bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in Assessing Portal Hypertension: A State‐of‐the‐Art Literature Review and Evolving Perspectives
Authors: Termite Fabrizio , Borrelli de Andreis Federica , Liguori Antonio , Gasbarrini Antonio , Attili Fabia , Spada Cristiano , Miele Luca 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundPortal hypertension (PH) is a critical complication in patients with hepatic diseases. Its accurate evaluation is essential for early diagnosis, risk stratification, and management. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has emerged as a promising diagnostic tool, offering high‐resolution imaging of the portal venous system, hepatic vasculature, and surrounding structures.AimsThis review aims at providing an overview of the evolving role of EUS in PH evaluation in patients with liver disease.Materials and MethodsA systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar until 31 May 2024. Relevant studies were identified using keywords related to EUS and PH. Additional references were included based on expert knowledge and citation analysis. Only full‐length papers and abstracts in English were considered. Results: EUS demonstrates significant utility in PH assessment, offering high‐resolution imaging and advanced tools like contrast enhancement (CE) and shear‐wave elastography (SWE) for evaluating liver stiffness and correlating it with PH severity. EUS‐guided portal pressure gradient (PPG) measurement provides a less invasive method for evaluating PH, potentially offering a safer alternative to conventional techniques.DiscussionEUS offers unique advantages in PH assessment, enabling comprehensive evaluation in a single session. Despite its potential, limitations such as invasiveness, sedation‐related variability, and restricted availability persist. Emerging techniques require further validation in larger cohorts and standardised training.ConclusionEUS is a valuable diagnostic tool for PH evaluation, with the potential to improve outcomes through earlier diagnosis and better stratification. Addressing its limitations through further research and standardised protocols is critical to optimize its clinical utility.Trial Registration: NCT04115046, NCT05728697, NCT05097963 and NCT03155282
Paleobotany reframes the fiery debate on Australia's rainforest edges
Authors: Wilf Peter , Kooyman Robert M. 
Published: November 2024

SummaryThe tall eucalypt forests (TEFs) of the Australian tropics are often portrayed as threatened by ‘invasive’ neighboring rainforests, requiring ‘protective’ burning. This framing overlooks that Australian rainforests have suffered twice the historical losses of TEFs and ignores the ecological and paleobiological significance of rainforest margins. Early Eocene fossils from Argentina show that biodiverse rainforests with abundant Eucalyptus existed > 50 million years ago (Ma) in West Gondwana, shaped by nonfire disturbance factors such as landslides and volcanic flows. Humid volcanic environments with eucalypts were also present in eastern Australia over much of the Cenozoic. The dominance of fire‐adapted eucalypts appears to be geologically recent and is linked to Neogene C4 grassland expansion, Pleistocene climate cycles, and human activity. We suggest that characterizing TEFs and rainforests as adversarial results from misinterpreting the evolutionary history and expansion‐contraction dynamics of a single humid forest system, whose features are now heavily modified by human activities. The resulting management practices damage the outstanding World Heritage values and carbon storage of affected areas and thus have impacts far beyond Australia. The fossil evidence shows that rainforest margins preserve ancient, still evolving, and globally significant forest interactions that should be prioritized for restoration and research.
In Utero Shocks and Health at Birth: The Distorting Effect of Fetal Losses
Authors: Hajdu Tamás 
Published: November 2024

AbstractResearch on the effect of in utero shocks on health at birth may be influenced by in utero selection. This study outlines a conceptual framework and shows that the results of the standard empirical approach are biased if (i) the exposure changes the probability of fetal death and (ii) health differences exist between deceased and surviving fetuses. Furthermore, an empirical example is provided to illustrate the potential importance of fetal selection. Examining the effect of heat on birth weight, I find that accounting for fetal selection substantially increases the heat effect compared to the standard approach. These results suggest that, in some cases, incorporating the distorting effect of fetal losses into the estimations may be critical to providing more informed guidance for public policy.
