bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lymphocyte deficiency alters the transcriptomes of oligodendrocytes, but not astrocytes or microglia
Authors: Krawczyk Mitchell C. , Pan Lin , Zhang Alice J. , Zhang Ye
Published: February 2023

Though the brain was long characterized as an immune-privileged organ, findings in recent years have shown extensive communications between the brain and peripheral immune cells. We now know that alterations in the peripheral immune system can affect the behavioral outputs of the central nervous system, but we do not know which brain cells are affected by the presence of peripheral immune cells. Glial cells including microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are critical for the development and function of the central nervous system. In a wide range of neurological and psychiatric diseases, the glial cell state is influenced by infiltrating peripheral lymphocytes. However, it remains largely unclear whether the development of the molecular phenotypes of glial cells in the healthy brain is regulated by lymphocytes. To answer this question, we acutely purified each type of glial cell from immunodeficient Rag2-/- mice. Interestingly, we found that the transcriptomes of microglia, astrocytes, and OPCs developed normally in Rag2-/- mice without reliance on lymphocytes. In contrast, there are modest transcriptome differences between the oligodendrocytes from Rag2-/- and control mice. Furthermore, the subcellular localization of the RNA-binding protein Quaking, is altered in oligodendrocytes. These results demonstrate that the molecular attributes of glial cells develop largely without influence from lymphocytes and highlight potential interactions between lymphocytes and oligodendrocytes.
Combination of computed tomography imaging pattern and severity of respiratory failure as factors associated with prognosis for acute exacerbation of idiopathic chronic fibrosing interstitial pneumonia
Authors: Enokida Keito , Takihara Takahisa , Horio Yukihiro , Nakamura Noriko , Kutsuzawa Naotaka , Takahashi Mari , Takahashi Fuminari , Tajiri Sakurako , Ito Yoko , Asano Koichiro
Published: February 2023

Background and objectives

The prognosis of idiopathic chronic fibrotic interstitial pneumonitis (CFIP) in patients with acute exacerbation (AE) is variable. We examined whether the imaging pattern on thoracic computed tomography (CT) or the severity of respiratory failure with AE-CFIP is associated with short-term prognosis.

Methods

Patients admitted to two university hospitals were retrospectively analyzed and divided into derivation and validation cohorts. The distribution of newly appearing parenchymal abnormalities on thoracic CT was classified into peripheral, multifocal, and diffuse patterns. Respiratory failure was defined as severe if a fraction of inspired oxygen ≥ 0.5 was required to maintain percutaneous oxygen saturation ≥ 90% on admission. Factors associated with 90 day-mortality were analyzed using univariate and Cox proportional hazard regression.

Results

In 59 patients with AE-CFIP of the derivation cohort, diffuse pattern on CT was associated with higher mortality within 90 days (43%) than peripheral/multifocal pattern (17%, p = 0.03). Additionally, compared with non-severe failure, severe respiratory failure was associated with higher mortality (47% vs. 21%, p = 0.06). Cox proportional hazard regression analysis demonstrated that a combination of diffuse pattern on CT and severe respiratory failure was associated with the poorest prognosis (hazard ratio [HR] 3.51 [interquartile range 1.26–9.80], p = 0.016) in the derivation cohort, which was confirmed in the validation cohort (n = 31, HR 4.30 [interquartile range 1.51–12.2], p = 0.006).

Conclusion

The combination of imaging pattern on thoracic CT and severity of respiratory failure was associated with the prognosis of idiopathic AE-CFIP.
Health outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes following bariatric surgery: Results from a publicly funded initiative
Authors: O’Moore-Sullivan Trisha , Paxton Jody , Cross Megan , Teppala Srinivas , Chikani Viral , Hopkins George , Wykes Katie , Scuffham Paul A. ,   on behalf of the Clinical and Operational Reference Group
Published: February 2023

Objective

Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes and morbid obesity. This paper analyses the clinical and patient-reported outcomes of patients treated through the Bariatric Surgery Initiative, a health system collaboration providing bariatric surgery as a state-wide public service in Queensland, Australia.

Research design and methods

A longitudinal prospective cohort study was undertaken. Eligible patients had type 2 diabetes and morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2). Following referral by specialist outpatient clinics, 212 patients underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy. Outcomes were tracked for a follow-up of 12-months and included body weight, BMI, HbA1c, comorbidities, health-related quality of life, eating behaviour, and patient satisfaction.

