bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Student engagement and attendance are central mechanisms interacting with inclusive and equitable quality education: Evidence from Afghanistan and Pakistan
Authors: Trani Jean-Francois , Hart Robbie
Published: December 2023

Despite considerable progress in the field of education science, there is currently no consensus on the components that define inclusive and equitable quality education, how they are articulated with one another, and what are the best interventions to foster inclusive and equitable quality education. Current research investigates separately components of what appears to be a complex dynamic system with feedback interactions. To characterize this system and identify structures that encompass inclusive and equitable quality education, we used a community-based system dynamics approach. This approach hypothesizes that community perceptions of the local school system is essential to define it. We therefore conducted 648 participatory Group Model Building workshops with school stakeholders (children, teachers, parents and members of school management committees) resulting in as many models in 99 schools of Afghanistan and Pakistan. To identify common components across models built by participants in two waves of schools’ model building workshops, we applied techniques from multivariate analysis of ecological communities. Even across wide differences in participants’ situations and roles in the educational process, their models expressed a common reinforcing feedback loop which connected child inclusive and equitable quality education to two other components: 1) child engagement in and motivation for education, and 2) child attendance. Increases in any of these three components were perceived to drive increases in the others. We also found that child focus on learning was commonly expressed as interacting with this generic structure. Any educational reform should simultaneously and primarily embrace learners’ diversity, combine policy principles of ensuring easy equitable access to foster attendance, and promote student interest and engagement in learning through child centered pedagogy and non-discriminatory teaching practices while giving school communities power for implementation.
Time-dependent association between STOPP and START criteria and gastrointestinal bleeding in older patients using routinely collected primary care data
Authors: Veldhuis Anouk , Sent Danielle , Loijmans Rik J. B. , Abu-Hanna Ameen
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Only few studies have assessed the preventive effect of the STOPP/START criteria on adverse events. We aim to quantify 1) the association between nonadherence to STOPP/START criteria and gastrointestinal bleedings, and 2) the association between exposure to the potentially harmful START-medications and gastrointestinal bleedings.

Design

A retrospective cohort study using routinely collected data of patients aged ≥ 65 years from the electronic health records (EHR) of 49 general practitioners (GPs) in 6 GP practices, from 2007 to 2014. The database is maintained in the academic research network database (AHA) of Amsterdam UMC, the Netherlands.

Methods

Gastrointestinal bleedings were identified using ICPC codes and free text inspections. Three STOPP and six START criteria pertaining to gastrointestinal bleedings were selected. Cox proportional hazards regression with time-dependent covariate analysis was performed to assess the independent association between nonadherence to the STOPP/START criteria and gastrointestinal bleedings. The analysis was performed with all criteria as a composite outcome, as well as separately for the individual criteria.

Results

Out of 26,576 participants, we identified 19,070 Potential Inappropriate Medications (PIM)/Potential Prescribing Omission (PPO) instances for 3,193 participants and 146 gastrointestinal bleedings in 143 participants. The hazard ratio for gastrointestinal bleedings of STOPP/STARTs, taken as composite outcome, was 5.45 (95% CI 3.62–8.21). When analysed separately, two out of nine STOPP/STARTs showed significant associations.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates a significant positive association between nonadherence to the STOPP/START criteria and gastrointestinal bleeding. We emphasize the importance of adherence to the relevant criteria for gastrointestinal bleeding, which may be endorsed by decision support systems.
GLI1+ perivascular, renal, progenitor cells: The likely source of spontaneous neoplasia that created the AGMK1-9T7 cell line
Authors: Lewis Andrew M. , Foseh Gideon , Tu Wei , Peden Keith , Akue Adovi , KuKuruga Mark , Rotroff Daniel , Lewis Gladys , Mazo Ilya , Bauer Steven R.
Published: December 2023

The AGMK1-9T7 cell line has been used to study neoplasia in tissue culture. By passage in cell culture, these cells evolved to become tumorigenic and metastatic in immunodeficient mice at passage 40. Of the 20 x 106 kidney cells originally plated, less than 2% formed the colonies that evolved to create this cell line. These cells could be the progeny of some type of kidney progenitor cells. To characterize these cells, we documented their renal lineage by their expression of PAX-2 and MIOX, detected by indirect immunofluorescence. These cells assessed by flow-cytometry expressed high levels of CD44, CD73, CD105, Sca-1, and GLI1 across all passages tested; these markers have been reported to be expressed by renal progenitor cells. The expression of GLI1 was confirmed by immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. Cells from passages 13 to 23 possessed the ability to differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes; after passage 23, their ability to form these cell types was lost. These data indicate that the cells that formed the AGMK1-9T7 cell line were GLI1+ perivascular, kidney, progenitor cells.
Tissue properties and respiratory kinematics of the tongue base and soft palate in the obese OSA minipig
Authors: Leotta Daniel F. , Ly Daniel , Galil Bishoy , Thiel Jeff , Willis Elliot , Balu Niranjan , Liu Zi-Jun
Published: December 2023

