bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Anthropocene as Cinematic View: Time, Matter, and Race in Blade Runner 2049
Authors: Torlasco Domietta
Published: March 2023

Taking Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 as a point of departure, this essay argues that cinema's stories of species survival at once hide and duplicate the racialization of matter that has marked the history of geology and, more recently, the discourse of the Anthropocene. In the process, what is erased is also the memory of other stories that could have been told, stories that emerge out of a history of violence against Black being—what Hortense Spillers calls “high crimes against the flesh”—and that demand a temporality and a point of view that the cinema of the Anthropocene denies them.
Froude Efficiency and Velocity Fluctuation in Forearm-Amputee Front Crawl: Implications for Para Swimming Classification
Authors: O’DOWD DAWN N. , HOGARTH LUKE , BURKETT BRENDAN , OSBOROUGH CONOR , DALY DANIEL , SANDERS ROSS , PAYTON CARL
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The impact of physical impairment on Froude efficiency and intracyclic velocity fluctuation in Para swimmers is not well documented. Identification of differences in these variables between disabled and nondisabled swimmers could help develop a more objective system for assigning Para swimmers to classes for competition. This study quantifies Froude efficiency and intracyclic velocity fluctuation in unilateral forearm-amputee front crawl swimmers and evaluates associations between these variables and performance.

Methods

Ten unilateral forearm-amputee swimmers completed front crawl trials at 50- and 400-m pace; three-dimensional video analysis provided mass center, and wrist and stump velocities. Intracyclic velocity fluctuation was calculated as follows: 1) maximum–minimum mass center velocity, expressed as percent of mean velocity, and 2) coefficient of variation in mass center velocity. Froude efficiency was the ratio between mean swimming velocity and wrist plus stump velocity during each segment’s respective 1) underwater phase and 2) propulsive underwater phase.

Results

Forearm amputees’ intracyclic velocity fluctuation (400 m: 22% ± 7%, 50 m: 18% ± 5%) was similar to published values for nondisabled swimmers, whereas Froude efficiencies were lower. Froude efficiency was higher at 400-m (0.37 ± 0.04) than 50-m pace (0.35 ± 0.05; P < 0.05) and higher for the unaffected limb (400 m: 0.52 ± 0.03, 50 m: 0.54 ± 0.04) than the residual limb (400 m: 0.38 ± 0.03, 50 m 0.38 ± 0.02; P < 0.05). Neither intracyclic velocity fluctuation nor Froude efficiency was associated with swimming performance.

Conclusions

Froude efficiency may be a valuable measure of activity limitation in swimmers with an upper limb deficiency and a useful metric for comparing swimmers with different types and severity of physical impairment.
Computational design and experimental verification of pseudoknotted ribozymes
Authors: Najeh Sabrine , Zandi Kasra , Kharma Nawwaf , Perreault Jonathan
Published: March 2023

The design of new RNA sequences that retain the function of a model RNA structure is a challenge in bioinformatics because of the structural complexity of these molecules. RNA can fold into its secondary and tertiary structures by forming stem–loops and pseudoknots. A pseudoknot is a set of base pairs between a region within a stem–loop and nucleotides outside of this stem–loop; this motif is very important for numerous functional structures. It is important for any computational design algorithm to take into account these interactions to give a reliable result for any structures that include pseudoknots. In our study, we experimentally validated synthetic ribozymes designed by Enzymer, which implements algorithms allowing for the design of pseudoknots. Enzymer is a program that uses an inverse folding approach to design pseudoknotted RNAs; we used it in this study to design two types of ribozymes. The ribozymes tested were the hammerhead and theglmS, which have a self-cleaving activity that allows them to liberate the new RNA genome copy during rolling-circle replication or to control the expression of the downstream genes, respectively. We demonstrated the efficiency of Enzymer by showing that the pseudoknotted hammerhead andglmSribozymes sequences it designed were extensively modified compared to wild-type sequences and were still active.
Translation reinitiation after uORFs does not fully protect mRNAs from nonsense-mediated decay
Authors: Russell Paul J. , Slivka Jacob A. , Boyle Elaina P. , Burghes Arthur H.M. , Kearse Michael G.
Published: March 2023

It is estimated that nearly 50% of mammalian transcripts contain at least one upstream open reading frame (uORF), which are typically one to two orders of magnitude smaller than the downstream main ORF. Most uORFs are thought to be inhibitory as they sequester the scanning ribosome, but in some cases allow for translation reinitiation. However, termination in the 5′ UTR at the end of uORFs resembles premature termination that is normally sensed by the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway. Translation reinitiation has been proposed as a method for mRNAs to prevent NMD. Here, we test how uORF length influences translation reinitiation and mRNA stability in HeLa cells. Using custom 5′ UTRs and uORF sequences, we show that reinitiation can occur on heterologous mRNA sequences, favors small uORFs, and is supported when initiation occurs with more initiation factors. After determining reporter mRNA half-lives in HeLa cells and mining available mRNA half-life data sets for cumulative predicted uORF length, we conclude that translation reinitiation after uORFs is not a robust method for mRNAs to prevent NMD. Together, these data suggest that the decision of whether NMD ensues after translating uORFs occurs before reinitiation in mammalian cells.
Recommender systems with real-life applications
Authors: Σαρδιανός Χρήστος
Published: March 2023

