bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A PI3Kγ mimetic peptide triggers CFTR gating, bronchodilation, and reduced inflammation in obstructive airway diseases
Authors: Ghigo Alessandra , Murabito Alessandra , Sala Valentina , Pisano Anna Rita , Bertolini Serena , Gianotti Ambra , Caci Emanuela , Montresor Alessio , Premchandar Aiswarya , Pirozzi Flora , Ren Kai , Della Sala Angela , Mergiotti Marco , Richter Wito , de Poel Eyleen , Matthey Michaela , Caldrer Sara , Cardone Rosa A. , Civiletti Federica , Costamagna Andrea , Quinney Nancy L. , Butnarasu Cosmin , Visentin Sonja , Ruggiero Maria Rosaria , Baroni Simona , Crich Simonetta Geninatti , Ramel Damien , Laffargue Muriel , Tocchetti Carlo G. , Levi Renzo , Conti Marco , Lu Xiao-Yun , Melotti Paola , Sorio Claudio , De Rose Virginia , Facchinetti Fabrizio , Fanelli Vito , Wenzel Daniela , Fleischmann Bernd K. , Mall Marcus A. , Beekman Jeffrey , Laudanna Carlo , Gentzsch Martina , Lukacs Gergely L. , Pedemonte Nicoletta , Hirsch Emilio
Published: March 2022

Cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP)–elevating agents, such as β
2
-adrenergic receptor (β
2
-AR) agonists and phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors, remain a mainstay in the treatment of obstructive respiratory diseases, conditions characterized by airway constriction, inflammation, and mucus hypersecretion. However, their clinical use is limited by unwanted side effects because of unrestricted cAMP elevation in the airways and in distant organs. Here, we identified the A-kinase anchoring protein phosphoinositide 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) as a critical regulator of a discrete cAMP signaling microdomain activated by β
2
-ARs in airway structural and inflammatory cells. Displacement of the PI3Kγ-anchored pool of protein kinase A (PKA) by an inhaled, cell-permeable, PI3Kγ mimetic peptide (PI3Kγ MP) inhibited a pool of subcortical PDE4B and PDE4D and safely increased cAMP in the lungs, leading to airway smooth muscle relaxation and reduced neutrophil infiltration in a murine model of asthma. In human bronchial epithelial cells, PI3Kγ MP induced unexpected cAMP and PKA elevations restricted to the vicinity of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), the ion channel controlling mucus hydration that is mutated in cystic fibrosis (CF). PI3Kγ MP promoted the phosphorylation of wild-type CFTR on serine-737, triggering channel gating, and rescued the function of F508del-CFTR, the most prevalent CF mutant, by enhancing the effects of existing CFTR modulators. These results unveil PI3Kγ as the regulator of a β
2
-AR/cAMP microdomain central to smooth muscle contraction, immune cell activation, and epithelial fluid secretion in the airways, suggesting the use of a PI3Kγ MP for compartment-restricted, therapeutic cAMP elevation in chronic obstructive respiratory diseases.
Possible Cross-Reactivity of Feline and White-Tailed Deer Antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain
Authors: Hancock Trevor J. , Hickman Peyton , Kazerooni Niloo , Kennedy Melissa , Kania Stephen A. , Dennis Michelle , Szafranski Nicole , Gerhold Richard , Su Chunlei , Masi Tom , Smith Stephen , Sparer Tim E.
Published: March 2022

We report cross-reactive antibodies from prepandemic cats and postpandemic South Carolina white-tailed deer that are specific for that SARS-CoV RBD. There are several potential explanations for this cross-reactivity, each with important implications to coronavirus disease surveillance.
PML Body Component Sp100A Restricts Wild-Type Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection
Authors: Ma Yilei , Li Jingjing , Dong Hongchang , Yang Zhaoxin , Zhou Lingyue , Xu Pei
Published: March 2022

Previous studies show that the PML body component Sp100 protein is immediately targeted by ICP0 of HSV-1 in the nucleus during productive infection. Therefore, extensive studies investigating the interplay of Sp100 isoforms with HSV-1 were conducted using a mutant virus lacking ICP0 or in the absence of infection.
A Dual-Functional Orphan Response Regulator Negatively Controls the Differential Transcription of Duplicate
groEL
s and Plays a Global Regulatory Role in
Myxococcus
Authors: Zhuo Li , Wan Tian-yu , Pan Zhuo , Wang Jia-ning , Sheng Duo-hong , Li Yue-zhong
Published: March 2022

Multiply copied
groEL
s require precise regulation of transcriptions for their divergent cellular functions. Here, we reported that an orphan response regulator (RR) tunes the transcriptional discrepancy of the duplicate
groEL
s in
Myxococcus xanthus
DK1622 in a dual-functional mode.
Treatment of fusiform aneurysms with a pipeline embolization device: a multicenter cohort study
Authors: Turhon Mirzat , Kang Huibin , Li Mengxing , Liu Jian , Zhang Yisen , Zhang Ying , Huang Jiliang , Luo Bin , Liu Jianmin , Zhang Hongqi , Li Tianxiao , Song Donglei , Zhao Yuanli , Guan Sheng , Aximujiang Axir , Maimaitili Aisha , Wang Yunyan , Feng Wenfeng , Wang Yang , Wan Jieqing , Mao Guohua , Shi Huaizhang , Zhang Xiaolong , Gu Yuxiang , Yang Xinjian
Published: March 2022

Background

Intracranial fusiform aneurysms are less common than saccular aneurysms, but are associated with higher mortality and morbidity. We conducted this study to determine the safety and efficacy of the pipeline embolization device (PED) to treat intracranial fusiform aneurysms.