Obesity is a common finding and a major pathogenetic factor in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults. To understand the mechanisms behind this, the present study investigated the tissue properties and respiratory kinematics of the tongue base and soft palate in the obese OSA minipig model. In 4 verified obese/OSA and 3 non-obese/non-OSA control minipigs, MRI fat-weighted images, ultrasound elastography (USE), and sleep video-fluoroscopy (SVF) were performed to quantify the fat composition, tissue stiffness, and respiratory kinematics of the tongue base and soft palate during sedated sleep. The results indicated that the fat composition gradually increased from the rostral to caudal tongue base, particularly in the posterior 1/3 of the tongue base, regardless of the presence of obesity and OSA. However, this trend was not seen in the soft palate and pharyngeal wall. The pharyngeal wall presented the highest fat composition as compared with the tongue base and soft palate. Overall, obese OSA minipigs showed stiffer tongue tissue than the controls, particularly in the rostral region of the tongue in obese Yucatan minipigs. The respiratory moving ranges of the soft palate were greater in both dorsal-ventral and rostral-caudal directions and during both respiratory and expiratory phases in OSA obese than control minipigs, and the largest moving ranges were seen in OSA obese Panepinto minipigs. The moving range of the tongue base was significantly smaller. These results suggest more fat infiltration in the caudal region of the tongue base regardless of the presence of obesity and/or OSA. The greater tissue stiffness of the tongue in obese OSA minipigs may result from altered neuromuscular drive.
Trends in cost and consumption of essential medicines for non-communicable diseases in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan, from 2019 to 2021
Authors: Kadyrova Ninell , Gotham Dzintars , Kniazkov Stanislav , Aghayev Elsever , Hajibalayev Polad , Ermatov Zohid , Azzopardi Muscat Natasha
Published: December 2023

Background

Access to medicines is a global priority. Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan have different approaches to pricing policies for pharmaceuticals. The aim of this study was to analyze recent trends in the consumption and prices of non-communicable disease (NCD) medicines in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan, in the outpatient setting.

Methods

We included medicines for asthma and COPD, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, epilepsy, and mental disorders. Sales data for pharmaceutical products in community pharmacies were extracted from a commercial database. Changes in consumption and prices were analyzed across all included NCD medicines, by disease category and pharmacological group.

Results

Consumption of NCD medicines was highest in Georgia, at twice the levels in Azerbaijan, and four times levels in Uzbekistan. Average prices of NCD medicines, weighted by consumption, increased by 26% in Georgia, but decreased by 3% in Azerbaijan and by 0.1% in Uzbekistan. Prices increased for all disease groups in Georgia (from +13% for epilepsy medicines to +86% for cancer), varied by group in Uzbekistan (from -22% for epilepsy medicines to +47% for cancer), while changes in Azerbaijan were smaller in magnitude (from -4% for medicines for cardiovascular disease to +11% for cancer). Cancer medicines had markedly higher prices in Uzbekistan, and asthma and COPD medicines had markedly higher prices in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

Conclusions

Georgia showed the highest outpatient consumption of NCD medicines, suggesting the broadest access to treatment. However, Georgia also saw marked price increases, greater than in the other countries. In Georgia, where there was no price regulation, widespread price increases and increases in consumption both contribute to increasing pharmaceutical expenditures. In Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, increases in outpatient pharmaceutical expenditures were primarily driven by increases in consumption, rather than increases in price. Comparing trends in consumption and pricing can identify gaps in access and inform future policy approaches.
Different effects of four rest periods after the last weekly training session on young male professional soccer players’ physical performance
Authors: Ben Brahim Mehdi , Sal-de-Rellán Alejandro , Yasin Hussain , Hernaiz-Sánchez Ariadna
Published: December 2023

The main aim of this study was to analyze the optimal pre-competitive recovery period for young male professional soccer players to be in the best conditions to achieve a higher physical performance. Seventeen young male professional soccer players (age: 20.7 ± 1.0 years) who participated in the Tunisian soccer league participated in this study. Players underwent a fitness test battery after four different recovery periods: 12, 24, 36, and 48h following their last training session. The battery fitness test included a linear sprint test (i.e., 5 and 20m distances), squat jumps (SJ), countermovement jumps (CMJ), ball shooting test, a Yo-yo endurance intermittent test (YYIRT-1) and a 15-m ball dribbling agility test (Ag). The main findings indicated that the 12h recovery period resulted in better performance in the 5m sprint test compared to 36h, as well as in the SJs and CMJs as compared to the 48h recovery period. Additionally, the 24h recovery period showed significantly better results in the 20-m sprint test compared to all other recovery periods, as well as in the SJ and Ag tests compared to the 48h recovery period. In practical terms, these findings suggest that coaches should consider scheduling the last training session for soccer players 12-24h before the match to enhance their physical performance, particularly in linear sprinting, vertical jumps, and agility variables. However, in situations where it is not possible to adjust the timing of the last training session, an alternative approach is to incorporate "priming-day" exercises on the match day, around 6-8h prior to the competition.
CHOICES for sickle cell reproductive health: A protocol of a randomized preconception intervention model for a single gene disorder
Authors: Wilkie Diana J. , Telisnor Guettchina , Powell-Roach Keesha , Rangel Andrea P. , Greenlee Amelia L. , Ezenwa Miriam O. , Gallo Agatha M. , Black L. Vandy , Gomes de Siqueira Alexandre , Dyal Brenda W. , Kalyanaraman Sriram , Yao Yingwei
Published: December 2023