Results

Following surgery, patients’ average body weight decreased by 23.6%. Average HbA1c improved by 24.4% and 48.8% of patients were able to discontinue diabetes-related treatment. The incidence of hypertension, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and renal impairment decreased by 37.1%, 66.4%, and 62.3%, respectively. Patients’ emotional eating scores, uncontrolled eating and cognitive restraint improved by 32.5%, 20.7%, and 6.9%, respectively. Quality of life increased by 18.8% and patients’ overall satisfaction with the treatment remained above 97.5% throughout the recovery period.

Conclusions

This study confirmed previous work demonstrating the efficacy of publicly funded bariatric surgery in treating obesity, type 2 diabetes and related comorbidities, and improving patients’ quality of life and eating behaviour. Despite the short follow-up period, the results bode well for future weight maintenance in this cohort.
A data-driven approach to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus through digital health: The Klivo Intervention Program protocol (KIPDM)
Authors: de Oliveira Camila Maciel , Bolognese Luiza Borcony , Balcells Mercedes , Aragon Davi Casale , Zagury Roberto Luis , Nobrega Clemente , Liu Chunyu
Published: February 2023

Background

Digital therapeutics, an emerging type of medical approach, is defined as evidence-based therapeutic interventions through qualified software programs that help prevent, manage, or treat chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which has high social and economic burden. Klivo, a startup certified by the Brazilian Society of Diabetes, developed the first digital therapeutic product for managing T2DM in Brazil, reaching 21 of 24 states. Klivo has continuously been improving its model of behavior change on the basis of an intensive lifestyle intervention method that addresses individuals’ needs–the Klivo Intervention Program for T2DM (KIPDM). To test the most recent version of the KIPDM, we will evaluate the ongoing management of daily life habits in patients with T2DM by measuring clinically significant outcomes. To improve the transparency of further results, here we will present the study protocol and detail the plan for the research project, including the study design and the analysis strategies.

Methods

The KIPDM will be sponsored by health plans and healthcare provider organizations and will be free for patients (adults aged ≥ 18 years and <65 years; and glycated hemoglobin ≥ 7%). The program will be based on a 6-month management process that will supervise patients remotely. The program will include educational classes via the Klivo app, text messages, or e-mails. Evaluation will include objectively assessing clinical, laboratory, and behavioral outcomes such as health-related quality of life, mental health, medication adherence, and healthcare utilization. For this, validated electronic questionnaires will be available through the Klivo app. The primary outcome will be glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. The secondary outcome will be time in target blood glucose range (TIR) estimated by capillary glycemia. Other outcomes of interest will be evaluated at baseline and stipulated time points (3 and 6 months after the start of the program).

Expected outcomes

KIPDM patients should present improved HbA1c and TIR along the intervention as compared to baseline values. Findings from this study will provide insights into the health improvement of T2DM and other cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity by using a digital therapeutic strategy. By analyzing the patient’s health over time, this study will also contribute to understanding comorbidities associated with this chronic condition in the Brazilian population.
Analysis of variable major protein antigenic variation in the relapsing fever spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi, in response to polyclonal antibody selection pressure
Authors: Gilmore Robert D. , Armstrong Brittany A. , Brandt Kevin S. , Van Gundy Taylor J. , Hojgaard Andrias , Lopez Job E. , Kneubehl Alexander R.
Published: February 2023

Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-transmitted spirochete that is genetically grouped with relapsing fever Borrelia and possesses multiple archived pseudogenes that encode variable major proteins (Vmps). Vmps are divided into two groups based on molecular size; variable large proteins (Vlps) and variable small proteins (Vsps). Relapsing fever Borrelia undergo Vmp gene conversion at a single expression locus to generate new serotypes by antigenic switching which is the basis for immune evasion that causes relapsing fever in patients. This study focused on B. miyamotoi vmp expression when spirochetes were subjected to antibody killing selection pressure. We incubated a low passage parent strain with mouse anti-B. miyamotoi polyclonal antiserum which killed the majority population, however, antibody-resistant reisolates were recovered. PCR analysis of the gene expression locus in the reisolates showed vsp1 was replaced by Vlp-encoded genes. Gel electrophoresis protein profiles and immunoblots of the reisolates revealed additional Vlps indicating that new serotype populations were selected by antibody pressure. Sequencing of amplicons from the expression locus of the reisolates confirmed the presence of a predominant majority serotype population with minority variants. These findings confirm previous work demonstrating gene conversion in B. miyamotoi and that multiple serotype populations expressing different vmps arise when subjected to antibody selection. The findings also provide evidence for spontaneous serotype variation emerging from culture growth in the absence of antibody pressure. Validation and determination of the type, number, and frequency of serotype variants that arise during animal infections await further investigations.
The Ca2+ concentration impacts the cytokine production of mouse and human lymphoid cells and the polarization of human macrophages in vitro
Authors: Eskiocak Yusuf Cem , Ayyildiz Zeynep Ozge , Gunalp Sinem , Korkmaz Asli , Helvaci Derya Goksu , Dogan Yavuz , Sag Duygu , Wingender Gerhard
Published: February 2023