Beyond Economics and Culture: A Demographic Perspective on Contraceptive Theory
Authors: Sawadogo Nathalie , Bassinga Hervé , Ngo Bayong Ngock Adèle M. , Han Zhuang , Giroux Sarah C. , Eloundou‐Enyegue Parfait M. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractTheories of contraception and fertility are currently dominated by economic and cultural arguments. A demographic perspective can usefully expand these theories through “addition,” “explication,” and “reconciliation.” The addition is about drawing attention to salient demographic forces that have previously been underconsidered whether these forces operate at the macro, meso, or microlevels. Explication is about adding explanatory flesh to proximate economic or cultural influences, which can themselves result from more fundamental demographic changes. Finally, reconciliation is about moving beyond an “economy ‐OR‐ culture” binary to seek complementarities and synergies. Decomposition methods inspired by a demographic perspective help such reconciliation. They offer handy empirical tools for assessing how economic, cultural, and demographic forces jointly shape changes in national rates of contraception, and how their contributions may change over time. Thus, demographic perspectives are not offered as a substitute but as an avenue to integrate cultural, economic, and demographic perspectives and to foster richer contextual analysis.
A Stinkbug Salivary Protein Is Indispensable for Insect Feeding and Activates Plant Immunity
Authors: Wang Guoyi , Hu Biao , Yao Xiang , Wei Zhongyan , Chen Jianping , Sun Zongtao 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTSalivary proteins secreted by phytophagous insects play pivotal roles in plant–insect interactions. A salivary protein RpSP27, from the stinkbug Riptortus pedestris, a devastating pest on soybean, was selected for studying due to its ability to induce cell death and activate immune responses in plants. RpSP27 localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and triggered reactive oxygen species burst. Virus‐induced gene silencing assays showed RAR1 plays an essential role in RpSP27‐induced cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana. Expression analyses revealed that RpSP27 is predominantly expressed in R. pedestris salivary glands. RNA interference‐mediated silencing of RpSP27 in R. pedestris significantly reduced insect survival rates and altered feeding behavior by decreasing the formation of salivary sheaths on soybeans and reducing probing and feeding duration. Furthermore, the silencing of RpSP27 in R. pedestris mitigated the staygreen syndrome in soybeans, characterized by delayed senescence and pod abnormalities. This study elucidated the role of RpSP27 in the interaction between R. pedestris and soybean, presenting a potential target for pest management strategies to protect soybean crops from the detrimental effects of R. pedestris feeding.
Understanding and Managing Vulvar Psoriasis in Girls: Findings From a Cohort Study
Authors: Wu Michelle , Fischer Gayle 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTBackground/ObjectivesPediatric vulvar psoriasis in girls is under‐recognized and under‐treated due to its nonspecific clinical appearance. This paper aims to describe the signs and symptoms of pediatric vulvar psoriasis and treatment strategies used by our group.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was undertaken at a private pediatric dermatology referral practice from January 2016 to December 2022. Clinical data were prospectively collected and recorded in an online patient database. Treatment regimens were individualized and titrated to clinical response.ResultsIn 100 girls with vulvar psoriasis, the most common presentation was an erythematous vulvar eruption (97%) which was well‐demarcated in 52% of children and appeared as a plaque in one‐fourth. The perianal skin was involved in 48% of cases. Extragenital psoriasis was present in 69% of patients. Most children responded to initial induction treatment with moderate‐potency topical corticosteroid ointment followed by maintenance with topical tar solution. Systemic treatment was not required for purely vulvar psoriasis compared with 3% of children with extragenital psoriasis.ConclusionVulvar psoriasis in girls presents as a chronic erythematous vulvitis, with perianal involvement in half the cases, but without vaginitis. It is a remitting and relapsing skin condition that requires long‐term topical management.