Our long-term goal is to foster genetically informed reproductive health knowledge and behaviors among young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) or sickle cell trait (SCT) with a web-based, tailored, multimedia intervention called CHOICES. CHOICES is designed to help young adults with SCD or SCT preconception to gain knowledge of genetic inheritance, specify their reproductive health intentions (their parenting plan), and engage in reproductive health behaviors concordant with their parenting plan. In a previous study, we found high acceptability of both the e-Book (usual care control) and CHOICES interventions. We also found sustained (24 months), significant effects on knowledge but not on behavior, most likely because half of the recruited group was not at risk for their children inheriting SCD. Hence, we propose an adequately powered randomized controlled trial with the CHOICES intervention and an e-Book control to compare their effects on genetic inheritance knowledge and at-risk reproductive health behaviors (immediate posttest and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months). We will conduct subgroup analyses to provide insight into the baseline knowledge and behavior as well as the intervention effects in different demographic or acceptability groups. Given the scalability and low cost of CHOICES, if proved to be effective, it can reach the affected population at low cost.
How exposure to patient narratives affects stereotyped choices of primary care clinicians
Authors: Bhaumik Deepon , Schlesinger Mark J.
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we examine whether patient narratives alter the impact of stereotyping on choice of primary care clinicians: in this case, the common presumption that female doctors will be more attentive to empathic relationships with patients. 1052 individuals were selected from a nationally representative Internet panel to participate in a survey experiment. Participants were given performance data about 12 fictitious primary care physicians, including a randomized set of narrative feedback from patients. We compared the choice of clinician made by participants who value bedside manner and were exposed to narratives in the experiment, compared to those valuing bedside manner who had not had this exposure. We estimated multivariate logistic regressions to assess whether exposure to patient comments that “disrupt” stereotypes influenced choice of physicians. Participants who saw patient comments and had previously reported caring about bedside manner had a 67% higher odds of choosing a female physician than those participants that did not see a patient comments, controlling for the content of the narratives themselves. When participants were exposed to patient comments that disrupt gendered stereotypes, they had a 40% lower odds of choosing a female physician. Simple exposure to patient narratives that do not clearly disrupt gendered stereotypes increased the likelihood of choosing a female clinician by priming attention to relational aspects of care. However, when the content of a sufficient proportion of patient comments runs counter stereotypes, even a minority of narratives is sufficient to disrupt gendered-expectations and alter choices.
Targeted metabolomics reveals the association between central carbon metabolism and pulmonary nodules
Authors: Wu Yue-yang , Shen Wen-bin , Li Jian-wei , Liu Meng-yu , Hu Wen-lei , Wang Sheng , Liu Jian-jun , Huang Fen , Qin Qi-rong
Published: December 2023

With the widespread application of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) technology, pulmonary nodules have aroused more attention. Significant alteration in plasma metabolite levels, mainly amino acid and lipid, have been observed in patients of PNs. However, evidence on the association between central carbon metabolism and PNs are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying association of PNs and plasma central carbon metabolites. We measured the levels of 16 plasma central carbon metabolites in 1954 participants who gained LDCT screening in MALSC cohort. The inverse probability weighting (IPW) technique was used to control for bias due to self-selection for LDCT in the assessed high-risk population. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized regression was used to deal with the problem of multicollinearity among metabolites and the combined association of central carbon metabolites with PNs was estimated by using quantile g-computation (QgC) models. A quartile increase in 3-hydroxybutyric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid and hippuric acid was positively associated with the PNs risk, whereas a quartile increase in 2-oxadipic acid and fumaric acid was negatively associated with the risk of PNs in multiple-metabolite models. A positive but insignificant joint associations of the mixture of 16 metabolites with PNs was observed by using QgC models analyses. Further studies are warranted to clarify the association between circulating metabolites and PNs and the biological mechanisms.
The oligosaccharides of Xiasangju alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice by inhibiting inflammation
Authors: Sun Weiguang , Li Erna , Mao Xin , Zhang Yulin , Wei Quxing , Huang Zhiyun , Wan Anfeng , Zou Yuxiao
Published: December 2023

