bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CALGB 80802 (Alliance): Impact of Sorafenib with and without Doxorubicin on Hepatitis C Infection in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Abou-Alfa Ghassan K. , Geyer Susan M. , Nixon Andrew B. , Innocenti Federico , Shi Qian , Kumthekar Priya , Jacobson Sawyer , El Dika Imane , Yaqubie Amin , Lopez Juan , Huang Binhui , Tang Yi-Wei , Wen Yujia , Schwartz Lawrence H. , El-Khoueiry Anthony B. , Knox Jennifer J. , Rajdev Lakshmi , Bertagnolli Monica M. , Meyerhardt Jeffrey A. , O'Reilly Eileen M. , Venook Alan P.
Published: February 2024

Sorafenib blocks nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A)-recruited c-Raf–mediated hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication and gene expression. Release of Raf-1-Ask-1 dimer and inhibition of Raf-1 via sorafenib putatively differ in the presence or absence of doxorubicin. Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 80802 (Alliance) randomized phase III trial of doxorubicin plus sorafenib versus sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), showed no improvement in median overall survival (OS). Whether HCV viral load impacts therapy and whether any correlation between HCV titers and outcome based on HCV was studied. In patients with HCV, HCV titer levels were evaluated at baseline and at multiple postbaseline timepoints until disease progression or treatment discontinuation. HCV titer levels were evaluated in relation to OS and progression-free survival (PFS). Among 53 patients with baseline HCV data, 12 patients had undetectable HCV (HCV-UN). Postbaseline HCV titer levels did not significantly differ between treatment arms. One patient in each arm went from detectable to HCV-UN with greater than 2 log-fold titer levels reduction. Aside from these 2 HCV-UN patients, HCV titers remained stable on treatment. Patients who had HCV-UN at baseline were 3.5 times more likely to progress and/or die from HCC compared with HCV detectable (HR = 3.51; 95% confidence interval: 1.58–7.78; P = 0.002). HCV titer levels remained unchanged, negating any sorafenib impact onto HCV titer levels. Although an overall negative phase III study, patients treated with doxorubicin plus sorafenib and sorafenib only, on CALGB 80802 had worse PFS if HCV-UN. Higher levels of HCV titers at baseline were associated with significantly improved PFS.

Significance:

Sorafenib therapy for HCC may impact HCV replication and viral gene expression. In HCV-positive patients accrued to CLAGB 80802 phase III study evaluating the addition of doxorubicin to sorafenib, HCV titer levels were evaluated at baseline and different timepoints. Sorafenib did not impact HCV titer levels. Despite an improved PFS in patients with detectable higher level HCV titers at baseline, no difference in OS was noted.
Pulmonary Tumor Thrombotic Microangiopathy in a Patient with Rapid Progressive Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Rudolf Fiona , Baschong Albert , Bilecen Deniz , Aceto Nicola , Vetter Marcus
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a rare complication of metastatic carcinoma, which occurs in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, and is mostly fatal. Circulating tumor cell clusters have been recognized as critical factors during breast cancer progression. Case Presentation: An 80-year-old woman with triple-negative breast cancer was admitted to our hospital with progressive dyspnea and lower back pain. Breast cancer treatment included mastectomy, neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy as well as adjuvant radiotherapy, receiving her last cycle of radiotherapy 8 days before death. At admission, D-dimers were strongly elevated and platelets were low. NT-pro-BNP was moderately elevated. A CT scan of the chest did not show pulmonary embolism but revealed interlobular septal thickening, centrilobular consolidation, and distension of the pulmonary arteries. Moreover, new skeletal and most likely lymphatic metastasis was described. Treatment with oxygen and oral glucocorticoids was initiated, assuming radiotherapy-induced pneumonitis. Due to low expression of PD-L1 and her markedly bad performance status, tumor-specific therapy was not possible, and the treatment regimen was changed to best supportive care. The patient died 8 days after admission. Autopsy revealed numerous events consistent with tumor emboli in the pulmonary vessels, suggesting PTTM. Conclusion: PTTM is a rare and mostly fatal complication in malignant breast cancer. As an early detection is difficult, further investigation is needed. Circulating tumor cluster cells may be one way to detect PTTM early and improve patients’ survival.
A Case of Parathyroid Carcinoma in Renal Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Zheng Victoria Meijia , Fei Leong Eugene Kwong , Pinto Diluka , Parameswaran Rajeev , Wu Bingcheng , Tan Nicholas Jin Hong , Lee James Wai Kit
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare malignant endocrine tumor that is usually associated with primary hyperparathyroidism. The coexistence of parathyroid carcinoma and renal hyperparathyroidism is a rare phenomenon. Hence, we present a case of parathyroid carcinoma in a patient with tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Case Presentation: Our patient is a 31-year-old woman with a past medical history of end-stage renal failure (ESRF), on hemodialysis for the past 18 years. She was referred by her nephrologist to the endocrine surgery department for consideration of parathyroidectomy in view of long-standing tertiary hyperparathyroidism complicated by hypercalcemia. Bedside ultrasonography scan (US) of the thyroid revealed three parathyroid glands and a hypoechoic right lower pole thyroid nodule with central calcification. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was performed for the suspected thyroid nodule on the same day, which eventually yielded a follicular lesion of undetermined significance. A right hemithyroidectomy and total parathyroidectomy with deltoid implantation was performed. Intraoperative exploration revealed that the thyroid nodule noted at initial US was found to be the right superior parathyroid gland invading into the right thyroid itself. The right superior parathyroid gland was excised en bloc with the right hemithyroidectomy. Post-operatively, the patient was hypocalcemic but was discharged well on post-operative day 5. Histopathological diagnosis of the right hemithyroidectomy specimen containing the right superior parathyroid gland was consistent with that of parathyroid carcinoma. Conclusion: Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare entity that is difficult to diagnose. In patients with ESRF, the presence of concurrent tertiary hyperparathyroidism makes this even more challenging.
Measured Resting Energy Expenditure by Indirect Calorimetry and Energy Intake in Long-Term Growth Hormone-Treated Children with PWS
Authors: Trueba-Timmermans Demi J. , Grootjen Lionne N. , Juriaans Alicia F. , Kerkhof Gerthe F. , Rings Edmond H.H.M. , Hokken-Koelega Anita C.S.
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Severe obesity can develop in children with PWS when food intake is not controlled. Maintenance of body weight requires an energy balance, of which energy intake and energy expenditure are important components. Previous studies described a decreased resting energy expenditure (REE) in growth hormone (GH)-untreated children with PWS. In short-term studies, no difference in REE was found between GH-treated and untreated children with PWS. However, there are limited data on REE in children with PWS who were GH-treated for a long period. Methods: This study describes measured REE (mREE), energy intake, and body composition during long-term GH treatment in children with PWS. Patients were treated with 1.0 mg GH/m2/day (∼0.035 mg/kg/day). REE was determined by indirect calorimetry; dietary energy intake was calculated using a 3-day dietary record. Body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. Results: We included 52 GH-treated children with PWS with a mean (SD) age of 8.53 (4.35) years and a median (IQR) GH-treatment duration of 7 (4–11) years. mREE increased with age, but was not associated with GH-treatment duration. A higher LBM was associated with higher mREE. Mean energy intake was significantly lower compared to daily energy requirements (DER) for age- and sex-matched healthy children (p < 0.001), ranging from 23 to 36% less intake in children aged 3.5–12 years to 49% less intake in children aged 12–18 years. Fifty percent of children had a normal REE, 17.3% a decreased REE, and 32.7% an elevated REE, according to predicted REE based on measured REE in a large group of healthy children. Conclusion: In children with PWS, mREE increases with age. GH-treatment duration is not associated, whereas LBM is an important determinant of mREE. Children with PWS have a low to very low energy intake compared to DER for age- and sex-matched children, with a declining intake when becoming older.
Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination in Adults with Haematological Malignancies
Authors: Blennerhassett Richard , Hamad Nada , Grech Lisa , Kwok Alastair , Choi Tammie , Forsyth Cecily , Jagger Jacqueline , Opat Stephen , Harris Sam , Chan Bryan Anthony , Nguyen Mike , Bain Nathan , Day Daphne , Segelov Eva ,   on behalf of the CANVACCS Investigators
Published: February 2024

Introduction: Despite people with haematological malignancies being particularly vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection and complications, vaccine hesitancy may be a barrier to optimal vaccination. This study explored attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination in people with haematological malignancies. Methods: People with haematological malignancies at nine Australian health services were surveyed between June and October 2021. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected. Attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination were explored using the Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Scale, the Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence and Complacency Scale, and the Disease Influenced Vaccine Acceptance Scale-Six. Open-ended comments were qualitatively analysed. Results: A total of 869 people with haematological malignancies (mean age 64.2 years, 43.6% female) participated. Most participants (85.3%) reported that they had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Participants who were younger, spoke English as a non-dominant language, and had a shorter time since diagnosis were less likely to be vaccinated. Those who were female or spoke English as their non-dominant language reported greater vaccine side-effect concerns. Younger participants reported greater concerns about the vaccine impacting their treatment. Conclusion: People with haematological malignancies reported high vaccine uptake; however, targeted education for specific participant groups may address vaccine hesitancy concerns, given the need for COVID-19 vaccine boosters.
Xenograft Combined with a Mixture of Polynucleotides and Hyaluronic Acid (PNs-HA) for Horizontal Alveolar Bone Regeneration: Clinical and Histologic Assessments in a Case Series
Authors: Beretta Mario , Manfredini Mattia , Dellavia Claudia Paola Bruna , Pellegrini Gaia , Maiorana Carlo , Poli Pier Paolo
Published: February 2024