Knowledge Levels and Health Beliefs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Population About Human Papilloma Virus and Vaccine
Authors: Gönenç İlknur Münevver , Sezer Neslihan Yılmaz , Alişan Sait 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundHuman papillomavirus (HPV) transmission routes place all individuals at equal risk; however, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals are disproportionately affected due to barriers in accessing health services and the impact of stigma, making it crucial to understand their health beliefs and knowledge levels.MethodsThis descriptive study aimed to assess the knowledge levels and health beliefs of LGBTQ individuals regarding HPV and its vaccine. The study, conducted between November 2020 and March 2021, was reported according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guideline. Three hundred and twenty‐three individuals who agreed to participate in the study during this date range were included in the study using the snowball sampling method. Personal information form, HPV Infection Knowledge Scale, and Health Belief Model Scale were used as data collection tools.ResultsThe mean scores of participants on the HPV Knowledge Scale were 3.42 ± 2.24. Of the participants, 39.6% reported no prior knowledge of the HPV vaccine, and among those who had heard of the vaccine, 88.2% had not received it. The mean scores of participants who had received the vaccine were higher on perceived severity, perceived benefits, and perceived susceptibility sub‐dimensions than those who had not, while the mean scores on perceived barriers were lower (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe study finds that LGBTQ individuals have insufficient knowledge about HPV and are less likely to have received the HPV vaccine. However, low perceived barriers and high perceptions of the benefits, severity, and susceptibility of HPV vaccination can enhance preventive behaviors. Nurses should offer counseling and information to improve LGBTQ individuals' perceptions of the HPV vaccine, thereby increasing preventive actions against HPV infection.
Dynamics for a Diffusive Epidemic Model With a Free Boundary: Spreading Speed
Authors: Li Xueping , Li Lei , Wang Mingxin 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTWe study the spreading speed of a diffusive epidemic model proposed by Li et al. [Dynamics for a diffusive epidemic model with a free boundary: spreading‐vanishing dichotomy, Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Physik 75 (2024): Article No. 202], where the Stefan boundary condition is imposed at the right boundary, and the left boundary is subject to the homogeneous Dirichlet and Neumann condition, respectively. A spreading‐vanishing dichotomy and some sharp criteria were obtained in Li et al. In this paper, when spreading happens, we not only obtain the exact spreading speed of the spreading front described by the right boundary, but derive some sharp estimates on the asymptotical behavior of solution component . Our arguments depend crucially on some detailed understandings for a corresponding semi‐wave problem and a steady‐state problem.
Clinical management of chronic wound infections: The battle against biofilm
Authors: Hurlow Jennifer , Wolcott Randall D. , Bowler Philip G. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBacteria constitute the most abundant life form on earth, of which the majority exist in a protective biofilm state. Since the 1980s, we have learned much about the role of biofilm in human chronic infections, with associated global healthcare costs recently estimated at ~$386 billion. Chronic wound infection is a prominent biofilm‐induced condition that is characterised by persistent inflammation and associated host tissue destruction, and clinical signs that are distinct from signs of acute wound infection. Biofilm also enables greater tolerance to antimicrobial agents in chronic wound infections compared with acute wound infections. Given the difficulty in eliminating wound biofilm, a multi‐targeted strategy (namely biofilm‐based wound care) involving debridement and antimicrobial therapies were introduced and have been practiced since the early 2000s. More recently, acknowledgement of the speed at which biofilm can develop and hence quickly interfere with wound healing has highlighted the need for an early anti‐biofilm strategy to combat biofilm before it takes control and prevents wound healing. This strategy, referred to as wound hygiene, involves multiple tools in combination (debridement, cleansing, and antimicrobial dressings) to maximise success in biofilm removal and encourage wound healing. This review is intended to highlight the issues and challenges associated with biofilm‐induced chronic infections, and specifically address the challenges in chronic wound management, and tools required to combat biofilm and encourage wound healing.