Με βάση το από 2012 Σύστημα Κατηγοριοποίησης Υπολογιστικών Όρων της ACM (ACM Computing Classification System, ACM CCS), τα συστήματα συστάσεων είναι υπο-κατηγορία των Πληροφοριακών Συστημάτων και των συστημάτων Ανάκτησης Πληροφοριών, γεφυρώνοντας έννοιες και από τις δύο παραπάνω κατηγορίες. Τα συστήματα συστάσεων είναι ουσιαστικά εργαλεία που παραδοσιακά προβλέπουν την πιθανότητα προτίμησης ενός χρήστη για ένα αντικείμενο. Συνήθως χρησιμοποιούνται σε μια ποικιλία εφαρμογών για παραγωγή συστάσεων, όπως ταινίες, μουσική, ειδήσεις, βιβλία, ερευνητικά άρθρα, ερωτήματα αναζήτησης, ετικέτες κοινωνικής δικτύωσης και προϊόντα γενικότερα. Ο στόχος ενός τέτοιου συστήματος είναι να κατανοήσει τις προτιμήσεις του χρήστη και στη συνέχεια να προτείνει αντικείμενα που ο χρήστης είναι πιθανό να προτιμήσει ή να βρει χρήσιμα. Τα σύγχρονα συστήματα συστάσεων αποκαλύπτουν μια επέκταση στους τομείς εφαρμογής που χρησιμοποιούνται τέτοια συστήματα για διάφορα σενάρια. Αυτό μας φέρνει σε αυτό που στο πλαίσιο αυτής της διατριβής ονομάζουμε «Συστήματα συστάσεων με εφαρμογές στον πραγματικό κόσμο» (ή Συστήματα Συστάσεων για τον πραγματικό κόσμο), το οποίο αποτελεί την κύρι α ερευνητική κατεύθυνση αυτής της διατριβής. Το πεδίο έρευνας της παρούσας εργασίας είναι τα “Συστήματα Συστάσεων”, εστιάζοντας όμως σε ένα πρόβλημα με πολύ μεγαλύτερες προκλήσεις και προεκτάσεις. Σκοπός αυτής της έρευνας είναι ο ορισμός και η περιγραφή ενός νέου τύπου συστημάτων συστάσεων που επεκτείνονται πέρα από τα παραδοσιακά εικονικά πλαίσια των κοινωνικών δικτύων και των εφαρμογών Ιστού. Τα συστήματα συστάσεων πραγματικού κόσμου τροφοδοτούνται με δεδομένα πραγματικού κόσμου (π.χ. τροχιές χρηστών, δεδομένα αισθητήρων IoT, κ.λπ.), εξάγουν πρότυπα (patterns) τα οποία αντιστοιχούν σε ανθρώπινες συνήθειες και προτείνουν ενέργειες στον πραγματικό κόσμο. Η παρούσα διατριβή επιχειρεί να καθορίσει τα θεμελιώδη χαρακτηριστικά τέτοιων συστημάτων και παρέχει μια πρακτική ανάπτυξη ενός πλαισίου επίδειξης για την περίπτωση παροχής συστάσεων για δράσεις ενεργειακής απόδοσης με σκοπό τη μείωση της κατανάλωσης ενέργειας από τους χρήστες.
Virtual peer teaching in the gross anatomy lab: a format of peer teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Hielscher Abigail C. , Everse Stephen
Published: March 2023

Background: Peer teaching is a powerful educational tool utilized in medical school curricula. Previously, first year medical students taught their peers about the gross anatomical structures they had dissected in the anatomy lab. While this strategy provided an opportunity for students to learn from one another, there were unintended outcomes including difficulty engaging all students. Considering these observations, along with needing to limit student numbers in the lab due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a strategy was developed where students could conduct their anatomy peer teaching in a virtual environment. The goal was to establish an effective and efficient means for students to teach and learn from one another virtually.

Methods: Students, working in groups of four, were tasked to: 1) Find and label 4-5 assigned structures on cadaver-based images; 2) Provide a rationale for labeling; 3) Discuss something relevant about the structure; 4) Prepare a 5-minute video presentation of steps 1-3; and 5) Review and provide meaningful feedback on another group’s presentation. Student performance on virtual peer teaching assignments was evaluated using a structured rubric and grades were weighted based on two separate faculty assessments.  Student feedback was obtained via discussions with the course director, a semi-structured 1-hour virtual focus interview and from course evaluation data.

Results: While students performed well on these assignments, feedback from students indicated several drawbacks such as excess time editing their videos, concerns about the validity of information provided by their peers, and the timing of peer teaching to be non-conducive to learning.