The present case series aims to investigate the use of polynucleotides mixed with hyaluronic acid (PNs-HA) in the form of gel to promote bone regeneration in horizontal alveolar defects. Overall, 6 adult pa-tients underwent localized horizontal guided bone regeneration by means of xenogeneic bone substitute and a resorbable barrier with a staged approach. The graft consisted in a mixture of deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) particles and PNs-HA gel in a 3:1 ratio, respectively. The material was covered by a resorbable collagen membrane fixed with pins to the underlying bone. Implant placement was per-formed after 5 months. Healing proceeded uneventfully, and, upon re-entry, the graft appeared well vas-cularized and firmly attached to the recipient bone. Histologically, the regenerated bone appeared highly mineralized, well-organized in lamellae and totally embedding the residual granules of the biomaterial. Histomorphometric evaluations revealed that newly formed bone occupied on average 41.2% ± 12.4% of the analysed samples. Linear measurements performed on CBCT scans yielded an overall linear horizon-tal bone gain of 4.91 ± 0.88 mm. These data suggest that a mixture of DBBM and PNs-HA can be safely used to promote bone regeneration in case of horizontal alveolar defects.
Cost‐Effectiveness Analysis of Empagliflozin for Treatment of Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction in the United States
Authors: Reifsnider Odette S. , Tafazzoli Ali , Linden Stephan , Ishak Jack , Rakonczai Pal , Stargardter Matthew , Kuti Effie
Published: February 2024

Background

In the EMPEROR‐Reduced trial (Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and a Reduced Ejection Fraction), empagliflozin plus standard of care reduced the composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure versus standard of care in adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. This analysis investigated the cost‐effectiveness of the 2 regimens from the perspective of US payors.

Methods and Results

A Markov cohort model was developed based on Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score quartiles and death. Transition probabilities between health states, risk of cardiovascular/all‐cause death, hospitalization for heart failure and adverse events, treatment discontinuation, and health utilities were estimated from trial data. Medicare and commercial payment rates were combined for treatment acquisition, acute event management, and disease management. An annual discount rate of 3% was used. Empagliflozin plus standard of care yielded 18% fewer hospitalizations for heart failure and 6% fewer deaths versus standard of care over a lifetime, providing cost‐offsets while adding 0.19 life years and 0.19 quality‐adjusted life years at an incremental cost of $16 815/patient. The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio was $87 725/quality‐adjusted life years gained. Results were consistent across payors, subpopulations, and in deterministic sensitivity analyses. In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, empagliflozin plus standard of care was cost‐effective in 3%, 62%, and 80% of iterations at thresholds of $50 000, $100 000, and $150 000/quality‐adjusted life years.

Conclusions

Empagliflozin plus standard of care may prevent hospitalizations for heart failure, extend life, and increase quality‐adjusted life years for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction at an acceptable cost for US payors.
Impact of Updating the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Guidelines on Out‐of‐Hospital Shockable Cardiac Arrest: A Population‐Based Cohort Study in Japan
Authors: Yagi Tsukasa , Nagao Ken , Yonemoto Naohiro , Gaieski David F. , Tachibana Eizo , Ito Noritoshi , Shirai Shinichi , Tahara Yoshio , Nonogi Hiroshi , Ikeda Takanori ,   for the Japanese Circulation Society with Resuscitation Science Study (JCS‐ReSS) Group
Published: February 2024

Background

International consensus on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiovascular care science and treatment recommendations (CoSTR) have reported updates on CPR maneuvers every 5 years since 2000. However, few national population‐based studies have investigated the comprehensive effectiveness of those updates for out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest due to shockable rhythms. The primary objective of the present study was to determine whether CPR based on CoSTR 2005 or 2010 was associated with improved outcomes in Japan, as compared with CPR based on Guidelines 2000.

Methods and Results

From the All‐Japan Utstein Registry between 2005 and 2015, we included 73 578 adults who had shockable out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest witnessed by bystanders or emergency medical service responders. The study outcomes over an 11‐year period were compared between 2005 of the Guidelines 2000 era, from 2006 to 2010 of the CoSTR 2005 era, and from 2011 to 2015 of the CoSTR 2010 era. In the bystander‐witnessed group, the adjusted odds ratios for favorable neurological outcomes at 30 days after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest by enrollment year increased year by year (1.19 in 2006, and 3.01 in 2015). Similar results were seen in the emergency medical service responder‐witnessed group and several subgroups.

Conclusions

Compared with CPR maneuvers for shockable out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest recommended in the Guidelines 2000, CPR maneuver updates in CoSTR 2005 and 2010 were associated with improved neurologically intact survival year by year in Japan. Increased public awareness and greater dissemination of basic life support may be responsible for the observed improvement in outcomes.

Registration

URL:
https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/
; Unique identifier: 000009918.
Potential Mediators for Treatment Effects of Novel Diabetes Medications on Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes: A Meta‐Regression Analysis
Authors: Rodriguez‐Valadez José M. , Tahsin Malak , Masharani Umesh , Park Meyeon , Hunink M. G. Myriam , Yeboah Joseph , Li Lihua , Weber Ellerie , Berkalieva Asem , Avezaat Luuk , Max Wendy , Fleischmann Kirsten E. , Ferket Bart S.
Published: February 2024

Background

Prior research suggests clinical effects of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1RAs) and sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are mediated by changes in glycated hemoglobin, body weight, systolic blood pressure, hematocrit, and urine albumin‐creatinine ratio. We aimed to confirm these findings using a meta‐analytic approach.