Methods

This was a multicenter, retrospective, and observational study. Data for this study came from the PLUS study conducted from 2014 to 2019 across 14 centers in China. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate predictors of the occlusion rate and complication.

Results

A total of 1171 consecutive patients with 1322 intracranial aneurysms participated in this study. Among the participants, 104 patients with 109 fusiform aneurysms were eligible for this analysis (mean age 49 years, 36.5% women, aneurysm mean size 14.7 mm, 55% in the posterior circulation, and 6% in the basilar artery). Mean follow-up time was 9.0 months (range 3–36 months). The last DSA angiographic follow-up was available for 85 patients, and 58 aneurysms (68.2%) were completely occluded. The overall complication rate and mortality were 17.3% and 2.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that age (OR=1.007, p=0.037) and cerebral atherosclerosis (OR=1.441, p=0.002) were associated with incomplete occlusion of fusiform aneurysms after PED treatment.

Conclusion

PEDs may be an effective treatment for intracranial fusiform aneurysms, with a favorable occlusion rate. However, because these treatments have a relatively high rate of complications, PED treatment for fusiform aneurysms should be carefully and strictly controlled. Our analysis showed that PEDs with adjunctive coiling did not significantly improve the occlusion rate of fusiform aneurysms.
The Biden Administration’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: Continuities, Adjustments and Domestic Dimensions
Authors: LIMAYE Satu
Published: March 2022

The Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific Strategy was issued in the midst of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the most significant conflict in Europe since at least the Bosnian War between 1992 and 1995, and perhaps, since 1945. The promulgation of the first-ever White House Indo-Pacific Strategy, even before the release of an overall national security strategy, is viewed as a message of US priorities extending beyond events elsewhere. And yet domestic US preoccupations as well as an incomplete economic strategy for the Indo-Pacific hover over the new Biden Indo-Pacific strategy.
Importance of Combination of Ecology and Literature
Authors: Fan Xuegang , Sivaparthipan C.B. , Aiswarya R.S.
Published: March 2022

Ecology empowers the environment and is critical to human prosperity and well-being. It offers an innovative approachto the interconnectivity between humans and nature, crucial to food security, clean air and water, and conservation sustainability in a changing world. A selection of literary texts from fiction, poetry, and drama is read and answered in literature. They learn to value words and their strength, journey through the texts into other worlds and ages, understand their society and others, and learn to experience character, joy, and pain.Ecocriticism analyses the relationship between literature and ecology and their synthesis. It is an interdisciplinary study of ecology and literature unique as a synthesis of science and humanism. Machine learning methods are gradually becoming applied science, a significant branch of artificial intelligence.It is suggested that potential machine learning apps in ecocriticism can become an even more appealing platform in the face of "big data" and can soon open up new ways of study to further data such as sound and picture.The concept and role of ecocriticism of Artificial Intelligence (AI)are discussed in these reports. By comparison, the AI-Ecocriticism (AI-EC) framework covers the literature-ecological interactions or how literature reflects the physical world. In a period in which automated population and environment tracking produce many data that human beings can no longer analyze, machine learning could become a requirement.The ecology score and the carbon footprint of the particular area are analyzed and reported that ecology score marked 18% average in the last 50 years and carbon footprint reduced remarkably.
Overview of the Application of Orographic Data in Numerical Weather Prediction in Complex Orographic Areas
Authors: Wang Yingjie , Wu Jianping
Published: March 2022

Complex orography is still a big challenge for all numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Orography is an important factor that affects the NWP results. The orography in NWP mainly affects the main accuracy of the results through two aspects: orographic representation in models dynamics and orography-related parameterization schemes in the physical processes. To ensure the accuracy of NWP results, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the application of orographic data in NWP. This paper summarized the influence of orography on weather, the influence of orographic representation on prediction accuracy, and the parametrization of orography-related drag in NWP models. Finally, this paper elaborates the problems of the application of orographic data in NWP and looks forward to future directions in this field, hoping to improve the performance of NWP in complex orographic areas and provide a reference for better application in NWP.
Integrative Analysis of Exosomal miR-452 and miR-4713 Downregulating NPY1R for the Prevention of Childhood Obesity
Authors: Feng Xiaoyan , Ding Ye , Zhou Min , Song Na , Ding Yanhong
Published: March 2022