Various aspects of the in vitro culture conditions can impact the functional response of immune cells. For example, it was shown that a Ca2+ concentration of at least 1.5 mM during in vitro stimulation is needed for optimal cytokine production by conventional αβ T cells. Here we extend these findings by showing that also unconventional T cells (invariant Natural Killer T cells, mucosal-associated invariant T cells, γδ T cells), as well as B cells, show an increased cytokine response following in vitro stimulation in the presence of elevated Ca2+ concentrations. This effect appeared more pronounced with mouse than with human lymphoid cells and did not influence their survival. A similarly increased cytokine response due to elevated Ca2+ levels was observed with primary human monocytes. In contrast, primary human monocyte-derived macrophages, either unpolarized (M0) or polarized into M1 or M2 macrophages, displayed increased cell death in the presence of elevated Ca2+ concentrations. Furthermore, elevated Ca2+ concentrations promoted phenotypic M1 differentiation by increasing M1 markers on M1 and M2 macrophages and decreasing M2 markers on M2 macrophages. However, the cytokine production of macrophages, again in contrast to the lymphoid cells, was unaltered by the Ca2+ concentration. In summary, our data demonstrate that the Ca2+ concentration during in vitro cultures is an important variable to be considered for functional experiments and that elevated Ca2+ levels can boost cytokine production by both mouse and human lymphoid cells.
Sex differences in the association between systemic oxidative stress status and optic nerve head blood flow in normal-tension glaucoma
Authors: Sato Masataka , Yasuda Masayuki , Takahashi Nana , Hashimoto Kazuki , Himori Noriko , Nakazawa Toru
Published: February 2023

Purpose

To investigate the association of systemic oxidative stress markers and optic nerve head (ONH) blood flow in normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) patients, as well as sex differences in this association.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of 235 eyes with NTG of 134 patients (56 male, 78 female; mean age, 60.9±14.1 years). Laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) was used to measure ONH blood flow (mean blur rate in the tissue area of the ONH; MBR-T) and LSFG pulse-waveform parameters, including flow acceleration index in the tissue area of the ONH (FAI-T). Oxidative stress markers, diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs), and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) were measured with a free radical elective evaluator. Spearman’s rank correlation test and a multivariate linear mixed-effect model were used to investigate factors associated with ONH blood flow.

Results

MBR-T was significantly correlated with age (rs = -0.28, p < 0.001), mean arterial pressure (rs = -0.20, p = 0.002), intraocular pressure (rs = 0.24, p < 0.001), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (rs = 0.62, p < 0.001), and disc area (rs = -0.26, p < 0.001), but not with serum d-ROM level. Separate analyses of the subjects divided by sex showed that BAP was positively correlated to MBR-T (rs = 0.21, p = 0.036) and FAI-T (rs = 0.36, p < 0.001) only in male subjects. Similarly, BAP was significantly associated with MBR-T (β = 0.25, p = 0.026) and FAI-T (β = 0.37, p < 0.001) in male subjects in a multivariate linear mixed-effect model.

Conclusion

A lower serum antioxidant level, as indicated by BAP, was associated with reduced ONH blood flow only in male NTG patients. Our findings suggest that there are sex differences in the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of reduced ocular blood flow in NTG.
Learning deep abdominal CT registration through adaptive loss weighting and synthetic data generation
Authors: Pérez de Frutos Javier , Pedersen André , Pelanis Egidijus , Bouget David , Survarachakan Shanmugapriya , Langø Thomas , Elle Ole-Jakob , Lindseth Frank
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore training strategies to improve convolutional neural network-based image-to-image deformable registration for abdominal imaging.