Methods and Results

We updated a systematic review of 9 GLP‐1RA and 13 SGLT2i trials and summarized longitudinal mediator data. We obtained hazard ratios (HRs) for cardiovascular, renal, and mortality outcomes. We performed linear mixed‐effects modeling of LogHRs versus changes in potential mediators and investigated differences in meta‐regression associations among drug classes using interaction terms. HRs generally became more protective with greater glycated hemoglobin reduction among GLP‐1RA trials, with average HR improvements of 20% to 30%, reaching statistical significance for major adverse cardiovascular events (ΔHR, 23%;
P
=0.02). Among SGLT2i trials, associations with HRs were not significant and differed from GLP1‐RA trials for major adverse cardiovascular events (
P
interaction
=0.04). HRs for major adverse cardiovascular events, myocardial infarction, and stroke became less efficacious (ΔHR, −15% to −34%), with more weight loss for SGLT2i but not for GLP‐1RA trials (ΔHR, 4%−7%;
P
interaction
<0.05). Among 5 SGLT2i trials with available data, HRs for stroke became less efficacious with larger increases in hematocrit (ΔHR, 123%;
P
=0.09). No changes in HRs by systolic blood pressure (ΔHR, −11% to 9%) and urine albumin‐creatinine ratio (ΔHR, −1% to 4%) were found for any outcome.

Conclusions

We confirmed increased efficacy findings for major adverse cardiovascular events with reduction in glycated hemoglobin for GLP1‐RAs. Further research is needed on the potential loss of cardiovascular benefits with increased weight loss and hematocrit for SGLT2i.
Impact of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement on Cardiac Reverse Remodeling and Prognosis in Mixed Aortic Valve Disease
Authors: Saijo Yoshihito , Kusunose Kenya , Takahashi Tomonori , Yamada Hirotsugu , Sata Masataka , Sato Kimi , Albakaa Noor , Ishizu Tomoko , Seo Yoshihiro , Izumo Masaki , Izumi Chisato , Inami Shu , Takeda Yasuharu , Izumi Yuki , Kumagai Akiko , Takahashi Naohiko , Kitai Takeshi , Iwano Hiroyuki , Sugawara Shigeo , Akasaka Kazumi , Harada Kenji , Masaoka Yoshiko , Tanabe Kazuaki , Sakamoto Takahiro , Takamura Takeshi
Published: February 2024

Background

The management of mixed aortic valve disease (MAVD), defined as the concomitant presence of aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic regurgitation, remains a clinical challenging. The present study assessed the impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on cardiac geometry and prognosis in patients with MAVD.

Methods and Results

A retrospective multicenter TAVR registry was conducted, including patients who underwent TAVR for severe symptomatic AS between January 2015 and March 2019. Patients were subdivided into 2 groups according to concomitant presence of moderate or more severe aortic regurgitation as the MAVD group, and with mild or less severe aortic regurgitation as the isolated AS group. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death and rehospitalization due to cardiovascular causes. A total of 1742 patients (isolated AS, 1522 patients; MAVD, 220 patients) were included (84.0±5.2 years). Although MAVD exhibited significantly larger left ventricular volumes and higher left ventricular mass index at the TAVR procedure than isolated AS (respectively,
P
<0.001), MAVD showed a greater improvement of left ventricular volumes and left ventricular mass index after TAVR (respectively,
P
≤0.001). During a median follow‐up of 747 days, 301 patients achieved the primary event. The prognosis post‐TAVR was comparable between the 2 groups (log‐rank
P
=0.65). Even after adjustment using propensity score matching to reduce the potential bias between the 2 groups, similar results were obtained for the entire cohort.

Conclusions

Despite more advanced cardiac remodeling in MAVD at the time of TAVR compared with isolated AS, a greater improvement of cardiac reverse remodeling was found in MAVD, and the prognosis following TAVR was comparable between the 2 groups.
Advantages of Persistent Cohomology in Estimating Animal Location From Grid Cell Population Activity
Authors: Kawahara Daisuke , Fujisawa Shigeyoshi
Published: February 2024

Many cognitive functions are represented as cell assemblies. In the case of spatial navigation, the population activity of place cells in the hippocampus and grid cells in the entorhinal cortex represents self-location in the environment. The brain cannot directly observe self-location information in the environment. Instead, it relies on sensory information and memory to estimate self-location. Therefore, estimating low-dimensional dynamics, such as the movement trajectory of an animal exploring its environment, from only the high-dimensional neural activity is important in deciphering the information represented in the brain. Most previous studies have estimated the low-dimensional dynamics (i.e., latent variables) behind neural activity by unsupervised learning with Bayesian population decoding using artificial neural networks or gaussian processes. Recently, persistent cohomology has been used to estimate latent variables from the phase information (i.e., circular coordinates) of manifolds created by neural activity. However, the advantages of persistent cohomology over Bayesian population decoding are not well understood. We compared persistent cohomology and Bayesian population decoding in estimating the animal location from simulated and actual grid cell population activity. We found that persistent cohomology can estimate the animal location with fewer neurons than Bayesian population decoding and robustly estimate the animal location from actual noisy data.
Active Learning for Discrete Latent Variable Models
Authors: Jha Aditi , Ashwood Zoe C. , Pillow Jonathan W.
Published: February 2024