Conclusions: Although the students viewed the virtual peer teaching negatively, we were successful in developing a platform in which students participated more equally in peer teaching. Recommendations to those considering this platform include careful consideration of timing of peer teaching activities and faculty feedback as well as technology used.
Exploring the impacts of social media and crowdsourcing on disaster resilience
Authors: Clark Nathan , Boersma Kees , Bonati Sara , Fonio Chiara , Gehlhar Simon , Habig Therese , Lüke Richard , Morelli Stefano , Nielsen Anne Bach , Opromolla Antonio , Pazzi Veronica , Raju Emmanuel
Published: March 2023

Social media and crowdsourcing (SMCS) are increasingly proving useful for addressing the effects of natural and human-made hazards. SMCS allow different stakeholders to share crucial information during disaster management processes and to strengthen community resilience through engagement and collaboration. To harvest these opportunities there is a need for better knowledge on SMCS for diverse disaster scenarios. These challenges are being addressed within the LINKS Horizon 2020 project. The project aims at strengthening societal resilience by producing advanced learning on the use of SMCS in disasters. This is done through an in-depth study across three knowledge domains (disaster risk perception and vulnerability, disaster management processes, disaster community technologies), the establishment of an interactive Framework, and an online platform in which a community of relevant stakeholders can learn and share knowledge and experiences. This paper provides an overview of the project objectives and approaches and a summary of the initial results.
Estimating the epidemiology of chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection in the UK: what do we know and what are we missing?
Authors: Campbell Cori , Wang Tingyan , Burrow Rebekah , Mandal Sema , Hippisley-Cox Julia , Barnes Eleanor , Matthews Philippa C
Published: March 2023

Background: HBV is the leading global cause of cirrhosis and primary liver cancer. However, the UK HBV population has not been well characterised, and estimates of UK HBV prevalence and/or incidence vary widely between sources. We aimed to i) extract and summarise existing national HBV prevalence estimates, ii) add a new estimate based on primary care data, and; iii) critique data sources from which estimates were derived.

Methods: We undertook a narrative review, searching for national estimates of CHB case numbers in the UK (incorporating incidence, prevalence and/or test positivity data) across a range of overlapping sources, including governmental body reports, publications from independent bodies (including medical charities and non-governmental organisations) and articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals.  An alternative proxy for population prevalence was obtained via the UK antenatal screening programme which achieves over 95% coverage of pregnant women. We also searched for diagnoses of HBV in the QResearch primary care database based on laboratory tests and standardised coding.

Results: We identified six CHB case number estimates, of which three reported information concerning population subgroups, including number of infected individuals across age, sex and ethnicity categories. Estimates among sources reporting prevalence varied from 0.27% to 0.73%, congruent with an estimated antenatal CHB prevalence of <0.5%. Our estimate, based on QResearch data, suggests a population prevalence of ~0.05%, reflecting a substantial underestimation based on primary care records.

Discussion: Estimates varied by sources of error, bias and missingness, data linkage, and “blind spots” in HBV diagnoses testing/registration. The UK HBV burden is likely to be concentrated in vulnerable populations who may not be well represented in existing datasets including those experiencing socioeconomic deprivation and/or homelessness, ethnic minorities and people born in high-prevalence countries. This could lead to under- or over-estimation of population prevalence estimation. Multi-agency collaboration is required to fill evidence gaps.
what are we missing? voice and listening as an event
Authors: Carvalho Magda Costa , Almeida Tiago , Taramona José Maria
Published: March 2023

The paper begins with the concept of voice and questions its different meanings, especially in educational settings, to propose a philosophical framing of people-of-young-age’s material voices. It then proposes to understand those voices as disruptive differences or opportunities to (re)think about our roles as educators and, most of all, to return to the question of what a philosophical approach to childhood might disrupt. In doing so, it outlines some ideas about “voice” as sound and materiality (Cavarero, 2005) and also about “listening” as a permanent attention to what might emerge (Nancy, 2002; Davies, 2014), to then extend particular meanings of these concepts to the practice of thinking philosophically with people of different ages in the community of philosophical inquiry educational setting (Kennedy & Kennedy, 2012). It also builds on the concept of “event” by Gilles Deleuze (Deleuze, 2013), as a potential immanent within a confluence of forces, to then ask how we can foster a philosophical way of living (in) education that takes people-of-young-age’s material voices as something we cannot afford to lose. Finally, the paper proposes to frame the community of philosophical inquiry as a philosophical community of voices, in the sense of an opportunity to experience the materiality of all the voices as something that matters in the shared thought of its participants.
la filosofia nella scuola primaria un’indagine sulla formazione degli insegnanti
Authors: Casolaro Michela
Published: March 2023

The article analyzes some of the results that emerged from a questionnaire administered in the academic year 2021/2022, aimed at investigating the point of view of primary school teachers regarding experiences of philosophical reflection with children.The idea of focusing attention on teachers lies in the belief that they are the main protagonists of philosophical practices with children, and that it is important to hear their voices.  This contribution analyzes issues such as the training of teachers who intend to engage in these teaching experiences; the benefits that philosophy can bring transversally to improve learning in other disciplines; the possibility of developing critical thinking capacities in children; the increase of logical and argumentative skills; and finally the development of citizenship and social responsibility skills. A positive picture seems to emerge from the results of the questionnaire, where teachers show themselves to be proactive with respect to the possibility of understanding philosophical dialogue as a discourse that can be conducted with children of all ages. This leads, in turn, to the need to revisit normal teaching practices, and to the need for teachers to question themselves through targeted training. It is believed that the survey has positively stimulated teachers, even those who have never had direct experience with children's philosophy, and that it has shown how in a changing society,  the figure of the teacher must change as well.
Prescribing during pregnancy
Authors: Robertson Deborah
Published: March 2023