Neuropeptides are associated with childhood obesity and exploring their regulatory mechanisms may reveal new insights for novel treatments. Childhood obesity data were downloaded from the GEO database and were used to screen for differentially expressed neuropeptides in patients with obesity. NPY1R expression was significantly upregulated in children with obesity compared to children without obesity (

p
<
0.05

). The GEO database was used to filter differentially expressed miRNAs in patients with obesity. And hsa-mir-4713 and hsa-mir-452 were found significantly downregulated in adipose tissue. The GEO, TRRUST, and TFacts databases were used to screen all transcription factors for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The potential regulatory networks between the differentially expressed miRNAs, TFs, and neuropeptides were mapped. In the constructed NPY1R regulatory network, the transcription factors TCF4, HEY1, and GATA3 are significantly associated with NPY1R. TCF4 and HEY1 were positively correlated with NPY1R, while GATA3 was negatively correlated with NPY1R. In the clinical peripheral blood samples, NPY1R, TCF4, and HEY1 were significantly more expressed in the obesity and the obesity with fracture group compared to the control group, while there was no statistically significant difference between the obesity group and the obesity with fracture group in terms of expression. The expression of GATA3, miR-452, and miR-4713 was also significantly lower in the obesity and the obesity with fracture groups when compared to the NC group. Therefore, NPY1R, TCF4, HEY1, GATA3, miR-452, and miR-4713 may be risk factors for fracture in obese children. The potential NPY1R regulatory function was exerted by two pathways: positive regulation caused by TCF4 and HEY1 acting on miR-4713 and negative regulation via GATA3 acting on miR-452. Potential NPY1R-related targets for the treatment of childhood obesity were provided in this study.
Particle Swarm Algorithm and Its Application in Tourism Route Design and Optimization
Authors: Lu Bing , Zhou Chunlei
Published: March 2022

Most of the traditional tourism route planning algorithms only consider single-factor planning, that is, the influence of scenic spots on route planning. Particle swarm optimization algorithm is favored by many people because of its simple concept, easy implementation, and good robustness. Aiming at this problem, this paper takes the actual geographic data as the research object of the tourism route problem and describes the model of the discrete particle swarm algorithm based on geographic coordinates to solve the tourism route problem, which is used to solve practical problems. In order to further improve the global search ability of the algorithm, a self-balancing mechanism is proposed, which makes the algorithm process simple and the algorithm performance improved. At the same time, multithread parallelism is adopted to improve the solution speed of the algorithm, which makes up for the deficiency of the parallelization research of the algorithm.
Reducing the Damage of Ox-LDL/LOX-1 Pathway to Vascular Endothelial Barrier Can Inhibit Atherosclerosis
Authors: Guo Xiaopeng , Guo Yishan , Wang Zhiwen , Cao Bingxin , Zheng Chuansheng , Zeng Zhuanglin , Wei Yumiao
Published: March 2022

Aim. The destruction of the vascular endothelial barrier mediated by Ox-LDL is the initial link to atherosclerosis. Here, we aimed to determine whether the immunological intervention with Ox-ApoB polypeptide fragment (Ox-ApoB-PF) can block the deposition of Ox-LDL in vascular endothelial cells through LOX-1 receptors, thereby protecting the barrier function and survival status of vascular endothelial cells and inhibiting the progression of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results. In order to determine the harm of Ox-LDL to vascular endothelial cells and the protective effect of immune intervention with Ox-ApoB-PF, we conducted a series of corresponding experiments in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro results showed that Ox-LDL can activate endothelial cell apoptosis pathway; reduce the expression of endothelial junction proteins; affect the migration, deformation, and forming ability; and ultimately destroy the vascular endothelial barrier function. The increased permeability of endothelial cells led to a sharp increase in the phagocytosis of Ox-LDL by macrophages under the endothelial layer. Meanwhile, Ox-LDL stimulation induced a significant upregulation of LOX-1 in endothelial cells and increased the expression of endothelial cell chemokines and adhesion factors. Ox-ApoB-PF antibodies can significantly reduce the abovementioned harmful effects. The in vivo results showed that active immune intervention through Ox-ApoB-PF can protect the endothelial barrier function; reduce macrophage deposition and the inflammatory response in plaques; alleviate lipid deposition in the plaques, as well as apoptosis and necrosis; and increase the ability of liver macrophages to clear Ox-LDL. Eventually, the progression of plaque and the formation of necrotic cores in plaques can be inhibited. Conclusions. An Ox-ApoB-PF antibody may protect the endothelial cell physiological function and survival status by blocking the combination of Ox-LDL/LOX-1 in vascular endothelial cells. Immune intervention with Ox-ApoB-PF inhibits the occurrence and development of atherosclerotic lesions by protecting the vascular endothelial barrier function.
Exploring Innovative Development Strategies for Safety Education in the Context of Big Data and the Internet of Things
Authors: Liu Shuchao , Xu Yuanyuan
Published: March 2022