Active learning seeks to reduce the amount of data required to fit the parameters of a model, thus forming an important class of techniques in modern machine learning. However, past work on active learning has largely overlooked latent variable models, which play a vital role in neuroscience, psychology, and a variety of other engineering and scientific disciplines. Here we address this gap by proposing a novel framework for maximum-mutual-information input selection for discrete latent variable regression models. We first apply our method to a class of models known as mixtures of linear regressions (MLR). While it is well known that active learning confers no advantage for linear-gaussian regression models, we use Fisher information to show analytically that active learning can nevertheless achieve large gains for mixtures of such models, and we validate this improvement using both simulations and real-world data. We then consider a powerful class of temporally structured latent variable models given by a hidden Markov model (HMM) with generalized linear model (GLM) observations, which has recently been used to identify discrete states from animal decision-making data. We show that our method substantially reduces the amount of data needed to fit GLM-HMMs and outperforms a variety of approximate methods based on variational and amortized inference. Infomax learning for latent variable models thus offers a powerful approach for characterizing temporally structured latent states, with a wide variety of applications in neuroscience and beyond.
Red Teaming Language Model Detectors with Language Models
Authors: Shi Zhouxing , Wang Yihan , Yin Fan , Chen Xiangning , Chang Kai-Wei , Hsieh Cho-Jui
Published: February 2024

The prevalence and strong capability of large language models (LLMs) present significant safety and ethical risks if exploited by malicious users. To prevent the potentially deceptive usage of LLMs, recent work has proposed algorithms to detect LLM-generated text and protect LLMs. In this paper, we investigate the robustness and reliability of these LLM detectors under adversarial attacks. We study two types of attack strategies: 1) replacing certain words in an LLM’s output with their synonyms given the context; 2) automatically searching for an instructional prompt to alter the writing style of the generation. In both strategies, we leverage an auxiliary LLM to generate the word replacements or the instructional prompt. Different from previous works, we consider a challenging setting where the auxiliary LLM can also be protected by a detector. Experiments reveal that our attacks effectively compromise the performance of all detectors in the study with plausible generations, underscoring the urgent need to improve the robustness of LLM-generated text detection systems. Code is available at https://github.com/shizhouxing/LLM-Detector-Robustness.
Trial Sequential Analysis and Meta-Analysis of Olanzapine in Pediatric Patients for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV)
Authors: Singh Alok , Gupta Dhyuti , Kannauje Pankaj Kumar , Agrawal Amit Kumar
Published: February 2024

Background and Objective: Olanzapine (OLZ) containing regimens are approved in adults for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC), and the same has not been approved in the pediatric population. In order to generate data regarding the efficacy and safety of OLZ as an adjunct to the standard of care (SoC) for CINV in pediatric patients receiving HEC/MEC, the review authors performed this systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed through the databases Cochrane Library, Pub Med, and clinicaltrials.gov, from inception to September 2023, using keywords: “chemotherapy” and “olanzapine,” “nausea” and “vomiting.” Randomized clinical trials published in English that analyzed the efficacy and safety of olanzapine as an adjunct to SoC were included. The essential outcomes included in this study were the proportion of patients with no emesis in the acute and delayed phase, patients with no nausea in the acute and delayed phase, the proportion of patients requiring rescue medication, and the proportion of patients with reduced CNS arousal. Results: In the OLZ group, a greater number of patients had no emesis both in the acute and delayed phase (RR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.09-1.37; P = .0004); and (RR = 1.23; 95% CI = 0.92-1.63; P = .16) respectively. Similarly, a higher number of patients showed no nausea both in the acute and delayed phase (RR = 1.08; 95% CI = 0.78-1.48; P = .66) and (RR = 1.12; 95% CI = 0.79-1.61; P = .52) respectively. The use of rescue medication was significantly less in the OLZ group (RR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.42-0.91; P = .01). More patients experienced reduced CNS arousal in the OLZ group (RR = 2.97; 95% CI = 2.02-4.38; P < .0001). Conclusions: Olanzapine as an adjunct to the SoC may be effective in acute emesis, which may also reduce the use of rescue medication. Reduced CNS alertness was the significant adverse effect observed. For other endpoints, more studies are required to substantiate its role in CINV.
Context Integration and Inclusivity in Contemporary Public Spaces of Major City From Global South—Case of Karachi, Pakistan
Authors: Shakir Masooma
Published: February 2024