Xiasangju (XSJ) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula consisted of Prunella spica, Mulberry leaf and Chrysanthemi indici flos, which can be used to treat fever, headache and ulcer. To explore the effects of oligosaccharides from XSJ (OX) on colitis, we used dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to establish colitis mouse models. After administration of OX with different doses on the control and colitis mice, we measured their body weights, disease activity indexes (DAI), lengths and histopathologic changes of colons, spleen indexes. The inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress-related factors in serum, and the intestinal microbial community in feces were also detected. We found that colitis mice with oral administration of OX showed higher body weights and lower levels of DAI and spleen index. Tissue damages induced by DSS were also alleviated by OX treatment. The colitis mice with OX treatment exhibited lower levels of AST, ALT, BUN, CR, MDA and a down-regulated expression of IL-6 and IL-1β, while the activity of SOD was up-regulated. Furthermore, OX improved the relative abundance of gut microbiota and restored the proportions of Bacteroidetes and Muribaculaceae. We found that oligosaccharides from XSJ alleviated the symptoms of colitis mice through its inhibitory effects on inflammation and oxidative stress, and also regulated the composition of intestinal flora, which indicates a beneficial role for patients with colitis.
Barriers to the uptake of eye health services of the children in rural Bangladesh: A community-based cross-sectional survey
Authors: Hussain A. H. M. Enayet , Islam Labida , Mashreky Saidur Rahman , Rahman A. K. M. Fazlur , Viitasara Eija , Dalal Koustuv
Published: December 2023

Globally, ocular morbidity and disability among children are major public health concerns. This study was designed to explore the health-seeking behaviours of parents in Bangladesh whose children have ocular problems. A cross-sectional mixed method was followed for this study. The method was designed to measure the eye health care-seeking practices of caregivers/parents with children with ocular morbidity in three unions (the lowest administrative geographical area comprising 30,000–50,000 population) of the Raiganj Upazila under the Sirajganj District of Bangladesh. The study period was from January to April 2017. Face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured quantitative questionnaire with the caregivers and KI were conducted among the health service providers during the study period. This was the first community-based study conducted in Bangladesh to find out caregivers’ health-seeking behaviour with identified ocular morbidity. Among 198 confirmed cases of childhood ocular problems, only 87 (43.9%) parents sought health care for their children’s ocular morbidities. Better health-seeking behavior was found among the wealthier families. Proportions were 55.3% and 36% among wealthy and low-income families, respectively. Affluent families sought care from qualified service providers. Educated household heads chose qualified service providers for their children at a higher rate than illiterate household heads. Lack of knowledge, lack of awareness and financial constraints are significant barriers to seeking proper health care. More than half of the caregivers did not seek any eye care services for their children. Socio-demographic factors, and financial constraints play an essential role in the health-seeking behaviour of the parents.
Combined gas well hydrate prevention and control technology and its application
Authors: Gong Leilei , Zhang Shujin , Cai Meng , Li Junliang , Lu Qiuyu , Zhang Xiaochuan
Published: December 2023

The high pressure in some gas wells, such as those in the Xushen gas field in Daqing, China, makes them susceptible to freezing and hydrate blockages. Downhole throttling technology is widely used to reduce costs during well construction, however, due to the limitations of temperature, pressure and depth structure, this technology is sometime applied independently in some gas wells in which freezing and blockages are a frequent problem that can seriously affect production capacity. Moreover, artificial alcohol injection of ‘passive plugging’ to prevent hydrate formation not only consumes significant amounts of methanol but its efficiency is also dependent on factors such as weather, personnel and equipment, so it is not a continuous solution. In order to solve the above problems, the mechanism of hydrate formation was analyzed in this study, from which a combined mechanical and chemical hydrate control process was developed. OLGA software was used to design the process parameters of the novel mechanical and chemical inhibition technology for hydrate prevention and control, and also to simulate and analyze the wellhead temperature, pressure and hydrate generation once the process was implemented. Based on the results of the parameters calculation, the downhole throttle and hydrate inhibitor automatic filling device are used to realize the functions of downhole throttle depressurization and hydrate inhibitor continuous filling, reduce the wellhead pressure and hydrate generation temperature, and ensure the continuous production of gas well. This novel combination process was subsequently tested in three wells in the Daqing gas oilfield. Measurements showed that the average daily gas increase from a single well was 0.5×104m3, methanol consumption was reduced from the original maximum daily amount of 1750 kg to just 60 kg, the manual maintenance workload was reduced by 80%, and the rate of the well openings was increased from 45% to 100%. These results proved that this technology is feasible and efficient for applications in gas wells with high downhole pressure and low wellhead temperature, and, thus, provides important technical support for the prevention of gas hydrate and improvement of gas well production.
An examination of factorial invariance of the Asthma Control Questionnaire among adults with severe asthma
Authors: McDowell Ronald , Heaney Liam , Brown Thomas , Bunting Brendan , Burhan Hassan , Chaudhuri Rekha , Dennison Paddy , Faruqi Shoaib , Gore Robin , Jackson David J. , Menzies-Gow Andrew , Pantin Thomas , Patel Mitesh , Pfeffer Paul , Siddiqui Salman , Busby John ,   on behalf of the UK Severe Asthma Registry
Published: December 2023

Background

The Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) is used to assess asthma symptom control. The relationship between the questionnaire items and symptom control has not been fully studied in severe asthmatic patients, and its validity for making comparisons between subgroups of patients is unknown.