Deborah Robertson provides an overview of recently published articles that may be of interest to non-medical prescribers. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided
Treatment of adjustment disorders in mental health crisis care: a reflective case study
Authors: Loader Katie
Published: March 2023

Clinical decision-making is an integral part of the nursing process, as well as a study requirement at Master's level for the advanced professional practice pathway. This article uses Gibbs' reflective cycle as a framework to explore a clinical decision made in practice. Through presentation of a case study of a patient with an adjustment disorder, the authors explore the process of prescribing appropriate treatment in the context of an uncertain evidence base. The authors will examine decision-making and communication theories and consider any biases, as well as ethical, organisational and professional factors that may influence the decision-making process. The individual and organisational steps needed to embed robust decision-making into practice will be discussed.
Fusion deep learning approach combining diffuse optical tomography and ultrasound for improving breast cancer classification
Authors: Zhang Menghao , Xue Minghao , Li Shuying , Zou Yun , Zhu Quing
Published: March 2023

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is a promising technique that provides functional information related to tumor angiogenesis. However, reconstructing the DOT function map of a breast lesion is an ill-posed and underdetermined inverse process. A co-registered ultrasound (US) system that provides structural information about the breast lesion can improve the localization and accuracy of DOT reconstruction. Additionally, the well-known US characteristics of benign and malignant breast lesions can further improve cancer diagnosis based on DOT alone. Inspired by a fusion model deep learning approach, we combined US features extracted by a modified VGG-11 network with images reconstructed from a DOT deep learning auto-encoder-based model to form a new neural network for breast cancer diagnosis. The combined neural network model was trained with simulation data and fine-tuned with clinical data: it achieved an AUC of 0.931 (95% CI: 0.919-0.943), superior to those achieved using US images alone (0.860) or DOT images alone (0.842).
Enantioselective optical trapping of single chiral molecules in the superchiral field vicinity of metal nanostructures
Authors: Yamane Hidemasa , Yokoshi Nobuhiko , Ishihara Hajime , Oka Hisaki
Published: March 2023

In this study, we theoretically analyzed the optical force acting on single chiral molecules in the plasmon field induced by metallic nanostructures. Using the extended discrete dipole approximation, we quantitatively examined the optical response of single chiral molecules in the localized plasmon by numerically analyzing the internal polarization structure of the molecules obtained from quantum chemical calculations, without phenomenological treatment. We evaluated the chiral gradient force due to the optical chirality gradient of the superchiral field near the metallic nanostructures for chiral molecules. Our calculation method can be used to evaluate the molecular-orientation dependence and rotational torque by considering the chiral spatial structure inside the molecules. We theoretically showed that the superchiral field induced by chiral plasmonic nanostructures can be used to selectively optically capture the enantiomers of a single chiral molecule.
980 nm electrically pumped continuous lasing of QW lasers grown on silicon
Authors: Lin Qi , Huang Jie , Lin Liying , Luo Wei , Gu Wen , Lau Kei May
Published: March 2023

Investigation of high-performance lasers monolithically grown on silicon (Si) could promote the development of silicon photonics in regimes other than the 1.3 -1.5 µm band. 980 nm laser, a widely used pumping source for erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) in the optical fiber communication system, can be used as a demonstration for shorter wavelength lasers. Here, we report continuous wave (CW) lasing of 980 nm electrically pumped quantum well (QW) lasers directly grown on Si by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Utilizing the strain compensated InGaAs/GaAs/GaAsP QW structure as the active medium, the lowest threshold current obtained from the lasers on Si was 40 mA, and the highest total output power was near 100 mW. A statistical comparison of lasers grown on native GaAs and Si substrates was conducted and it reveals a somewhat higher threshold for devices on Si. Internal parameters, including modal gain and optical loss are extracted from experimental results and the variation on different substrates could provide a direction to further laser optimization through further improvement of the GaAs/Si templates and QW design. These results demonstrate a promising step towards optoelectronic integration of QW lasers on Si.
Evaluation of a coherent 2-µm differential absorption lidar for water vapor and radial wind velocity measurements
Authors: Iwai Hironori , Aoki Makoto
Published: March 2023

The performance of a coherent 2-µm differential absorption lidar (DIAL) for simultaneously measuring water vapor (H2O) and radial wind velocity was evaluated. For measuring H2O, a wavelength locking technique was applied to the H2O-DIAL system. The H2O-DIAL system was evaluated under summer daytime conditions in Tokyo, Japan. H2O-DIAL measurements were compared with measurements from radiosondes. The H2O-DIAL-derived volumetric humidity values agreed with the radiosonde-derived values over the range from 11 to 20 g/m3 with a correlation coefficient of 0.81 and a root-mean-square difference of 1.46 g/m3. Comparisons between the H2O-DIAL and the in-situ surface meteorological sensors demonstrated the simultaneous measurement of H2O and radial wind velocity.
Compact, portable, thermal-noise-limited optical cavity with low acceleration sensitivity
Authors: Kelleher Megan L. , McLemore Charles A. , Lee Dahyeon , Davila-Rodriguez Josue , Diddams Scott A. , Quinlan Franklyn
Published: March 2023