Methods

Different training strategies, loss functions, and transfer learning schemes were considered. Furthermore, an augmentation layer which generates artificial training image pairs on-the-fly was proposed, in addition to a loss layer that enables dynamic loss weighting.

Results

Guiding registration using segmentations in the training step proved beneficial for deep-learning-based image registration. Finetuning the pretrained model from the brain MRI dataset to the abdominal CT dataset further improved performance on the latter application, removing the need for a large dataset to yield satisfactory performance. Dynamic loss weighting also marginally improved performance, all without impacting inference runtime.

Conclusion

Using simple concepts, we improved the performance of a commonly used deep image registration architecture, VoxelMorph. In future work, our framework, DDMR, should be validated on different datasets to further assess its value.
The prognostic utility of prehospital qSOFA in addition to emergency department qSOFA for sepsis in patients with suspected infection: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Saito Ayaka , Osawa Itsuki , Shibata Junichiro , Sonoo Tomohiro , Nakamura Kensuke , Goto Tadahiro
Published: February 2023

Background

The quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) was widely used to estimate the risks of sepsis in patients with suspected infection in the prehospital and emergency department (ED) settings. Due to the insufficient sensitivity of qSOFA on arrival at the ED (ED qSOFA), the Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2021 recommended against using qSOFA as a single screening tool for sepsis. However, it remains unclear whether the combined use of prehospital and ED qSOFA improves its sensitivity for identifying patients at a higher risk of sepsis at the ED.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the data from the ED of a tertiary medical center in Japan from April 2018 through March 2021. Among all adult patients (aged ≥18 years) transported by ambulance to the ED with suspected infection, we identified patients who were subsequently diagnosed with sepsis based on the Sepsis-3 criteria. We compared the predictive abilities of prehospital qSOFA, ED qSOFA, and the sum of prehospital and ED qSOFA (combined qSOFA) for sepsis in patients with suspected infection at the ED.

Results

Among 2,407 patients with suspected infection transported to the ED by ambulance, 369 (15%) patients were subsequently diagnosed with sepsis, and 217 (9%) died during hospitalization. The sensitivity of prehospital qSOFA ≥2 and ED qSOFA ≥2 were comparable (c-statistics for sepsis [95%CI], 0.57 [0.52–0.62] vs. 0.55 [0.50–0.60]). However, combined qSOFA (cutoff, ≥3 [max 6]) was more sensitive than ED qSOFA (cutoff, ≥2) for identifying sepsis (0.67 [95%CI, 0.62–0.72] vs. 0.55 [95%CI, 0.50–0.60]). Using combined qSOFA, we identified 44 (12%) out of 369 patients who were subsequently diagnosed with sepsis, which would have been missed using ED qSOFA alone.

Conclusions

Using both prehospital and ED qSOFA could improve the screening ability of sepsis among patients with suspected infection at the ED.
Factors associated with clinically relevant pain reduction after a self-management program including education and exercise for people with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis: Data from the BOA register
Authors: Jönsson Thérése , Eek Frida , Hansson Eva Ekvall , Dahlberg Leif E. , Dell’Isola Andrea
Published: February 2023

Aim

To examine the associations between individual- and disease-related factors and the odds of reaching a clinically relevant pain reduction in people with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA) who underwent a first-line self-management program.

Materials and methods

An observational registry-based study including people with knee (n = 18,871) and hip (n = 7,767) OA who participated in a self-management program including education and exercise and had data recorded in the Better Management of patients with Osteoarthritis (BOA) register. We used multivariable logistic regression models to study the association between sex, age, body mass index (BMI), education, comorbidity, pain frequency, walking difficulties, willingness to undergo surgery and the odds of reaching a clinically relevant pain reduction (decrease of >33% on a 0–10 NRS scale) 3 and 12 months after the intervention. All analyses were stratified by joint (knee/hip).

Results

Both in the short- and long-term follow-up, a younger age (18–65 years), a lower BMI (< 25), a higher level of education (university), the absence of comorbidities impacting the ability to walk, less frequent pain and not being willing to undergo surgery were associated with higher odds of reaching a clinically relevant pain reduction in people with knee OA. We found similar results for people with hip OA, but with larger uncertainty in the estimates (wider 95% CI).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that early fist line self-management interventions delivered when people have unilateral hip or knee OA with less frequent pain and are unwilling to undergo surgery, may be important for reaching a clinically relevant pain reduction after participation. Providing the most appropriate treatment to the right patient at the right time is a step in reducing the burden of OA for society and the patient.
Is learning a logographic script easier than reading an alphabetic script for German children with dyslexia?
Authors: Kuester-Gruber Stephan , Faisst Theda , Schick Vera , Righetti Giulia , Braun Christoph , Cordey-Henke Angelika , Klosinski Matthias , Sun Ching-Chu , Trauzettel-Klosinski Susanne
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Developmental dyslexia in alphabetic languages (DD) is characterized by a phonological deficit. Since logographic scripts rely predominantly on visual and morphological processing, reading performance in DD can be assumed to be less impaired when reading logographic scripts.