Methods

Data was obtained from patients in the United Kingdom Severe Asthma Registry whose symptom control was assessed using the five-item ACQ (ACQ5) (n = 2,951). Confirmatory factor analysis determined whether a latent factor for asthma symptom control, as measured by the ACQ5, was consistent with the data. Measurement invariance was examined in relation to ethnicity, sex and age; this included testing for approximate measurement invariance using Bayesian Structural Equation Modelling (BSEM). The fitted models were used to estimate the internal consistency reliability of the ACQ5. Invariance of factor means across subgroups was assessed.

Results

A one-factor construct with residual correlations for the ACQ5 was an excellent fit to the data in all subgroups (Root Mean Square Error Approximation 0.03 [90%CI 0.02,0.05], p-close fit 0.93, Comparative Fit Index 1.00, Tucker Lewis Index 1.00}. Expected item responses were consistent for Caucasian and non-Caucasian patients with the same absolute level of symptom control. There was some evidence that females and younger adults reported wakening more frequently during the night than males and older adults respectively with the same absolute level of symptom control (p<0.001). However approximate measurement invariance was tenable and any failure to observe strong measurement invariance had minimal impact when comparing mean levels of asthma symptom control between patients of different sexes or ages. Average levels of asthma symptom control were lower for non-Caucasians (p = 0.001), females (p<0.01)and increased with age (p<0.01). Reliability of the instrument was high (over 88%) in all subgroups studied.

Conclusion

The ACQ5 is informative in comparing levels of symptom control between severe asthmatic patients of different ethnicities, sexes and ages. It is important that analyses are replicated in other severe asthma registries to determine whether measurement invariance is observed.
Radiographers’ perceptions on the quality of managing general radiographic paediatric examinations through the use of a reflective tool
Authors: Caruana Kate , Hayre Chris , Makanjee Chandra
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Paediatric patients are a vulnerable population that require additional care by healthcare professionals. Quality managing these examinations ensures that effective and quality care is provided to individual patients, whilst encouraging consistency within the medical imaging department. This study explored radiographers’ perspectives on quality management strategies of general radiographic paediatric examinations using a paediatric imaging reflective checklist.

Methods

A quantitative descriptive research design with qualitative questions was used through a purposive sampling method from both public and private Australian diagnostic imaging qualified radiographers who had experience in paediatric imaging examinations. The paediatric imaging service reflective tool consisted of 65 items in total. Data analysis entailed Microsoft Excel version 16.16.6 and Jamovi version 2.3.21 for the closed-ended questions and for the open-ended responses a thematic analysis.

Results

The participation rate was 13.2% and the most significant findings were: lead shielding was still being used at their organisation, despite recent recommendations to suspend its use; access to paediatric patient related information resources is limited; there was no involvement of families and communities regarding policy development or quality improvement measures as advocated in literature; and there was a need for enhanced specialised paediatric education, training and protocols.

Conclusion

Using the paediatric patient-centred imaging reflective checklist, radiographers had an opportunity to identify quality improvement indicators as well as issues that could further enhance best practice principles. Further studies could inform on the validity of this reflective tool.
G-quadruplex in the TMV Genome Regulates Viral Proliferation and Acts as Antiviral Target of Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Xie Congbao , Zhang Xianpeng , Pei Wenyue , Sun Ju , Shang Hongqi , Huang Zhiyuan , Wang Mengxi , Wang Daozhong , Wang Guiqian , Gui Zhikun , Liu Sisi , Li Feng , Wei Dengguo
Published: December 2023

Plant viruses seriously disrupt crop growth and development, and classic protein-targeted antiviral drugs could not provide complete protection against them. It is urgent to develop antiviral compounds with novel targets. Photodynamic therapy shows potential in controlling agricultural pests, but nonselective damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS) unexpectedly affects healthy tissues. A G-quadruplex (G4)-forming sequence in the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) genome was identified to interfere the RNA replication in vitro, and affect the proliferation of TMV in tobacco. N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX stabilizing the G4 structure exhibited inhibition against viral proliferation, which was comparable to the inhibition effect of ribavirin. This indicated that G4 could work as an antiviral target. The large conjugate planes shared by G4 ligands and photosensitizers (PSs) remind us that the PSs could work as antiviral agents by targeting G4 in the genome of TMV. Chlorin e6 (Ce6) was identified to stabilize the G4 structure in the dark and selectively cleave the G4 sequence by producing ROS upon LED-light irradiation, leading to 92.2% inhibition against TMV in vivo, which is higher than that of commercial ningnanmycin. The inhibition of Ce6 was lost against the mutant variants lacking the G4-forming sequence. These findings indicated that the G-quadruplex in the TMV genome worked as an important structural element regulating viral proliferation, and could act as the antiviral target of photodynamic therapy.
Developing novel antimicrobials by combining cancer chemotherapeutics with bacterial DNA repair inhibitors
Authors: Bernacchia Lorenzo , Gupta Arya , Paris Antoine , Moores Alexandra A. , Kad Neil M.
Published: December 2023