We develop and demonstrate a compact (less than 6 mL) portable Fabry-Pérot optical reference cavity. A laser locked to the cavity is thermal noise limited at 2 × 10−14 fractional frequency stability. Broadband feedback control with an electro-optic modulator enables near thermal-noise-limited phase noise performance from 1 Hz to 10 kHz offset frequencies. The additional low vibration, temperature, and holding force sensitivity of our design makes it well suited for out-of-the-lab applications such as optically derived low noise microwave generation, compact and mobile optical atomic clocks, and environmental sensing through deployed fiber networks.
Visible-telecom tunable dual-band optical isolator based on dynamic modulation in thin-film lithium niobate
Authors: Shah Manav , Briggs Ian , Chen Pao-Kang , Hou Songyan , Fan Linran
Published: March 2023

Optical isolators are an essential component of photonic systems.
Current integrated optical isolators have limited bandwidths due to
stringent phase-matching conditions, resonant structures, or material
absorption. Here, we demonstrate a wideband integrated optical
isolator in thin-film lithium niobate photonics. We use dynamic
standing-wave modulation in a tandem configuration to break Lorentz
reciprocity and achieve isolation. We measure an isolation ratio of 15
dB and insertion loss below 0.5 dB for a continuous wave laser input
at 1550 nm. In addition, we experimentally show that this isolator can
simultaneously operate at visible and telecom wavelengths with
comparable performance. Isolation bandwidths up to ∼100 nm can be
achieved simultaneously at both visible and telecom wavelengths,
limited only by the modulation bandwidth. Our device’s dual-band
isolation, high flexibility, and real-time tunability can enable novel
non-reciprocal functionality on integrated photonic platforms.
Suppression of coherent interference to electric-field-induced second-harmonic (E-FISH) signals for the measurement of electric field in mesoscale confined geometries
Authors: Vorenkamp Madeline , Steinmetz Scott A. , Chen Timothy Y. , Ju Yiguang , Kliewer Christopher J.
Published: March 2023

We present spatially enhanced electric-field-induced second-harmonic
(SEEFISH) generation with a chirped femtosecond beam for measurements
of electric field in mesoscale confined geometries subject to
destructive spurious second-harmonic generation (SHG). Spurious SHG is
shown to interfere with the measured E-FISH signal coherently, and
thus simple background subtraction is not sufficient for single-beam
E-FISH approaches, especially in a confined system with a large
surface-to-volume ratio. The results show that a chirped femtosecond
beam is effective in preventing higher-order mixing and white light
generation in windows near the beam focal point which further
contaminates the SEEFISH signal. The successful measurements of
electric field of a nanosecond dielectric barrier discharge in a test
cell demonstrated that spurious SHG detected with a congruent
traditional E-FISH approach can be eliminated using the SEEFISH
approach.
Photonic reservoir computing using a self-injection locked semiconductor laser under narrowband optical feedback
Authors: Li Song-Sui , Li Jiangwei , Zou Xihua , Zhang Liyue , Jiang Lin , Pan Wei , Yan Lianshan
Published: March 2023

Photonic time-delay reservoir computing (TDRC) using a self-injection locked semiconductor laser under optical feedback from a narrowband apodized fiber Bragg grating (AFBG) is proposed and numerically demonstrated. The narrowband AFBG suppresses the laser’s relaxation oscillation and provides self-injection locking in both the weak and strong feedback regimes. By contrast, conventional optical feedback provides locking only in the weak feedback regime. The TDRC based on self-injection locking is first evaluated by the computational ability and memory capacity, then benchmarked by the time series prediction and channel equalization. Good computing performances can be achieved using both the weak and strong feedback regimes. Interestingly, the strong feedback regime broadens the usable feedback strength range and improves robustness to feedback phase variations in the benchmark tests.
Detection of genes with differential expression dispersion unravels the role of autophagy in cancer progression
Authors: Le Priol Christophe , Azencott Chloé-Agathe , Gidrol Xavier
Published: March 2023

The majority of gene expression studies focus on the search for genes whose mean expression is different between two or more populations of samples in the so-called “differential expression analysis” approach. However, a difference in variance in gene expression may also be biologically and physiologically relevant. In the classical statistical model used to analyze RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data, the dispersion, which defines the variance, is only considered as a parameter to be estimated prior to identifying a difference in mean expression between conditions of interest. Here, we propose to evaluate four recently published methods, which detect differences in both the mean and dispersion in RNA-seq data. We thoroughly investigated the performance of these methods on simulated datasets and characterized parameter settings to reliably detect genes with a differential expression dispersion. We applied these methods to The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets. Interestingly, among the genes with an increased expression dispersion in tumors and without a change in mean expression, we identified some key cellular functions, most of which were related to catabolism and were overrepresented in most of the analyzed cancers. In particular, our results highlight autophagy, whose role in cancerogenesis is context-dependent, illustrating the potential of the differential dispersion approach to gain new insights into biological processes and to discover new biomarkers.
Frequency and duration of suffering of cervical cancer patients and caregivers: Results from an international Delphi study
Authors: Kwete Xiaoxiao Jiang , Kane Khadidjatou , Liu Yuwei (Alyssa) , Krakauer Eric L.
Published: March 2023