Methods

40 German-speaking children (18 with DD, 22 not reading-impaired—group C; 9–11 years) received Chinese lessons. Eye movements (EM) were recorded during naming single alphabetic words, pictures (confrontational) and Chinese characters to be named in German and Chinese. The main outcome variables were: Articulation latency, numbers and durations of fixations. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed by questionnaires.

Results

While reading alphabetic words, articulation latencies and numbers of fixations were significantly higher for group DD than for group C (AL-DD = 1.13, AL-C = 0.84, p< .001; FN-DD = 3.50; FN-C = 2.00, p< .001). For naming pictures and Chinese characters in German and in Chinese, no significant group differences were found for any of the EM variables. The percentage of correct answers was high for German naming (DD = 86.67%, C = 95.24%; p = .015) and lower for Chinese naming in both groups, but significantly lower in group DD, especially for Chinese naming (DD = 56.67%, C: 83.77%; p = .003). QoL differed between groups from the children’s perspective only at posttest. Parents of group DD perceived their children`s QoL to be lower compared with parents of group C at pre- and posttest.

Conclusions

Children with dyslexia performed as well as group C during naming Chinese characters in German and in Chinese regarding their EM variables, presumably because they processed Chinese characters by the visuo-spatial pathway with direct access to the semantic system. However, the significantly lower percentage of correct answers especially during Chinese naming showed that group DD had more difficulties naming Chinese characters than group C, which could be attributed to their phonological deficit, among other factors.

Trial registration

German clinical trials register (DRKS00015697).
Serrated polyps in patients with ulcerative colitis: Unique clinicopathological and biological characteristics
Authors: Nishio Masafumi , Kunisaki Reiko , Shibata Wataru , Ajioka Yoichi , Hirasawa Kingo , Takase Akiko , Chiba Sawako , Inayama Yoshiaki , Ueda Wataru , Okawa Kiyotaka , Otake Haruka , Ogashiwa Tsuyoshi , Kinoshita Hiroto , Saigusa Yusuke , Kimura Hideaki , Kato Jun , Maeda Shin
Published: February 2023

Background

Serrated polyps have recently been reported in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC); however, their prevalence and detailed characteristics remain unclear.

Methods

The prevalence and clinicopathological and biological characteristics of serrated polyps in patients with UC were retrospectively examined in a single tertiary inflammatory bowel disease center in Japan from 2000 to 2020.

Results

Among 2035 patients with UC who underwent total colonoscopy, 252 neoplasms, including 36 serrated polyps (26 in colitis-affected segments, 10 in colitis-unaffected segments), were identified in 187 patients with UC. The proportion of serrated polyps was 1.8% (36/2035). Serrated polyps in colitis-affected segments were common with extensive colitis (88%), history of persistent active colitis (58%), and long UC duration (12.1 years). Serrated polyps in colitis-affected segments were more common in men (88%). Of the 26 serrated polyps in colitis-affected segments, 15, 6, and 5 were categorized as sessile serrated lesion-like dysplasia, traditional serrated adenoma-like dysplasia, and serrated dysplasia not otherwise specified, respectively. Sessile serrated lesion-like dysplasia was common in the proximal colon (67%) and with BRAF mutation (62%), whereas traditional serrated adenoma-like dysplasia and serrated dysplasia not otherwise specified were common in the distal colon (100% and 80%, respectively) and with KRAS mutations (100% and 75%, respectively).