The Validity of Generalized Modal Syllogisms with the Quantifiers in Square {most} and Square{no}
Authors: Xu Jing , Wang Yuzhen 
Published: November 2024

On the basis of the valid generalized modal syllogism £EM¯O-2 containing the quantifiers in Square{most} and Square{no}, this paper explores the validity of the other generalized modal syllogisms. The reasons of the reducibility between/among valid generalized modal syllogisms are: that there are transformational relationships between/among Aristotelian quantifiers in Square{no} or generalized ones in Square{most}, and that the necessary modality and the possible one are dual, and that the quantifiers some and no are symmetric. This method is universal, and helps to study the validity of other kinds of syllogisms. It is hoped that the above results can promote the development of related fields such as computational linguistics.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Journal of Social Science Studies, Vol. 12, No. 6
Authors: Young James 
Published: November 2024

International Journal of Social Science Studies (IJSSS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether IJSSS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 12, Number 6Encarnación ABAD ARENAS, National University of Distance Education (UNED), SpainFahri ÖZSUNGUR, Adana Science and Technology University, TurkeyKun Yu, Universiti Putra Malaysia, ChinaMei-Ling Lin, National Open University, TaiwanSana Ali, Allama Iqbal Open University, Pakistan, and Birmingham City University, United Kingdom, PakistanWEILONG Li, ASCENTGENE INC, USA James YoungEditorial AssistantOn behalf of,The Editorial Board of International Journal of Social Science StudiesRedfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USAURL: http://ijsss.redfame.com
Multicenter evaluation of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as a first-line typing tool for carbapenemase-producing
Klebsiella pneumoniae
in clinical settings
Authors: Candela Ana , Rodríguez-Temporal David , Lumbreras Pilar , Guijarro-Sánchez Paula , Arroyo Manuel J. , Vázquez Fernando , Beceiro Alejandro , Bou Germán , Muñoz Patricia , Oviaño Marina , Fernández Javier , Rodríguez-Sánchez Belén 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Early use of infection control methods is critical for preventing the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is considered the gold standard for investigating outbreaks; however, the turnaround time is usually too long for clinical decision-making and the method is also costly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and artificial intelligence tools as a first-line typing tool for typing carbapenemase-producing
Klebsiella pneumoniae
(CPK) in the hospital setting. For this purpose, we analyzed 365 CPK isolates from two tertiary hospitals in Spain in parallel by applying unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) and supervised algorithms (artificial neural network [ANN], support vector machine [SVM] linear, SVM radial basis function in the IR Biotyper software, and random forest in the Clover MSDAS software). Concordance with FTIR clustering considering the sequence type (ST) and the clonal cluster, obtained by cgMLST for reference purposes, was measured using the adjusted Wallace index (AWI), yielding values of 0.611 and 0.652, respectively. Different regions of the spectra were studied in relation to repeatability and reproducibility, and the polysaccharides region proved the best for FTIR differential analysis. The best results for accuracy were obtained using the ANN algorithm in the IR Biotyper software, with 80.5% of correct prediction. Regarding accuracy, the poorest results were obtained for isolates belonging to ST392 (55.5%) and the best results for ST307 (94.4%). The findings demonstrate the utility of the FTIR method as a rapid, inexpensive, first-line typing tool for detecting CPK, preserving WGS for confirmation and further characterization.
The full-length nsp2 replicase contributes to viral assembly in highly pathogenic PRRSV-2
Authors: Bai Yuan-Zhe , Wang Shujie , Sun Yue , Liu Yong-Gang , Zhang Hong-Liang , Wang Qian , Huang Rui , Rao Cui-Hong , Xu Shi-Jia , Tian Zhi-Jun , An Tong-Qing , Cai Xue-Hui , Tang Yan-Dong 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSVs) are significant pathogens that affect the global swine industry. Its virions consist of a central core composed of nucleocapsid (N) protein, surrounded by multiple distinct viral envelope proteins. However, the mechanisms underlying the recognition and packaging of N protein by viral envelope proteins remain elusive. In this study, we elucidated the role of nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) from highly pathogenic PRRSV-2 (HP-PRRSV-2) in viral assembly. Firstly, among all the tested envelope proteins, only glycoprotein 5 (GP5) exhibits limited interaction with N protein. Interestingly, we demonstrated that full-length nsp2 co-immunoprecipitates (Co-IPs) with the N protein and all tested viral envelope proteins. In the presence of full-length nsp2, the N protein interacts with distinct viral envelope proteins. Moreover, upon viral infection, Co-IP experiments using nsp2-specific antibodies or N-specific antibodies revealed the formation of a complex between N and nsp2 with the M protein, GP2a, and GP5. However, neither of the two short forms of nsp2—namely nsp2TF nor nsp2N—participates in this process as they fail to interact with the N protein. Finally, our results demonstrate that this process occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). Overall, our findings unveil a novel functional role for full-length nsp2 of HP-PRRSV-2 in facilitating the assembly of the N protein with viral envelope proteins.