Cancer chemotherapeutics kill rapidly dividing cells, which includes cells of the immune system. The resulting neutropenia predisposes patients to infection, which delays treatment and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. To tackle this problem, we have isolated several compounds that inhibit bacterial DNA repair, alone they are non-toxic, however in combination with DNA damaging anti-cancer drugs, they prevent bacterial growth. These compounds were identified through screening of an FDA-approved drug library in the presence of the anti-cancer compound cisplatin. Using a series of triage tests, the screen was reduced to a handful of drugs that were tested for specific activity against bacterial nucleotide excision DNA repair (NER). Five compounds emerged, of which three possess promising antimicrobial properties including cell penetrance, and the ability to block replication in a multi-drug resistant clinically relevant E. coli strain. This study suggests that targeting NER could offer a new therapeutic approach tailor-made for infections in cancer patients, by combining cancer chemotherapy with an adjuvant that targets DNA repair.
Strategic Communications in Russia: Public Relations and Advertising, Katerina Tsetsura and Dean Kruckeberg (eds) (2021)
Authors: Klyueva Anna
Published: December 2023

Review of: Strategic Communications in Russia: Public Relations and Advertising, Katerina Tsetsura and Dean Kruckeberg (eds) (2021)

New York: Routledge, 268 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-36754-337-2, p/bk, $52.95
Los poemas asociados a Fructuoso de Braga (CPL 1275)
Authors: Martin Céline , Martín Iglesias José Carlos
Published: December 2023

Este artículo busca identificar la familia política de Fructuoso de Braga a partir del testimonio de los tres poemas transmitidos al final de una Vita s. Fructuosi primitiva de autor anónimo, fuente de la Vita (CPL 1293) más extensa y conocida del santo. El estudio presenta una nueva edición y traducción de los poemas, dos de ellos atribuidos a Fructuoso y un tercero, en elogio suyo, de autor no identificado. Concluye que el esposo de Justa, de nombre Bricio, era hijo del rey visigodo Sisenando, mientras que el Visinando tradicionalmente considerado como tal fue el fruto del matrimonio de ambos. Asimismo, propone una identificación para el destinatario de los poemas de Fructuoso y otra, más hipotética, para el autor de la citada Vita s. Fructuosi primitiva, que con seguridad es quien compuso el tercer poema.
Burguesia industrial e inovação nas práticas de classe
Authors: Cadoná Marco André
Published: December 2023

O artigo problematiza as inovações políticas presentes nas práticas de classe mobilizadas pela burguesia industrial no Brasil, visando defender seus interesses em instâncias subnacionais de decisão estatal. O modo como o conceito de práticas de classe é utilizado pressupõe que as classes sociais definem e redefinem suas formas de atuação levando em consideração necessidades e oportunidades políticas que decorrem de suas experiências de lutas. Nesse sentido, tomando como referência a atuação política da Federação das Indústrias do Rio Grande do Sul (FIERGS), são analisadas as continuidades e as mudanças nas práticas de classe da burguesia industrial gaúcha, visando defender seus interesses na Assembleia Legislativa. A análise enfatiza a criação de uma Agenda Legislativa Estadual que, a partir de 2020, deu uma nova organicidade às práticas classistas utilizadas pela burguesia industrial no Rio Grande do Sul em sua relação com o poder legislativo subnacional.
Teaching Science to Students with Disabilities Using Socio-Scientific Issues
Authors:   Delaware State University, Juergensen Rachel , Zangori Laura ,   University of Missouri
Published: December 2023

Students with disabilities experience inequitable learning opportunities in science classrooms. To create equitable learning environments, science teachers must embed supports within their curriculum units. Teachers rely on their beliefs about the capabilities of their students, their role as science teachers, and the goals of science education to adapt their curriculum units. Curricular changes occur through their pedagogical design capacity (PDC) during lesson planning and enactments, in which their beliefs inform their PDC choices. Yet there is little research regarding science teachers’ beliefs about teaching students with disabilities and how they enact their science curriculum materials in general education science classrooms. This qualitative case study focused on one secondary biology teacher who taught a socio-scientific issues (SSI) based unit in a remedial biology classroom. Teacher beliefs and PDC served as the theoretical and analytical frameworks. Data included classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews. Findings show the teacher’s beliefs about her students’ capabilities, role as their science teacher, and goals for science learning drove her PDC. She scaffolded, adapted, and improvised to support learners, while not changing the rigor of the curriculum unit. This study illustrates a vision of equitable science instruction with implications for bringing this vision to life for students with disabilities in science classrooms.
An Introductory Course in Electrical Circuits and Coding for Deaf and DeafBlind Middle School Students
Authors: Leininger Becca , Quinn Makayla ,   University of St. Thomas- Minnesota, Jalkio Jeffrey ,   University of St. Thomas- Minnesota, Bahajry Rahaf ,   University of St. Thomas- Minnesota, Ingabire Mellissa ,   University of St. Thomas- Minnesota, Thomas AnnMarie ,   University of St Thomas - Minnesota
Published: December 2023