This paper describes a Delphi process executed between August and September, 2020, to identify types of physical, psychological, social and spiritual suffering and their severity, prevalence and duration associated with cervical cancer to enable estimation of the global and regional palliative care needs of these cervical cancer patients and their family caregivers. Patients were dichotomized into decedents (those who died of cervical cancer in any given year) and non-decedents (those who had cervical cancer in any given year but did not die in that year). A two-round web-based Delphi study was conducted using a panel of 12 experts with first-hand experience taking care of cervical cancer patients and their family caregivers, two from each World Health Organization (WHO) region. We identified thirteen types of physical suffering, six psychological types, three social types and three spiritual types. Frequencies and durations were given for each of the suffering types for a decedent, a non-decedent and a primary family caregiver. Our findings of the types, severity, frequency and duration of suffering associated with cervical cancer should inform global, regional, national and local health care strategic planning so that the health investments can be better aligned with the needs.
A marmoset model for Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease
Authors: Peters Jay , Maselli Diego Jose , Mangat Mandeep , Coalson Jacqueline J. , Hinojosa Cecilia , Giavedoni Luis , Brown-Elliott Barbara A. , Chan Edward , Griffith David
Published: March 2023

Rationale

Mycobacterium avium complex, is the most common nontuberculous mycobacterial respiratory pathogen in humans. Disease mechanisms are poorly understood due to the absence of a reliable animal model for M. avium complex pulmonary disease.

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to assess the susceptibility, immunologic and histopathologic responses of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) to M. avium complex pulmonary infection.

Methods

7 adult female marmosets underwent endobronchial inoculation with 108 colony-forming units of M. intracellulare and were monitored for 30 or 60 days. Chest radiograph was assessed at baseline (prior to infection) and at the time of sacrifice (30 days for 3 animals and 60 days for 4 animals), and bronchoalveolar lavage cytokines, histopathology and cultures of the bronchoalveolar lavage, lungs, liver and kidney were assessed at time of sacrifice. Serum cytokines were monitored at baseline and weekly for 30 days for all animals and at 60 days for those alive. Group differences in serum cytokine measurements between those that tested positive versus negative for the M. intracellulare infection were assessed using a series of linear mixed models.

Measurements and main results

Five of seven animals (two at 30 days and three at 60 days of infection) had positive lung cultures for M. intracellulare. Extra-pulmonary cultures were positive in three animals. All animals appeared healthy throughout the study. All five animals with positive lung cultures had radiographic changes consistent with pneumonitis. At 30 days, those with M. intracellulare lung infection showed granulomatous inflammation, while at 60 days there were fewer inflammatory changes but bronchiectasis was noted. The cytokine response in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was uniformly greater in the animals with positive M. intracellulare cultures than those without a productive infection, with greater levels at 30-days compared to 60-days. Similarly, serum cytokines were more elevated in the animals that had positive M. intracellulare cultures compared to those without a productive infection, peaking 14–21 days after inoculation.

Conclusion

Endobronchial instillation of M. intracellulare resulted in pulmonary mycobacterial infection in marmosets with a differential immune response, radiographic and histopathologic abnormalities, and an indolent course consistent with M. avium complex lung infection in humans.
Differential coexistence of multiple genotypes of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in the stromata, ascocarps and ascospores of natural Cordyceps sinensis
Authors: Li Yu-Ling , Li Xiu-Zhang , Yao Yi-Sang , Wu Zi-Mei , Gao Ling , Tan Ning-Zhi , Luo Zhou-Qing , Xie Wei-Dong , Wu Jian-Yong , Zhu Jia-Shi
Published: March 2023

Objective

To examine the differential occurrence ofOphiocordyceps sinensisgenotypes in the stroma, stromal fertile portion (SFP) densely covered with numerous ascocarps, and ascospores of naturalCordyceps sinensis.

Methods

Immature and matureC.sinensisspecimens were harvested. MatureC.sinensisspecimens were continuously cultivated in our laboratory (altitude 2,200 m). The SFPs (with ascocarps) and ascospores ofC.sinensiswere collected for microscopic and molecular analyses using species-/genotype-specific primers. Sequences of mutant genotypes ofO.sinensiswere aligned with that of Genotype #1Hirsutella sinensisand compared phylogenetically using a Bayesian majority-rule method.