IMPORTANCE
The virus assembly process of arteriviruses remains largely elusive, including the direct interaction between N protein and viral envelope proteins or the potential requirement for additional proteins in facilitating assembly. Moreover, where the N protein assembles with viral envelope proteins during the virus lifecycle remains unclear. This study reveals a novel role for nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) in highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus type 2 (HP-PRRSV-2), highlighting its involvement in HP-PRRSV-2 assembly. These findings provide crucial insights into HP-PRRSV-2 assembly and enhance our understanding of their lifecycle. Overall, this study offers an alternative approach to developing a new antiviral strategy targeting PRRSV-2 assembly.
A draft genome sequence of
Cellulomonas
sp. ICMP 17802, isolated from root nodules of
Vicia faba
Authors: Mainwaring Josie C. , Gerth Monica L. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
Cellulomonas
sp. ICMP 17802. This bacterium was obtained from the International Collection of Microorganisms from Plants and was originally isolated from root nodules of
Vicia faba
. The draft genome contains 154 predicted carbohydrate-active enzyme genes.
Chlamydomonas
IC97, an intermediate chain of the flagellar dynein f/I1, is required for normal flagellar and cellular motility
Authors: Yamamoto Ryosuke , Tanaka Yui , Orii Shunsuke , Shiba Kogiku , Inaba Kazuo , Kon Takahide 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Motile flagella (also called “motile cilia”) play a variety of important roles in lower and higher eukaryotes, including cellular motility and fertility. Flagellar motility is driven by several species of the gigantic motor-protein complexes, flagellar dyneins, that reside within these organelles. Among the flagellar-dynein species, a hetero-dimeric dynein called “IDA f/I1” has been shown to be particularly important in controlling the flagellar waveform, and defects in this dynein species in humans cause ciliopathies such as multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella and asthenoteratozoospermia. IDA f/I1 is composed of many subunits, including two HCs (HCα and HCβ) and three ICs (IC140, IC138, and IC97), and among the three ICs of IDA f/I1, the exact molecular function(s) of IC97 in flagellar motility is not well understood. In this study, we isolated a
Chlamydomonas
mutant lacking IC97 and analyzed the phenotypes. The
ic97
mutant phenocopied several aspects of the previously isolated IDA-f/I1-related mutants in
Chlamydomonas
and showed slow swimming compared to the wild type but retained the ability to phototaxis. Further analysis revealed that the mutant had low flagellar beat frequency and miscoordination between the two (
cis
- and
trans
-) flagella. In addition, the mutant cells swam in a comparatively straight path compared to the wild-type cells. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of proper assembly of IC97 in the IDA-f/I1 complex for the regulation of flagellar and cellular motility in
Chlamydomonas
and provide valuable insights into both the molecular functions of IC97 orthologs in higher eukaryotes and the pathogenetic mechanisms of human ciliopathies caused by IDA-f/I1 defects.

IMPORTANCE

IDA f/I1 is a hetero-dimeric flagellar dynein that is particularly important for the regulation of flagellar waveform and whose defects are associated with human ciliopathies. IC97 is an evolutionarily conserved intermediate chain of IDA f/I1, but the detailed molecular functions of IC97 in flagellar motility have not been elucidated. In this study, mutational and biochemical analyses of the previously uncharacterized
Chlamydomonas ic97
mutant revealed that IC97 is required for both the normal flagellar and cellular motility. In particular, IC97 appears to play an important role in both the control of flagellar beat frequency and the coordination between the two (
cis
- and
trans
-) flagella in
Chlamydomonas
. Our results provide important insights into the regulation of IDA-f/I1 activity by IC97 and the pathogenetic mechanisms of human ciliopathies caused by IDA-f/I1 defects.