With the continuous development of Internet technology, human beings have entered the era of big data, which has had a significant impact on people’s lives and work, both positively and negatively. With the continuous application of big data in all walks of life, safety education innovation in China’s colleges and universities has also undergone changes. Through the use of big data, the quality of safety education innovation in China’s colleges and universities has been significantly improved, and to a certain extent, the development of safety education innovation in China’s colleges and universities has been promoted. However, influenced by a variety of factors, there are still numerous problems in the safety education innovation of some colleges and universities in China in the era of big data. Based on this, the article focuses on the impact of big data and the Internet of Things on the innovation of safety education in China’s colleges and universities. By analyzing the characteristics and essence of big data, the article proposes corresponding optimization countermeasures to achieve fundamental changes in education methods, transform the traditional teaching classroom, and improve teaching efficiency. The future of education informatization will develop faster and with a higher degree of informatization. School administrators, teachers, and students should keep pace with the development of technology, improve their own literacy, and contribute to the reform and innovation of education informatization.
The Great Leap: Transitional Experience of Public School Teachers to the New Normal System of Education
Authors: Dela Cruz Gabrielle A.
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to describe how teachers gave meaning to their transition experience to the new normal landscape of education amid the COVID 19 crisis. Using Transcendental phenomenological approach to qualitative research by Moustakas (1994), the researcher sought to explore the life world of seven (7) public school teachers who participated in individual interviews and focus group discussions and provided formal responses for the study. Interview data were collected and analyzed to offer textural-structural descriptions and the essence of the transition experience. The result revealed thirty-eight (38) significant statements forming six (6) essential themes: 1.) feeling of anxiety and stress, 2.) commitment to work, 3.) high volume workload, 4.) communication constraints, 5.) strong support system, and 6.) embracing new technologies which emerged among participants’ testimonies. These themes were further elaborated through textural and structural descriptions capturing the essence of the experience. In turn, emerging themes and underlying universal structures were used in developing a systematic framework named LEAP Transition Model to facilitate an understanding of teachers in transition and to provide them with the help they needed to cope better with the changes brought by an education crisis. The implications were discussed and further recommendations were made along with suggestions for future research.
Avaliação do conhecimento sobre radiação ionizante em métodos de imagem em uma população não médica
Authors: Carreiro Ana Caroline Blanco , Tibana Tiago Kojun , Conceição Daiana Lopes , Coutinho Thaline Mairace das Neves , Nunes Thiago Franchi
Published: March 2022

Objetivos: Descrever o conhecimento sobre exposição à radiação ionizante de uma população não-médica e avaliar as relações entre a compreensão sobre esses conceitos e os riscos subsequentes. Material e Métodos: A pesquisa se constituiu em onze perguntas, e avaliou o conhecimento sobre quais exames utilizam radiação ionizante, exposição à radiação a partir de imagens médicas e malignidades subsequentes induzidas por radiação. Dados sociodemográficos também foram coletados. Resultados: 88 respostas foram obtidas. 84% dos pacientes possuíam curso superior completo e 98% já havia realizado algum tipo de exame de imagem na vida. Sobre quais métodos acham que utilizam radiação ionizante: 73% responderam ressonância magnética e 21% ultrassonografia. Quando foi comprado a TC com radiografia de tórax, apenas 11% indicaram que a TC tem 100 vezes a quantidade de radiação e maioria (23%) responderam que tem pouco menos. Em relação à ressonância magnética, quando questionados a quantidade de radiação que uma RM de abdome tem em comparação com uma TC de abdome, a maioria dos participantes (28%) respondeu a mesma quantidade. Sobre o conhecimento da indução de malignidade por radiação, 36% expressaram discordância, sem certeza, com a afirmação verdadeira “pessoa que faz 3-5 TCs tem um risco maior de desenvolver câncer ao longo da vida” e 20% discordaram totalmente. Conclusão: Os participantes do estudo não demonstraram uma compreensão sobre quais exames utilizam radiação ionizante, a dose de radiação e o risco associado às imagens de TC. Além disso, eles não entendiam que a ressonância magnética e a ultrassonografia não os expõem à radiação ionizante. O fato de possuírem ensino superior completo não demonstrou melhorar a compreensão dos conceitos sobre radiação.
Fine arts for medical students: driving transformative debates
Authors: Mesquita Daniel Araujo Kramer de , Tempski Patricia Zen , Maia Fernanda Martins , Cunha Thais Saraiva Leão , Paiva Larissa Barbosa , Baquit Mariana Pontes , Correa Rafaela Vieira , Giaxa Renata Rocha Barreto
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Debating arts during graduation can be a creative way to develop new perceptions and perspectives for medical students. To promote activities that aim to create moments involving humanistic themes, simultaneously to technical medical knowledge, such as arts and physical activities in a playful setting, remains a challenge. A extracurricular Global Improvement Programme of Medical Students (GIPMS) of the University of Fortaleza was created on this context, and included meetings involving various artistic stimuli. Purpose: The objective of this paper is to evaluate if the contact with art during graduation in the context of GIPMS can generate perceptions, feelings and reflections to provide important debates. Methods: A prospective qualitative study was conducted including a total of 42 focal group sessions, which were recorded and fully transcribed. Each group was conducted by 2 mentors, and all 6 focal groups used standardized qualitative questionnaires each session, which were performed every 45 days. A thematic analysis of the transcripts was performed, confirmed with the QSR NVIVO software (version 11). Results: A total of 40 students (15 men and 25 women) participated in this one-year study. The categories found were: Artistic stimuli were able to make participants think (124 quotes), feel (78, 65 about positive feelings and 13 about negative ones) and remember (41). The following stood out: the influence of the time load of studies in the time dedicated to the arts and the reflections. (61); relationship between the arts and life and academic productivity (75); changes in attitudes provided by the proposed artistic stimuli (38 citations). Conclusions: The program was able to generate, in an innovative way, new perceptions of feelings, sensations and reflections, as well as to evoke memories that provided important debates, which, according to the students themselves, served as inspiration to change perspectives and attitudes and provided subjective benefits in academic life.
Terapia a longo prazo com lítio e o risco de danos renais: revisão integrativa da literatura
Authors: Sarmento Jefferson Pereira , Procópio José Valdilânio Virgulino , Nóbrega Rafaela de Oliveira
Published: March 2022