Results

Fully and semiejected ascospores were collected from the same specimens. The semiejected ascospores tightly adhered to the surface of the asci as observed by the naked eye and under optical and confocal microscopies. The multicellular heterokaryotic ascospores showed uneven staining of nuclei. The immature and mature stromata, SFPs (with ascocarps) and ascospores were found to differentially contain several GC- and AT-biased genotypes ofO.sinensis,Samsoniella hepiali, and an AB067719-type fungus. The genotypes within AT-biased Cluster-A in the Bayesian tree occurred in all compartments ofC.sinensis, but those within AT-biased Cluster-B were present in immature and mature stromata and SPFs but absent in the ascospores. Genotype #13 ofO.sinensiswas present in semi-ejected ascospores and Genotype #14 in fully ejected ascospores. GC-biased Genotypes #13–14 featured large DNA segment substitutions and genetic material recombination between the genomes of the parental fungi (H.sinensisand the AB067719-type fungus). These ascosporic offspring genotypes combined with varying abundances ofS.hepialiin the 2 types of ascospores participated in the control of the development, maturation and ejection of the ascospores.

Conclusion

Multiple genotypes ofO.sinensiscoexist differentially in the stromata, SFPs and 2 types ofC.sinensisascospores, along withS.hepialiand the AB067719-type fungus. The fungal components in different combinations and their dynamic alterations in the compartments ofC.sinensisduring maturation play symbiotic roles in the lifecycle of naturalC.sinensis.
Understanding the nature of substance use in Zimbabwe: State of the art and ways forward: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Marandure Blessing N. , Mhizha Samson , Wilson Amanda , Nhunzvi Clement
Published: March 2023

Reports of substance use in Zimbabwe paint a concerning picture of escalating prevalence of use, with over half of people admitted to inpatient mental health units reportedly experiencing a substance induced disorder. The country has gone through decades of significant political and socio-economical challenges, which are undoubtedly linked to the observed increases in substances use. Nevertheless, despite the resource constraints to adequately address substance use, the government has shown a renewed resolve to provide a comprehensive approach to address substance use in the country. However, there is a lack of clarity of the nature and extent of substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs), which in part is due to a lack of a national monitoring system for substance use in the country. Moreover, reports of a substance use crisis in Zimbabwe are predominantly based on anecdotal evidence, limiting the ability to gain an accurate picture of the situation. Therefore, a scoping review of the primary empirical evidence of substance use and SUDs is proposed in order to develop an adequately informed understanding of the nature of substance use and SUDs in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the review will embed an assessment of the response to substance use, together with an analysis of the policy landscape on substance use in Zimbabwe. The PRISMA-ScR checklist will be utilised for the write up. The results of the scoping review will be essential for identifying the current state of knowledge around substance use, and identify gaps in knowledge and policy that would be a catalyst for further work to enhance knowledge and develop solutions situated within the local context. Thus the present work presents a timely effort that capitalises on current efforts by the government to address substance use in the country.
Helicobacter pylori infection and its associated factors among dyspepsia patients attending Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, 2020
Authors: Jemere Tadeg , Tilahun Mekdes , Walle Gashaw , Yideg Getachew , Agegnehu Assefa , Tilahun Anemut , Abebe Edget , Moges Natnael
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common bacterial infections of humankind that affects more than 50% of the world’s population. It has been implicated as an important agent in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Data regarding its prevalence using stool antigen test is scarce in Ethiopia. Hence, the main aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among dyspeptic patients using stool antigen test and assessing the potential risk factors.

Methods

Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted on 373 dyspepsia patients. Data were collected using a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire. SPSS Version 23 for Windows software was used for summarization and analyses of data. Bivariate analysis was conducted to detect the association between dependent and independent variables, and all candidate variables were entered into multivariate logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at p-value <0.05.

Result

More than one-third (34%) of dyspepsia patients were positive for H. pylori stool antigen test. Having greater than or equal to four children in the house [AOR = 7.5 95% CI (1.7, 33.6) p = 0.008)], absence of latrine for the house hold [AOR = 4.3 95% CI (1, 17.8), p = 0.043 and drinking of river water [AOR = 12.5 95% CI (1.5, 105), p = 0.021] were predictors of H-pylori infection.

Conclusion

More than one-third of dyspepsia patients were positive for H-pylori infection. Overcrowding and poor hygienic conditions are the main risk factors of H-pylori infection.
Clinical criteria to exclude acute vascular pathology on CT angiogram in patients with dizziness
Authors: Tu Long H. , Malhotra Ajay , Venkatesh Arjun K. , Taylor Richard A. , Sheth Kevin N. , Yaesoubi Reza , Forman Howard P. , Sureshanand Soundari , Navaratnam Dhasakumar
Published: March 2023

Background

Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with dizziness may be imaged via CTA head and neck to detect acute vascular pathology including large vessel occlusion. We identify commonly documented clinical variables which could delineate dizzy patients with near zero risk of acute vascular abnormality on CTA.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional analysis of adult ED encounters with chief complaint of dizziness and CTA head and neck imaging at three EDs between 1/1/2014-12/31/2017. A decision rule was derived to exclude acute vascular pathology tested on a separate validation cohort; sensitivity analysis was performed using dizzy “stroke code” presentations.