The emerging role of private sector in neoliberal city development is creating disconnect of contemporary public space with physical and social context. The following paper uses four case studies of public spaces within Karachi, mega city of Pakistan, to highlight the developing trends creating lack of context integration to place. The main research question for this study is, how well do the contemporary public spaces cater to inclusivity and integration with social and physical context? The research methodology used is mixed methods and qualitative research. Surveys and interviews conducted evaluate success factors and limitations in design approach to public spaces.
Labour Market in Peril: Interference of Influential Individuals in the Integration of Congolese Workers into the Labour Market
Authors: Inaka Saint José
Published: February 2024

The encroachment of certain influential individuals who employ cronyism, patronage, and networking into the recruitment and hiring processes of employees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a widely discussed issue in media and public discourse. However, it remains an underexplored subject within scholarly research. This paper seeks to address this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of this phenomenon over time. Drawing upon Jamie Peck’s concepts of labour incorporation and labour allocation, while also examining the prevalence of illegality and informality, this study argues that these ‘influential individuals’ or ‘well-connected actors’ have assumed the roles and responsibilities traditionally held by labour market actors and institutions. Consequently, this has exacerbated long-standing malpractices within the Congolese labour market. The interference of these ‘influential individuals’ disrupts the normal functioning of the Congolese labour market, even as proponents of these practices offer justifications for their actions. Employing qualitative interviews and documentary research, this study traces the historical origins of such interference, dating back to the colonial era.
Data-based bipartite formation control for multi-agent systems with communication constraints
Authors: Wang Juqin , Zhao Huarong , Yu Hongnian , Yang Ruitian , Li Jiehao
Published: February 2024

This article investigates data-driven distributed bipartite formation issues for discrete-time multi-agent systems with communication constraints. We propose a quantized data-driven distributed bipartite formation control approach based on the plant’s quantized and saturated information. Moreover, compared with existing results, we consider both the fixed and switching topologies of multi-agent systems with the cooperative-competitive interactions. We establish a time-varying linear data model for each agent by utilizing the dynamic linearization method. Then, using the incomplete input and output data of each agent and its neighbors, we construct the proposed quantized data-driven distributed bipartite formation control scheme without employing any dynamics information of multi-agent systems. We strictly prove the convergence of the proposed algorithm, where the proposed approach can ensure that the bipartite formation tracking errors converge to the origin, even though the communication topology of multi-agent systems is time-varying switching. Finally, simulation and hardware tests demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Troubling grief: Spectrality, temporality, refusal, catharsis
Authors: Broom Alex , Peterie Michelle
Published: February 2024

In the cultural imaginary of death and dying, the felt contours of grief are still often taken for granted. Grief is predominantly understood as sadness at loss; as melancholia at the finitude of relationships. Grief is conceived as a temporally-bound affective period in which one processes the pain of loss – that is, gets used to absence and works toward ‘moving on’. In this article, we centre the accounts of people caring for the dying, or recently having experienced the death of a loved one to cancer, to advance a sociological analysis of grief that untethers it from this normative environ. In the lives of those living with death, we argue, grief evades social conventions and temporal limits. It is a spectral presence that shows little concern for expected affective crescendos (being at death’s door/just departed). In its unruliness, grief reveals and resists the normative scene of death and dying, as collective pressure – for closure, for forgetting, for moving on – amplifies rather than ameliorates its felt experience. Centring the experiences of carers, we thus argue for an enlivened sociology of grief that illuminates its disruptive temporality, its haunting spectrality, and its propensity to instigate both affective refusals and (attempted) moments of collective catharsis.
Angell versus Mahan: revisiting International Relations on the eve of World War I
Authors: Molloy Seán
Published: February 2024

In 1912 a debate erupted between Alfred Thayer Mahan and Norman Angell. The debate revolved around what motivates states and what constitutes the fundamental bases of human conduct in relation to war, peace and material interests. The article traces the thrusts and counter thrusts of Angell and Mahan as they lay bare the errors and misconceptions of each other in a heated exchange that marked an important stage in the development of Angell’s thought and a fascinating coda for Mahan’s influential career. The article concludes that revisiting the debate entails a combination of estrangement and familiarity. To read Angell and Mahan’s imperialistic and often racist discourse is jarring and the level of disconnection experienced is evidence some progress has occurred in the field of IR theory. Yet there is also a certain degree to which we continue to live in Angell and Mahan’s world, one of competing theories of civilisational clashes and the supposedly pacific effects of trade and the rule of law.
Does childhood religiosity enhance learning motivation? Testing the role of Islamic religiosity using moderated mediation model
Authors: Sulalah  , Fatima Shameem , Rohman Minanur
Published: February 2024

The study assessed the role of childhood religiosity in adult religiosity and learning motivation in university participants. Participants were 338 university students (mean age = 20.42, SD = 1.53, 47% men) selected from Islamic (50%) and general universities (50%). The findings showed that participants from Islamic university compared to those from general universities scored higher on religious altruism among religiosity outcomes and on self-efficacy and active learning strategies among learning motivation outcomes. The hypothesized associations between childhood religiosity, religious altruism, religious practice, and specific learning motivation outcomes were significant. Childhood religiosity predicted two learning motivation outcomes, self-efficacy and active learning strategies, and only religious altruism in the presence of religious practice mediated these associations. In addition, university status moderated these mediated associations with stronger indirect effects for participants from Islamic universities compared to those from general universities.
Affective aspects of parenthood and their intergenerational effects on fertility
Authors: Nakamura Mayumi , Akiyoshi Mito
Published: February 2024