Este estudo objetivou avaliar os potenciais efeitos adversos nos rins associado ao tratamento de longo prazo com lítio em pacientes com transtorno bipolar, a partir de uma revisão integrativa literatura. Os artigos foram identificados nas bases de dados SciELO, Medline (Pubmed) e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), publicados entre 2010 e 2021. Aplicados os critérios de inclusão e exclusão, identificaram-se 18 artigos para a análise. Verificou-se que o tratamento com lítio durante um período prolongado está associado à redução da taxa de filtração glomerular, porém, outras variáveis devem ser consideradas como idade e comorbidades associadas. Por outro lado, não foi associado evolução da doença renal crônica em estágio terminal por uso do medicamento. A investigação dos estudos revelou que a droga em doses terapêuticas e com monitoramento laboratorial contínuo não demonstrou toxicidade ou efeitos colaterais severos nos rins sendo a sua descontinuação relacionada com exarcebações do humor.
Cardiovagal Function Measured by the Deep Breathing Test: Relationships With Coronary Atherosclerosis
Authors: Engström Gunnar , Hamrefors Viktor , Fedorowski Artur , Persson Anders , Johansson Maria E. , Ostenfeld Ellen , Goncalves Isabel , Markstad Hanna , Johnson Linda S. B. , Persson Margaretha , Carlson Jonas , Platonov Pyotr G.
Published: March 2022

Background

The cardiovagal function can be assessed by quantification of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during a deep breathing test. However, population studies of RSA and coronary atherosclerosis are lacking. This population‐based study examined the relationship between RSA during deep breathing and coronary atherosclerosis, assessed by coronary artery calcium score (CACS).

Methods and Results

SCAPIS (Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study) randomly invited men and women aged 50 to 64 years from the general population. CACS was obtained from computed tomography scanning, and deep breathing tests were performed in 4654 individuals. Expiration–inspiration differences (E‐Is) of heart rates were calculated, and reduced RSA was defined as E‐I in the lowest decile of the population. The relationship between reduced RSA and CACS (CACS≥100 or CACS≥300) was calculated using multivariable‐adjusted logistic regression. The proportion of CACS≥100 was 24% in the lowest decile of E‐I and 12% in individuals with E‐I above the lowest decile (
P
<0.001), and the proportion of CACS≥300 was 12% and 4.8%, respectively (
P
<0.001). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for CACS≥100 was 1.42 (95% CI, 1.10–1.84) and the adjusted OR for CACS≥300 was 1.62 (95% CI, 1.15–2.28), when comparing the lowest E‐I decile with deciles 2 to 10. Adjusted ORs per 1 SD lower E‐I were 1.17 (
P
=0.001) for CACS≥100 and 1.28 (
P
=0.001) for CACS≥300.

Conclusions

Low RSA during deep breathing is associated with increased coronary atherosclerosis as assessed by CACS, independently of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Cardiovagal dysfunction could be a prevalent and modifiable risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis in the general population.
How Skillful Are the European Subseasonal Predictions of Wind Speed and Surface Temperature?
Authors: Goutham Naveen , Plougonven Riwal , Omrani Hiba , Parey Sylvie , Tankov Peter , Tantet Alexis , Hitchcock Peter , Drobinski Philippe
Published: March 2022

Subseasonal forecasts of 100-m wind speed and surface temperature, if skillful, can be beneficial to the energy sector as they can be used to plan asset availability and maintenance, assess risks of extreme events, and optimally trade power on the markets. In this study, we evaluate the skill of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts’ subseasonal predictions of 100-m wind speed and 2-m temperature. To the authors’ knowledge, this assessment is the first for the 100-m wind speed, which is an essential variable of practical importance to the energy sector. The assessment is carried out on both forecasts and reforecasts over European domain gridpoint wise and also by considering several spatially averaged domains, using several metrics to assess different attributes of forecast quality. We propose a novel way of synthesizing the continuous ranked probability skill score. The results show that the skill of the forecasts and reforecasts depends on the choice of the climate variable, the period of the year, and the geographical domain. Indeed, the predictions of temperature are better than those of wind speed, with enhanced skill found for both variables in the winter relative to other seasons. The results also indicate significant differences between the skill of forecasts and reforecasts, arising mainly due to the differing ensemble sizes. Overall, depending on the choice of the geographical domain and the forecast attribute, the results show skillful predictions beyond 2 weeks, and in certain cases, up to 6 weeks for both variables, thereby encouraging their implementation in operational decision-making.
Adaptation of PG-13 on Indonesian Adolescents
Authors: Gunawan Prudentia K. , Agustiani Hendriati , Qodariah Laila
Published: March 2022