The Playful Learning Lab collaborated with Metro Deaf School (MDS) to design and deliver an Intro to Electronics and Computer Programming course to Deaf and DeafBlind middle school students. Four sets of 6–8 students went through an approximately 20-day course that met four days a week for 40 minutes per day. The content of the class focused on electrical circuits and computer programming. Lessons covered topics such as conductivity, closed/open circuits, series/parallel circuits, and coding. Students were introduced to the Scratch computer programming language and Makey Makey kits. The development and delivery of the course was a collaborative effort between Metro Deaf School staff and the undergraduate student researchers in the Playful Learning Lab. The class was a project based mix of lectures, projects, and hands-on assignments. In this presentation we will share the lessons learned by designing, and delivering, this course.
A nonparametric test for comparing survival functions based on restricted distance correlation
Authors: Zhang Qingyang
Published: December 2023

In this article, we propose an omnibus test for comparing two survival functions under non-proportional hazards. The test statistic is based on a product-limit estimate of the restricted distance correlation, which is closely related to the

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2

{L}_{2}

distance between survival curves. The strong consistency is established under mild regularity conditions. Our simulation studies show that the new test has satisfactory power under proportional hazard and various non-proportional hazards settings including delayed treatment effect, diminishing effect, and crossing survival curves; therefore, it can be a competitive alternative to the existing omnibus tests such as Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Cramer-von Mises test, two-stage test, and the maxCombo test based on weighted log-rank statistics. Two extensions of the new test to one-sided alternatives and a Gaussian kernel are also discussed.
A Soufflé only Rises Once: China’s Grim Economic Prospects
Authors: Dieter Heribert
Published: December 2023

After four decades of unprecedented growth, the Chinese economy faces a plethora of structural problems: The bursting of the world’s largest real estate bubble, the demographic decline and the turn to a preference for autarky are resulting in a potent mix. Solving the above-named problems will results in a prolonged phase of slow growth or even stagnation. Not tackling the issues will be even worse, for the adjustment process will eventually be even more painful. Real estate is probably the biggest issue. Too many apartments were built for too few people. The second key problem is the demography. The United Nations are suggesting that China’s population may shrink to about half its current level by 2100. Since China does not consider immigration, the aging population will be a drag on economic development and, of course, real estate. The Chinese Communist Party has engineered an economic mirage: That soufflé will only rise once.
Testing for treatment effect twice using internal and external controls in clinical trials
Authors: Yi Yanyao , Zhang Ying , Du Yu , Ye Ting
Published: December 2023

Leveraging external controls – relevant individual patient data under control from external trials or real-world data – has the potential to reduce the cost of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) while increasing the proportion of trial patients given access to novel treatments. However, due to lack of randomization, RCT patients and external controls may differ with respect to covariates that may or may not have been measured. Hence, after controlling for measured covariates, for instance by matching, testing for treatment effect using external controls may still be subject to unmeasured biases. In this article, we propose a sensitivity analysis approach to quantify the magnitude of unmeasured bias that would be needed to alter the study conclusion that presumed no unmeasured biases are introduced by employing external controls. Whether leveraging external controls increases power or not depends on the interplay between sample sizes and the magnitude of treatment effect and unmeasured biases, which may be difficult to anticipate. This motivates a combined testing procedure that performs two highly correlated analyses, one with and one without external controls, with a small correction for multiple testing using the joint distribution of the two test statistics. The combined test provides a new method of sensitivity analysis designed for data fusion problems, which anchors at the unbiased analysis based on RCT only and spends a small proportion of the type I error to also test using the external controls. In this way, if leveraging external controls increases power, the power gain compared to the analysis based on RCT only can be substantial; if not, the power loss is small. The proposed method is evaluated in theory and power calculations, and applied to a real trial.
A hybrid FSO/RF communication system with DSP for long haul communication
Authors: Ghatwal Shakshi , Saini Himanshi
Published: December 2023

Due to the exceptional growth in mobile data traffic, emerging mobile access networks need a lot of bandwidth and robust network architecture as a crucial solution in delivering a high capacity for support in the future. The proposed work presents a detailed investigation of hybrid free space optical/radio frequency (FSO/RF) communication system at 320 Gbps channel capacity. A digital signal processing (DSP) compensation mechanism is used in the receiver system along with circular polarization division multiplexed (CPDM) 256-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) to improve system performance. Constellation diagrams have been used to measure the effectiveness of the system. The constellation diagrams which are considered for investigating the proposal are, (a) without DSP (digital signal processing), (b) with DSP without normalization and low pass filtering, (c) with DSP without carrier phase estimation (CPE) and frequency offset estimation (FOE) and (d) with DSP using normalization, low pass filtering, CPE and FOE, in FSO/RF system under clear weather, rain and haze. Effects of presence and absence of DSP in the coherent receiver have been investigated. Results show the improvement in system performance with least error vector magnitude (EVM), when DSP incorporated FSO/RF system is implemented using normalization, low pass filtering, CPE, FOE with perfect placements of symbols.
Artificial intelligence in the NICU to predict extubation success in prematurely born infants
Authors: Jenkinson Allan C. , Dassios Theodore , Greenough Anne
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Mechanical ventilation in prematurely born infants, particularly if prolonged, can cause long term complications including bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Timely extubation then is essential, yet predicting its success remains challenging. Artificial intelligence (AI) may provide a potential solution.