Results

Testing, validation, and sensitivity analysis cohorts were composed of 1072, 357, and 81 cases with 41, 6, and 12 instances of acute vascular pathology respectively. The decision rule had the following features: no past medical history of stroke, arterial dissection, or transient ischemic attack (including unexplained aphasia, incoordination, or ataxia); no history of coronary artery disease, diabetes, migraines, current/long-term smoker, and current/long-term anti-coagulation or anti-platelet medication use. In the derivation phase, the rule had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 0.91–1.00), specificity of 59% (95% CI: 0.56–0.62), and negative predictive value of 100% (95% CI: 0.99–1.00). In the validation phase, the rule had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 0.61–1.00), specificity of 53% (95% CI: 0.48–0.58), and negative predictive value of 100% (95% CI: 0.98–1.00). The rule performed similarly on dizzy stroke codes and was more sensitive/predictive than all NIHSS cut-offs. CTAs for dizziness might be avoidable in 52% (95% CI: 0.47–0.57) of cases.

Conclusions

A collection of clinical factors may be able to “exclude” acute vascular pathology in up to half of patients imaged by CTA for dizziness. These findings require further development and prospective validation, though could improve the evaluation of dizzy patients in the ED.
lncRNA-TCONS_00008552 expression in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension due to congenital heart disease
Authors: Yang Qi , Fan Wei , Lai Banghui , Liao Bin , Deng Mingbin
Published: March 2023

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are potential regulators of a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, there is a series of differentially expressed lncRNAs in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) that may be used as markers to diagnose PAH and even predict the prognosis. However, their specific mechanisms remain largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated the biological role of lncRNAs in patients with PAH. First, we screened patients with PAH secondary to ventricular septal defect (VSD) and those with VSD without PAH to assess differences in lncRNA and mRNA expression between the two groups. Our results revealed the significant upregulation of 813 lncRNAs and 527 mRNAs and significant downregulation of 541 lncRNAs and 268 mRNAs in patients with PAH. Then, we identified 10 hub genes in a constructed protein-protein interaction network. Next, we performed bioinformatics analyses, including Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis and subsequently constructed coding-noncoding co-expression networks. We screened lncRNA-TCONS_00008552 and lncRNA-ENST00000433673 as candidate genes and verified the expression levels of the lncRNAs using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Although expression levels of lncRNA-TCONS_00008552 in the plasma from the PAH groups were significantly increased compared with the control groups, there was no significant difference in the expression of lncRNA-ENST00000433673 between the two groups. This study bolsters our understanding of the role of lncRNA in PAH occurrence and development and indicates that lncRNA-TCONS_00008552 is a novel potential molecular marker for PAH.
Environmental regulation and green innovation of polluting firms in China
Authors: He Lingyan , Wang Miao
Published: March 2023

The main objective of this paper is to study the impact of the Ambient Air Quality Standard (2012) on the green innovation of Chinese firms in polluting industries. The analysis features “leverage effect” of Porter Hypothesis imposed by environmental regulations and exploits exogenous variations caused by the promulgation of the new policy. Based on the exogenous variations, this paper uses the time varying PSM-DID method. The findings of this study suggest that the implementation of the new policy improves firms’ green innovation. Increments in R&D investment and environmental protection investment are channels through which the new standard positively affects firms’ green innovation. The cross-sectional heterogeneity analysis exhibits that the effect of this environmental regulation is stronger for firms with bigger size and lower financial constraints. The contribution and significance of this study are as follows: our study enriches understanding of the impact of environmental regulation on firms’ green innovation by empirically confirming the influencing channels of the impact of environmental regulations on green innovation. In addition, this paper contributes to the firms’ green innovation literature by empirically validating the role of corporate characteristics in moderating the effect of environmental regulations.
Impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors versus angiotensin receptor blockers on clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Lee Jae-Geun , Joo Seung-Jae , Kim Song-Yi , Choi Joon-Hyouk , Boo Ki Yung , Hwang Jin-Yong , Hur Seung-Ho , Jeong Myung Ho ,   on behalf of the KAMIR-NIH investigators
Published: March 2023

There has been a concern that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) may increase myocardial infarction (MI) in hypertensive patients compared with other classes of anti-hypertensive drugs. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) is recommended as a first-line inhibitor of renin-angiotensin system (RASI) in patients with acute MI (AMI), but ARB is also frequently used to control blood pressure. This study investigated the association of ARB vs. ACEI with the long-term clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients with AMI. Among patients enrolled in the nationwide AMI database of South Korea, the KAMIR-NIH, 4,827 hypertensive patients, who survived the initial attack and were taking ARB or ACEI at discharge, were selected for this study. ARB therapy was associated with higher incidence of 2-year major adverse cardiac events, cardiac death, all-cause death, MI than ACEI therapy in entire cohort. After propensity score-matching, ARB therapy was still associated with higher incidence of 2-year cardiac death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–2.14; P = 0.001), all-cause death (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.44–2.28; P < 0.001), and MI (HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.25–2.46; P = 0.001) than the ACEI therapy. It was concluded that ARB therapy at discharge in hypertensive patients with AMI was inferior to ACEI therapy with regard to the incidence of CD, all-cause death, and MI at 2-year. These data suggested that ACEI be a more appropriate RASI than ARB to control BP in hypertensive patients with AMI.