Prolonged Grief (PG-13) Children Form was adapted, then went through basic validation to be applicable on Indonesian adolescents. The form was adapted based on the guidelines by Beaton et al. (2000). Pre-testing was done on 40 adolescents by online interviewing. PG-13 Indonesian Version and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS) were then reconstructed into an online questionnaire for basic validation purposes. It was completed by 131 adolescents. Results prove a high internal consistency reliability and acceptable construct validity of the PG-13.
What is the value of a Tibetan prayer wheel?
Authors: Brox Trine
Published: March 2022

With Buddhism’s integration into the global market economy, the trade in Buddhist commodities is booming. I ask how the value of such goods is measured, communicated, and contested by the diverse range of actors who buy and sell them. The analytical framework draws on recent conceptual developments in the fields of religion and of technology to develop Jens Beckert’s typology of value. While Beckert draws on Durkheim’s sociology of religion to differentiate between physical and symbolic values, I take the example of a powerful Buddhist technology, the Tibetan prayer wheel, to demonstrate the entanglement of materiality and belief in the different types of value ascribed to religious goods.
‘When I told my parents I was going to marry a Muslim…’: Social perception and attitudes towards intermarriage in Italy, France and Belgium
Authors: Cerchiaro Francesco
Published: March 2022

Based on biographical interviews held in Italy, France and Belgium with mixed couples where one partner has a Muslim background and the other a Christian one, the analysis highlights the factors involved when a relationship generates negative reactions among the family of the majority partner. The article questions the assumption according to which mixed marriages are the result of the diminishing of group boundaries. Its findings suggest that these couples may often highlight the continued presence of strong social barriers. Muslim men – particularly if they have a lower socio-economic status – are more likely to face the opposition of their families-in-law. The fear of the majority group of losing ‘social prestige’ indicates that the intertwining of social class and ethnic difference plays a major role, especially at the beginning of the relationships. Islamophobia emerges as a both ‘racialised’ and ‘gendered’ category, strengthening the stereotype of the Muslim man as the emblem of ‘otherness’.
La Poétique de l’être Ordinaire, une Liturgie Cosmique
Authors: Montoux Arnaud
Published: March 2022

Marie Noël, a 20th century poetess from Auxerre in the Burgundy region of France, said “The Saint offers sacrifice. The Artist furnishes the victim”. The quest to understand the far-reaching root system of the liturgy inevitably brings us into contact with the artist, and with all the words, colours and heavy stuff of the world that shape the artist’s work. It is the artist who harvests from deep within the human person the wheat, the dew and the lees of the world, to bring them in offering. Whether or not humanity is conscious of this ascensional mission of the liturgy, human beings must remain open above all to what the ministry of the artist reveals about their universal mission. It is in the words of the poet and in the flesh-encrusted canvases that the ascent begins, that the momentum builds, and so makes possible the eminently human action which is liturgical action.
‘The Azure Generation’: Liberal Youth Politics in Greece and the Politicization of Music, 1982–1984
Authors: Kassaveti Ursula-Helen , Papadogiannis Nikolaos
Published: March 2022

This article focuses on the years 1982–1984, which witnessed the first systematic effort to establish a moderate right-wing youth organization in Greece during the Cold War. It shows that the invention of the political songs of the Liberal youth ONNED underpinned its mass mobilization in 1982–1984. In this vein, our analysis enriches recent historiographical approaches that focus on cultures of Conservatism and on political and cultural changes in post-authoritarian Southern Europe in the 1970s to 1980s. Those political songs were linked to both the rhetoric and the practices of ONNED cadres and members. Their lyrics conveyed anti-Communist post-memories of the Civil War in Greece (1943/1946–1949), as reconfigured and filtered through the experiences of ONNED cadres and members in the aftermath of the 1967–1974 dictatorship and the electoral victory of the Socialists in 1981. Thus, the study of the Liberal youth complements the analysis of moderate right-wing subjects in Spain, for whom the Civil War was no reference point after democracy was restored in 1975. Simultaneously, the article enriches research on the Greek Liberal youth so far, which has neglected how this subject reconfigured its approach to the Greek Civil War in comparison to the Right in the preceding decades. Our article also shows that the songs under study accompanied a wide range of ritualistic and prosaic practices of ONNED cadres and members. Listening to and singing those songs was part of a double demarcation process between ONNED cadres and members and their left-wing opponents, as well as within ONNED. For instance, in Thessaloniki, the more Conservative members embraced those songs in their leisure activities and their everyday spaces. By contrast, the more centre-right members were more critical, but still tolerated such music. The everyday life and spatial history approach is crucial to illuminating the varying reception of the political songs of ONNED within this organization.
Conceptualizing the Roles of Involvement and Immersion in Persuasive Games
Authors: Lee Eugene , Abdollahi Maral , Agur Colin
Published: March 2022

While previous studies showed that persuasive games can have positive effects on attitudes and behavioral intentions, little is known about the underlying processes that cause these effects. This study investigates immersion and involvement in order to provide a better understanding of the effects of persuasive games. We conducted an experiment with 152 college students in which participants either played a persuasive game or watched the playback of the game. Our results showed that affective and ludic involvement and immersion mediated the relationship between interactivity (gameplay vs. playback) and persuasive outcomes (attitude and behavioral intention).
The evolution of wage inequality within local U.S. labor markets
Authors: Eisenbarth Anthony , Chen Zhuo Fu
Published: March 2022