Conclusions

Serrated polyps comprised 14% of the neoplasias in patients with UC. Serrated polyps in colitis-affected segments were common in men with extensive and longstanding colitis, suggesting chronic inflammation in the development of serrated polyps in patients with UC.
Creating a foundation for origin of life outreach: How scientists relate to their field, the public, and religion
Authors: Wienand Karl , Kampschulte Lorenz , Heckl Wolfgang M.
Published: February 2023

Origins of life research is particularly challenging to communicate because of the tension between its many disciplines and its nearness to traditionally philosophical or religious questions. To authentically represent scientists’ perspective in a museum exhibition, we interviewed 46 researchers from diverse backgrounds. We investigated how they perceive their field, science communication, and the relation with religion. Results show that researchers actively participate in resolving the scientific debate, but delegate the resolution of controversies involving non-scientific institutions. Advocating for science is the foremost communication goal in all contexts. Career stage, research subject, religiosity, etc. influence the approach to controversies and communication.
Accelerated linear algebra compiler for computationally efficient numerical models: Success and potential area of improvement
Authors: He Xuzhen
Published: February 2023

The recent dramatic progress in machine learning is partially attributed to the availability of high-performant computers and development tools. The accelerated linear algebra (XLA) compiler is one such tool that automatically optimises array operations (mostly fusion to reduce memory operations) and compiles the optimised operations into high-performant programs specific to target computing platforms. Like machine-learning models, numerical models are often expressed in array operations, and thus their performance can be boosted by XLA. This study is the first of its kind to examine the efficiency of XLA for numerical models, and the efficiency is examined stringently by comparing its performance with that of optimal implementations. Two shared-memory computing platforms are examined–the CPU platform and the GPU platform. To obtain optimal implementations, the computing speed and its optimisation are rigorously studied by considering different workloads and the corresponding computer performance. Two simple equations are found to faithfully modell the computing speed of numerical models with very few easily-measureable parameters. Regarding operation optimisation within XLA, results show that models expressed in low-level operations (e.g., slice, concatenation, and arithmetic operations) are successfully fused while high-level operations (e.g., convolution and roll) are not. Regarding compilation within XLA, results show that for the CPU platform of certain computers and certain simple numerical models on the GPU platform, XLA achieves high efficiency (> 80%) for large problems and acceptable efficiency (10%~80%) for medium-size problems–the gap is from the overhead cost of Python. Unsatisfactory performance is found for the CPU platform of other computers (operations are compiled in a non-optimal way) and for high-dimensional complex models for the GPU platform, where each GPU thread in XLA handles 4 (single precision) or 2 (double precision) output elements–hoping to exploit the high-performant instructions that can read/write 4 or 2 floating-point numbers with one instruction. However, these instructions are rarely used in the generated code for complex models and performance is negatively affected. Therefore, flags should be added to control the compilation for these non-optimal scenarios.
Home-based therapy and its determinants for children with cerebral palsy, exploration of parents’ and physiotherapists’ perspective, a qualitative study, Ethiopia
Authors: Demeke Zelalem Dessalegn , Assefa Yohannes Awoke , Abich Yohannes , Chala Mulgeta Bayisa
Published: February 2023

Objective

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of parents and physiotherapists regarding home-based therapy programs for children with cerebral palsy and to understand the factors affecting adherence to home-based therapy programs.

Materials and method

Thematic analysis method was used to identify, analyse and report findings. Twelve physiotherapists and five caregivers were purposively sampled and interviewed.

Results

All transcripts were coded line by line, and the codes were then organized into categories for the development of descriptive themes and the generation of analytical themes. The data analysis followed the steps of the thematic analysis process. Seven themes emerged during the analysis: Why Home-Based Therapy? Ways of Teaching, Types of the therapy, Strategies of assessing adherence, Environmental factors, Attitude and knowledge; and Family participation. Physiotherapists use home-based therapy to prevent complications and improve functioning. They use various ways of teaching, such as explaining, demonstrating, and using pictures and videos. Physiotherapists consider several factors such as severity, age, and availability of resources before they decide the type of home therapy programs. However, parent’s participation was low; and strategies to monitor and evaluate adherence were also low. Low family support, limited recourse, lack of knowledge and poor attitude negatively affected adherence to home-based therapy.