This study examines how mothers’ affective experience of motherhood impacts daughters’ fertility intentions; the goal is to understand how adult daughters’ fertility intentions are influenced by their perception of how much their mothers enjoyed mothering and loved their children. A survey of 2000 married women in Japan aged 25–35 with either no children or one child provides data to test hypotheses regarding the impact of daughters’ experience of mothers’ mothering. Regression and structural equation modeling reveal that those who think their mothers enjoyed being a mother and loved children have greater fertility intentions than those who sense strain in their mother’s experience. This article concludes that fertility intentions are long in the making. In addition to being a product of immediate life circumstances, women’s fertility intentions are partly a function of childhood and adolescence experience including affective aspects of the parenting they received.
Vygotsky’s unit of analysis and dialectics in thinking and speech
Authors: Travasaros Tasos
Published: February 2024

This article examines the importance of the dialectical method in Vygotsky’s research on verbal thinking. Specifically, it demonstrates the relationship between the unit of analysis in Thinking and Speech and the dialectical method followed by Marx in Capital, along with presenting the different stages of a child’s thinking (syncretism, complexive thinking and conceptual thinking) that emerged as a result of Vygotsky’s historical–logical research. Ultimately, this article argues that Vygotsky’s Thinking and Speech is compatible with Marxism and activity theory.
Biomechanical analysis of cervical spine (C2–C7) at different flexed postures
Authors: Dandumahanti Bhanu Priya , Subramaniyam Murali
Published: February 2024

Musculoskeletal diseases are often related with postural changes in the neck region that can be caused by prolonged cervical flexion. This is one of the contributing factors. When determining the prevalence, causes, and related risks of neck discomfort, having a solid understanding of the biomechanics of the cervical spine (C1–C7) is absolutely necessary. The objective of this study is to make predictions regarding the intervertebral disc (IVD) stress values across C2–C7 IVD, the ligament stress, and the variation at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60° of cervical neck angle using finite element analysis (FEA). In order to evaluate the mechanical properties of the cervical spine (particularly, C2–C7), this investigation makes use of computed tomography (CT) scans to develop a three-dimensional FEA model of the cervical spine. A preload of 50 N compression force was applied at the apex of the C2 vertebra, and all degrees of freedom below the C7 level were constrained. The primary objective of this investigation is to assess the distribution of von Mises stress within the IVDs and ligaments spanning C2–C7 at various flexion angles: 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60°, utilizing FEA. The outcomes derived from this analysis were subsequently compared to previously published experimental and FEA data to validate the model’s ability to replicate the physiological motion of the cervical spine across different flexion angles.
What Protects At-Risk Young People in India From Using and Abusing Substances? A Photo-Led Study of Lived Experience
Authors: Hugh-Jones Siobhan , Duara Raginie , Graber Rebecca , Goswami Sangeeta , Madill Anna
Published: February 2024

Youth substance abuse is widespread in India. Data is needed to inform the focus of prevention approaches. Our aim was to understand the perspectives of Indian young people about what protects them from substance (ab)use, and our study followed protocols approved by UK and Indian university research ethics committees. We recruited 15 Indian adolescents from Assam (seven males, eight females) aged 15 to 18 years at elevated risk because they had family/friends who were substance addicts. Participants took part in a photo-led interview in which they represented visually and narratively their experience of resisting substances (ab)use. Data were analyzed by a UK-India team using reflexive thematic analysis. Seven dominant protective factors were expressed by young people, including nurturing and communicative relationships with parents; up close and personal observations around addiction which left participants fearful of substances; protective mindsets and resolutions emerging from participants’ reflection on drug culture; staying away from “bad” company; being repulsed by substances; having healthy ways to cope at difficult times; and having something that mattered more than using substances. Findings show the resilience of Indian adolescents and suggest that prevention approaches in India should focus on augmenting individual, school and family mechanisms which appear dynamic and cumulative.
Cellulose acetate scaffold containing hydroxyapatite/graphene oxide nanocomposite by electrospinning for advanced regenerative therapies
Authors: Menezes Luan dos Santos , Navarro da Rocha Daniel , Carajelescov Nonato Renato , Costa Ana Rosa , Morales Ana Rita , Correr-Sobrinho Lourenço , Correr Américo Bortolazzo , Neves José Guilherme
Published: February 2024

