in some groups. After the assessment of Lactobacillus acidophilus by GC-MS, antibacterial compounds, such as acetamide, nonadecane, 9-methyl, and tetradecane, were determined. Our findings showed that probiotic metabolites can effectively inhibit the growth of MDR P. aeruginosa. Gene expression analysis also revealed that the mechanism of antibacterial action was most likely related to the regulation of efflux pumps.
Into the Mystic: ALMA ACA observations of the Mystic Mountains in Carina
Authors: Reiter Megan , Klaassen P D , Moser-Fischer L , McLeod A F , Itrich D
Published: September 2023

We present new observations of the Mystic Mountains cloud complex in the Carina Nebula using the ALMA Atacama Compact Array (ACA) to quantify the impact of strong UV radiation on the structure and kinematics of the gas. Our Band 6 observations target CO, 13CO, and C18O; we also detect DCN J=3–2 and 13CS J=5–4. A dendrogram analysis reveals that the Mystic Mountains are a coherent structure, with continuous emission over −10.5 km s−1 < v < −2 km s−1. We perform multiple analyses to isolate non-thermal motions in the Mystic Mountains including computing the turbulent driving parameter, b, which indicates whether compressive or solenoidal modes dominate. Each analysis yields values similar to other pillars in Carina that have been observed in a similar way but are subject to an order of magnitude less intense ionizing radiation. We find no clear correlation between the velocity or turbulent structure of the gas and the incident radiation, in contrast to other studies targeting different regions of Carina. This may reflect differences in the initial densities of regions that go on to collapse into pillars and those that still look like clouds or walls in the present day. Pre-existing over-densities that enable pillar formation may also explain why star formation in the pillars appears more evolved (from the presence of jets) than in other heavily irradiated but non-pillar-like regions. High resolution observations of regions subject to an array of incident radiation are required to test this hypothesis.
Planetesimals at DZ stars – I. Chondritic compositions and a massive accretion event
Authors: Swan Andrew , Farihi Jay , Melis Carl , Dufour Patrick , Desch Steven J , Koester Detlev , Guo Jincheng
Published: September 2023

There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that planetary systems can survive beyond the main sequence. Most commonly, white dwarfs are found to be accreting material from tidally disrupted asteroids, whose bulk compositions are reflected by the metals polluting the stellar photospheres. While many examples are known, most lack the deep, high-resolution data required to detect multiple elements, and thus characterize the planetesimals that orbit them. Here, spectra of seven DZ white dwarfs observed with Keck High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer (HIRES) are analysed, where up to nine metals are measured per star. Their compositions are compared against those of Solar system objects, working in a Bayesian framework to infer or marginalize over the accretion history. All of the stars have been accreting primitive material, similar to chondrites, with hints of a Mercury-like composition at one star. The most polluted star is observed several Myr after its last major accretion episode, in which a Moon-sized object met its demise.