There are few concentrated studies on wage inequality across local labor markets at the city or metropolitan level. This paper studies the changes in wage inequality among 170 metropolitan areas by using micro-level data from the U.S. Census and American Community Survey from 1980 to 2019. We propose that shifts in the relative demand for “college-educated” or “college equivalent” workers have been persistent in both temporal and spatial dimensions; and that this persistence has contributed to the increase in wage inequality along with the rise in managerial employment. Using fixed-effects models, we find that on average, changes in managerial intensity between 1980 and 2019 accounts for 6.9% of the change in wage inequality across U.S. labor markets.
Distribution and identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage in Kashgar prefecture
Authors: Xu Ai-Min , He Chuan-Jiang , Cheng Xiang , Abuduaini AniKiz , Tuerxun Zureguli , Sha Yin-Zhong , Kaisaier Aihemaitijiang , Peng Hong-Mei , Zhen Ya-Hui , Zhang Su-Jie , Xu Jing-Ran , Li Li , Zou Xiao-Guang
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Kashgar prefecture is an important transportation and trade hub with a high incidence of tuberculosis. The following study analyzed the composition and differences in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) lineage and specific tags to distinguish the lineage of the M.tb in Kashgar prefecture, thus providing a basis for the classification and diagnosis of tuberculosis in this area.

Methods

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 161 M.tb clinical strains was performed. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using Maximum Likelihood (ML) based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and verified through principal component analysis (PCA). The composition structure of M.tb in different regions was analyzed by combining geographic information.

Results

M.tb clinical strains were composed of lineage 2 (73/161, 45.34%), lineage 3 (52/161, 32.30%) and lineage 4 (36/161, 22.36%). Moreover, the 3 lineages were subdivided into 11 sublineages, among which lineage 2 included lineage 2.2.2/Asia Ancestral 1 (9/73, 12.33%), lineage 2.2.1-Asia Ancestral 2 (9/73, 12.33%), lineage 2.2.1-Asia Ancestral 3 (18/73, 24.66%), and lineage 2.2.1-Modern Beijing (39/73, 53.42%). Lineage 3 included lineage 3.2 (14/52, 26.92%) and lineage 3.3 (38/52, 73.08%), while lineage 4 included lineage 4.1 (3/36, 8.33%), lineage 4.2 (2/36, 5.66%), lineage 4.4.2 (1/36, 2.78%), lineage 4.5 (28/36, 77.78%) and lineage 4.8 (2/36, 5.66%), all of which were consistent with the PCA results. One hundred thirty-six markers were proposed for discriminating known circulating strains. Reconstruction of a phylogenetic tree using the 136 SNPs resulted in a tree with the same number of delineated clades. Based on geographical location analysis, the composition of Lineage 2 in Kashgar prefecture (45.34%) was lower compared to other regions in China (54.35%-90.27%), while the composition of Lineage 3 (32.30%) was much higher than in other regions of China (0.92%-2.01%), but lower compared to the bordering Pakistan (70.40%).

Conclusion

Three lineages were identified in M.tb clinical strains from Kashgar prefecture, with 136 branch-specific SNP. Kashgar borders with countries that have a high incidence of tuberculosis, such as Pakistan and India, which results in a large difference between the M.tb lineage and sublineage distribution in this region and other provinces of China.
METTL3 enhances NSD2 mRNA stability to reduce renal impairment and interstitial fibrosis in mice with diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Tang Weiming , Zhao Yilin , Zhang Hui , Peng Ying , Rui Zhilian
Published: March 2022

Background

Nuclear receptor-binding SET domain protein 2 (NSD2) is a histone methyltransferase that has been demonstrated to regulate insulin secretion and glucose concentration. This study focused on the role of NSD2 in the renal impairment during diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods

Serum NSD2 level in patients with DN was examined, and its correlations with the renal impairment-related indicators were examined. A murine model of DN was established, and mouse mesangial cells (SV40-MES-13) were treated with high-glucose (HG) to mimic a DN-like condition in vitro. Overexpression of NSD2 was introduced into mice or cells for in vivo and in vitro studies. The m6A level in HG-treated SV40-MES-13 cells was analyzed. METTL3 expression and its correlation with NSD2 were determined.

Results

NSD2 was poorly expressed in the serum of patients with DN and was negatively correlated with the levels of fasting blood sugar (FBG), serum creatinine (SCr), serum cystatin C (S-Cys-C), the 24-h urine protein (24-h U-protein) and the urine cystatin C (U-Cys-C). NSD2 overexpression reduced the kidney weight and reduced renal impairment in mice. It also suppressed interstitial fibrosis in mouse kidney tissues and reduced fibrosis-related markers in HG-treated SV40-MES-13 cells. HG treatment reduced the m6A level in the cells. METTL3 promoted m6A modification of NDS2 mRNA and enhanced its stability by YTHDF1. METTL3 overexpression alleviated renal impairment and fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. But the protective role was blocked upon NSD2 silencing.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that METTL3 promotes NSD2 mRNA stability by YTHDF1 to alleviate progression of DN.
Diagnosis of advanced cervical cancer, missed opportunities?
Authors: Mattern Jérémie , Letendre Irène , Sibiude Jeanne , Pénager Cécile , Jnifen Asma , Souare Fatoumata , Ayel Sophie , Nguyen Thuy , Mandelbrot Laurent
Published: March 2022