The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterize Cellulose Acetate (CA) porous scaffolds using the electrospinning technique associated with Hydroxyapatite (HA) and different concentrations of graphene oxide (GO), for advanced regenerative therapies application. The scaffolds were categorized into four distinct groups based on their composition: (1) Pure CA scaffolds; (2) CAHA scaffolds; (3) CAHAGO 1.0% scaffolds; (4) CAHAGO 1.5% scaffolds. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was used for the characterization of the nanocomposite. The scaffolds were analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and in vitro cell viability assays (WST). For the biological test analysis of Variance (two-way) was used, followed by Tukey’s post-test (α = 0.05). The TEM analysis allowed for the visualization of the deposition of HA on the graphene sheets, confirming the synthesis of the nanocomposite. XRD revealed the predominant presence of CaP phases in the CAHA, CAHAGO 1.0%, and CAHAGO 1.5% groups, underscoring the inherent mineral composition of the scaffolds. FTIR demonstrated cellulose characteristics and PO4 bands in the groups containing HA, confirming the effective incorporation of this material. Raman spectroscopy revealed distinct peaks in the GO groups, conclusively verifying the successful integration of graphene into the scaffold matrix. The micrographs showcased irregular pores filling the entire surface, arising from the intricate overlapping of fibers during scaffold formation. Importantly, all scaffolds exhibited excellent cell viability in the conducted assays. A proliferation process was observed in CAHA and CAHAGO 1.5% groups after 48 h ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, the scaffolds synthesized hold significant promise in the realm of tissue engineering and provide a fresh perspective on the possibilities for regenerative therapies.
The Myth of Mutuality: Decision-Making, Marital Power, and the Persistence of Gender Inequality
Authors: Wong Jaclyn S. , Daminger Allison
Published: February 2024

Invisible power—the ability to resist changing one’s behavior because of an unspoken consensus that the status quo is natural or inevitable—upholds gender inequality in different-gender marriages. Yet the “consensus” that Aafke Komter documented more than 30 years ago—one in which both men and women endorsed male primacy and believed it natural for women to enjoy housework and men to pursue professional ambition—has weakened among the college-educated, upper middle class. We ask: What is the new consensus upholding gendered power imbalances among contemporary highly educated couples? We draw on 112 interviews with members of 44 such couples making career and family decisions to update theorizing on invisible power. Examination of decision-making processes and outcomes across work and family domains over time, including in cases of apparent agreement, reveals the consensus now upholding men’s interests to be couples’ conviction they are practicing mutuality. Partners’ belief that they are mutually pursuing both individuals’ and the family’s best interests by emphasizing “us” and balancing a decision portfolio helps them overlook unsuccessful attempts to minimize power imbalances. Progress toward gender equality among different-gender couples will likely remain stalled as long as efforts to practice mutuality overshadow critical evaluation of their success.
Madrid is Browning: A conversation with Gad Yola
Authors: Romera-Figueroa Elia , Gad Yola
Published: February 2024

Afro-LatinX drag artist Gad Yola was born in Lima in 1995, migrated to Spain in 2006, and began performing in Madrid in 2017, a year marked by the rise of Spanish nationalism. This interview acquaints us with Gad Yola's artistic vision and practices. It orients us toward the growing presence of “Brown art” in the Peninsula, taking a deeper look at the work of artists who declare themselves “migrants” or “Migrantas” and examining the use of LatinX’s X in Spain. Gad Yola’s career includes performances such as “El drag es marrón” (“Drag Is Brown”), the exhibition “Hypernariz” (“Hypernose”), and the music videos “No exotice” (“Don’t Exoticize”), “Aguanta Migranta” (“Hang in There, Mx. Migrant”), “Travesti del Perú” (“Trans from Peru”), and “Problemática” (“Troublemaker”). The analysis of these works focuses on the use of pop-reggaeton-cumbia rhythms, the politicization of Gad Yola’s fashion, and her references to colonial history and Spanish, Peruvian, and US pop culture. LatinX’s transatlantic “X” emerges on social media and webs across these geographies, accompanying Gad Yola’s oeuvre and the work of other artists from the Spanish capital with whom she has collaborated, including Chenta Tsai Tseng, Samantha Hudson, and the drag families Casa Drag Latina and House of Gad. From Madrid’s bars, squat houses, and museums, Gad Yola reclaims, invigorates, and re-conceptualizes such referents like Peruvian artist and philosopher Giuseppe Campuzano, while also coming up with characters like “Gad Bunny” and “Gadyoncé,” thus embodying a Global South LatinXness. Gad Yola’s queer, anti-racist art evokes a Global Iberian LatinX that bridges these terms and expands them, reconfiguring the cultural scene in Spain and beyond.
Adaptive event–based finite-time H∞ filtering for networked systems under hybrid attack
Authors: Gao Jinfeng , Xie Wendong , Wu Ping , Liu Peter X
Published: February 2024

The event-based finite-time [Formula: see text] filtering problem for networked systems is concerned. A novel hybrid attack model is introduced considering denial-of-service and deception attacks in the communication channel between sampler and filter with an aperiodic form. In order to increase the effectiveness of data transmission in network communication channel and enable the filtering system against attack, an adaptive event–triggered mechanism is proposed. Sufficient condition for ensuring exponential mean-square finite-time boundedness of the filtering error system with an expected [Formula: see text] disturbance attenuation index is obtained. The design of the filter and the adaptive event–triggered mechanism is derived. A practical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed filtering scheme in an active suspension system.