Content

A narrative review was undertaken to explore AI’s role in predicting extubation success in prematurely born infants. Across the 11 studies analysed, the range of reported area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) for the selected prediction models was between 0.7 and 0.87. Only two studies implemented an external validation procedure. Comparison to the results of clinical predictors was made in two studies. One group reported a logistic regression model that outperformed clinical predictors on decision tree analysis, while another group reported clinical predictors outperformed their artificial neural network model (AUCs: ANN 0.68 vs. clinical predictors 0.86). Amongst the studies there was an heterogenous selection of variables for inclusion in prediction models, as well as variations in definitions of extubation failure.

Although there is potential for AI to enhance extubation success, no model’s performance has yet surpassed that of clinical predictors.

Outlook

Future studies should incorporate external validation to increase the applicability of the models to clinical settings.
Effect of gas metal arc and cold metal transfer arc welding processes on microstructure and mechanical properties of AA8011-H18 alloy joints
Authors: Sonar Tushar , Ivanov Mikhail , Sambath Srinivasan , Rajendran Chinnasamy , Ramachandran Natarajan , Senthil Kumar Padmanaban , Cheepu Muralimohan , Xu Jinyang
Published: December 2023

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and cold metal transfer arc welding (CMTAW) processes on microstructure and mechanical properties of AA8011-H18 aluminum alloy joints. The AA8011-H18 alloy sheets of thickness 3 mm were welded in butt joint configuration using conventional GMAW and CMTAW processes. The optical microscopy was employed for analyzing the microstructure of weld metal (WM) and heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the developed joints. The tensile properties and hardness of welded joints were evaluated using universal testing machine (UTM) and Vickers microhardness testing machine. The GMAW and CMTAW joints disclosed the joint efficiency of 58.33 % and 75.98 %, respectively. The CMTAW joints showed 30.25 % and 27.28 % improvement in tensile and yield strength compared to GMAW joints. However, there is a loss of 20 % ductility in CMTAW joints compared to GMAW joints. The superior tensile strength of CMTAW joints is correlated to microstructural refinement of WM and reduced grain growth in HAZ. It alludes to the wire retraction mechanism, which help to regulate the droplet transfer and lower the heat input.
Chronic Adaptations in the Dorsal Horn Following a Cervical Spinal Cord Injury in Primates
Authors: Fisher Karen M. , Garner Joseph P. , Darian-Smith Corinna
Published: December 2023

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is devastating, with limited treatment options and variable outcomes. Most in vivo SCI research has focused on the acute and early post-injury periods, and the promotion of axonal growth, so little is understood about the clinically stable chronic state, axonal growth over time, and what plasticity endures. Here, we followed animals into the chronic phase following SCI, to address this gap. Male macaques received targeted deafferentation, affecting three digits of one hand, and were divided into short (4–6 months) or long-term (11–12 months) groups, based on post-injury survival times. Monkeys were assessed behaviorally, where possible, and all exhibited an initial post-injury deficit in manual dexterity, with gradual functional recovery over 2 months. We previously reported extensive sprouting of somatosensory corticospinal (S1 CST) fibers in the dorsal horn in the first five post-injury months. Here, we show that by 1 year, the S1 CST sprouting is pruned, with the terminal territory resembling control animals. This was reflected in the number of putatively “functional” synapses observed, which increased over the first 4–5 months, and then returned to baseline by 1 year. Microglia density also increased in the affected dorsal horn at 4–6 months and then decreased, but did not return to baseline by 1 year, suggesting refinement continues beyond this time. Overall, there is a long period of reorganization and consolidation of adaptive circuitry in the dorsal horn, extending well beyond the initial behavioral recovery. This provides a potential window to target therapeutic opportunities during the chronic phase.
Jaime E. Rodríguez O. and Understanding the Independence Era
Authors: Guardino Peter
Published: December 2023

Jaime E. Rodríguez O. was an important historian of the independence era in Mexico. He argued in various well-researched works that Hispanic political culture contained the seeds of liberalism and that during the independence era many groups became politicized. His passionate and sometimes provocative arguments were driven by his rejection of the widely held notions that Spanish American political culture was oriented toward authoritarianism and that representative democracy was an alien import from Western Europe and the United States. Rodríguez made crucial contributions, but we should build on those contributions by exploring the social influence of Hispanic liberalism. How did the new egalitarianism play out on the streets and in the fields? How did legal equality and the abolition of racial classification in Mexico coexist with the continuation of racial prejudice?