Background

Cervical cancer is common worldwide. Despite the existence of primary and secondary prevention strategies, the survival rate is decreasing in France due to an increasing proportion of advanced-stage cancer. Our objective was to determine the factors associated with a diagnosis of cervical cancer at advanced stages in an urban population in France.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on all consecutive records of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer between January 2006 and December 2018 in a single center in Paris. The data collected were demographic characteristics, medical and gynecological history, circumstances of diagnosis, diagnostic and therapeutic management. The patients were divided into two groups according to the FIGO 2018 stage at diagnosis: group A stages IA1 to IB2 and group B advanced stages IB3 to IVB.

Results

Among 96 patients who were diagnosed with cervical cancer, 25 (26%) were in group A and 71 (74%) in group B. Women in group B had less frequently received regular gynecological care than in group A (36% vs 84.2%, p < 0.001) and fewer had Pap test screening in the previous 3 years (30.4% vs 95.0%, p < 0.001). Parity greater than 3 was more frequent in group B (69.6% vs 42.9%, p = 0.031). The diagnosis was made during a routine examination or cervical smear in only 9.23% and 16.18% respectively in group B, versus 60% of cases in 45.82% of cases in group A (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003). Vaginal bleeding was observed in 85.29% in group B versus 36% in group A (p < 0.001). Histological type was squamous cell carcinoma 87.32% of group B and 56% of group A (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Diagnosis of cervical cancers at advanced stages occurred mostly in women who did not benefit from the recommended screening. Universal access to screening is necessary for the prevention and early treatment of cervical cancer.
Physiotherapy interventions encouraging frequent changes of the body position and physical activity for infants hospitalised with bronchiolitis: an internal feasibility study of a randomised control trial
Authors: Andersson-Marforio Sonja , Lundkvist Josenby Annika , Hansen Christine , Ekvall Hansson Eva
Published: March 2022

Background

The effect of a treatment that includes frequent changes of the body position for infants with bronchiolitis has not been evaluated, although it is often used in Swedish hospitals. Because of this, a randomised control trial (RCT) has begun with the aim to evaluate this treatment, comparing the effect of an individualised physiotherapy intervention, a non-individualised intervention, and standard care in a control group. The objective of this internal pilot study was to address uncertainties concerning the ongoing RCT and to determine whether the trial is feasible or not, possibly with adjustments to the protocol.

Methods

Descriptive analyses of the recruitment, retention, data supply for the primary end point, and the usability of the primary outcome measure in the full RCT were performed. A safety analysis was conducted by an independent analysis group.

Results

Ninety-one infants were included, 33 (36.3%), 28 (30.8%), and 30 (33.0%) in the respective allocation groups. Fifty-nine (64.8%) were boys. The median age was 2.5 (min–max 0.2–23.7) months. They remained in the study for a median of 46 hours (min–max 2–159). The recruitment rate was 19%. The data supply for the primary end point and for the primary outcome measure was lower than anticipated in the original sample size calculation. Difficulties concerning utilising the primary outcome measure were identified. The safety analysis detected no risks of harm related to participation in the study.

Conclusions

It is feasible to continue the RCT with modifications of the analysis plan. Participation in the study was not associated with any safety risks.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03575091. Registered 2 July 2018. Retrospectively registered.
Cost-utility analysis of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as add-on therapy to standard care for the treatment of hallucinations in schizophrenia
Authors: Hendriks Lauren , Mihalopoulos Cathrine , Le Long Khanh-Dao , Loo Colleen , Chatterton Mary Lou
Published: March 2022

Background

This research evaluates the cost-effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as add-on therapy to standard care for adults with schizophrenia from an Australian health system perspective.

Methods

A Markov model estimated costs in 2021 Australian dollars and Disability-Adjusted Life-Years (DALYs) averted with rTMS added to standard care compared to standard care alone over 12-months for adults aged 25–65 years with hallucinations in schizophrenia refractory to other therapies. rTMS effect size was sourced from a meta-analysis and converted to a relative risk using the Cochrane conversion method. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis evaluated uncertainty in effect size and disability weights. One-way sensitivity analyses varied rTMS session cost and effectiveness, time horizon and inpatient costs.

Results

The base-case average incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was $87,310/DALY averted (95% UI: $10,157–$97,877). Reducing rTMS session cost to $100 lowered the ICER to $9,127/DALY (95% UI: Dominant–$50,699). A 4-year time horizon resulted in rTMS being less costly and more effective (Dominant) than standard care. Decreasing the 3-month probability of relapse with rTMS to 4.6% resulted in a 71% probability of rTMS being cost-effective.

Conclusions

Using a threshold of $50,000/ DALY averted, rTMS as add-on therapy to standard care for the treatment of refractory hallucinations in schizophrenia would not be considered a cost-effective treatment option compared to standard care alone. However, given the refractory nature of this condition and the relatively small size of this population, it may be reasonable for decision-makers to adopt a higher ICER threshold.