Conclusions

Our finding revealed that physiotherapists use quite limited methods of teaching, and do not properly monitor adherence of the home-based therapy. Additionally, family participation to select type of therapy and to set goal were low.
Exploring approaches to community music delivery by practitioners with and without additional support needs: A qualitative study
Authors: MacGlone Una M. , Wilson Graeme B. , Vamvakaris Joy , Brown Kirsty , McEwan Michael , MacDonald Raymond A. R.
Published: February 2023

Previous community music research indicates a diverse field with many forms of practice. Understanding the views of community music practitioners about their approaches offers an important way to understand their professional identities and strategies they employ. A qualitative study interviewed five community music practitioners from the same company to investigate their approaches. Two had 30 years of experience and were training three practitioners in workshop leading; one trainee (Joseph) has additional support needs (ASN). Two lay researchers with ASN contributed to thematic analysis. Two themes were identified:pedagogical identitiesaccentuated personalization and enacting inclusivity as key dimensions of being a workshop leader;interpersonal processesdemonstrated the crucial nature of individualized communication, humour and building relationships. Although Joseph’s interview shared these themes, he also identified confidence, adaptability and creativity as key qualities for himself to develop and expressed a strong personal identification with participants’ development of self-efficacy. While interviewees had varied musical backgrounds and skills, common principles may offer a basis for the translatable beneficial impacts of community music across the highly diverse facilitators and settings that characterize this field. Appreciating pedagogical contributions of practitioners with ASN can help in envisaging new identities and ways of being creative and inclusive in community music practice.
Trusting others. The epistemological authority of testimony
Authors: BRONCANO Fernando
Published: February 2023

I propose to consider the interpersonal character of testimony as a kind of social bond created by the mutual intention of sharing knowledge. The paper explores the social mechanism that supports this mutual intention starting from an initial situation of modelling the other's epistemic perspective. Accepting testimony as a joint action creates epistemic duties and responsibilities and the eventual success can be considered as a genuine achievement at the social level of epistemology. Trust is presented here as the symptom that both parties are involved in such a social bond.
Exchanging Reasons: responses to critics
Authors: Bermejo-Luque Lilian
Published: February 2023

I provide responses to what I take to be the most salient aspects of John Biro, James Freeman, David Hitchcock, Robert Pinto, Harvey Siegel and Luis Vega's criticisms to the normative model for argumentation that I have developed in Giving Reasons. Each response is articulated on a main question, i.e., the distinction between regulative and constitutive normativity within Argumentation Theory's models, the semantic appraisal of argumentation, the concept of justification, the differences between Toulmin's model and my model of argument and the analysis of the pragmatic dimension of argumentation.
Mecánica cuántica: interpretación e invariancia
Authors: Lombardi Olimpia , Castagnino Mario , Ardenghi Juan Sebastián
Published: February 2023

El propósito del presente trabajo consiste en analizar los vínculos entre la interpretación modal-hamiltoniana de la mecánica cuántica y las transformaciones de Galileo, a fin de poner de manifiesto que el grupo de tales transformaciones permite reformular la regla de actualización de un modo más básico desde un punto de vista teórico, aplicable a otras teorías cuánticas. Además se argumentará que, bajo esta nueva forma, la regla de actualización manifiesta explícitamente su invariancia frente al grupo de Galileo. The purpose of the present work consists in analyzing the links between the modal-Hamiltonian interpretation of quantum mechanics and the Galilean transformations, with the aim of showing that the group of such transformations allows to reformulate the actualization rule in a theoretically more basic way, applicable to other quantum theories. Moreover, it will be argued that, under this new form, the actualization rule explicitly manifests its invariance with respect to the Galilean group.
La versión débil de la hipótesis del pensamiento en lenguaje natural
Authors: Skidelsky Liza
Published: February 2023

Entre los filósofos que consideran que pensamos utilizando representaciones simbólicas, P. Carruthers ha defendido, versus la hipótesis del 'lenguaje del pensamiento' (LDP), una versión débil de la hipótesis del 'pensamiento en lenguaje natural' (PLN). En este trabajo, me ocuparé, en primer lugar, de mostrar las razones por las cuales Carruthers, en su defensa de la hipótesis débil del PLN, siembra cierta confusión en la polémica entre el LDP y PLN. En segundo lugar, intentaré esbozar una salida de esta confusión, ofreciendo y evaluando dos opciones posibles, i.e. la estrategia trascendental y la de la inferencia a la mejor explicación revisada, para quien desee sostener una versión débil del PLN que no desvirtúe la polémica.Among the philosophers who believe that we think with symbolic representations, P. Carruthers has defended -against the 'language of thought' hypothesis (LOT)- a weak version of the 'thinking in natural language' hypothesis (TNL). In this paper, I will firstly state the reasons why I think that Carruthers throws the LOT-TNL debate into some confusion. Secondly, I will try to outline a way out of this confusion, offering and evaluating two possible options -i.e., the transcendental and the revised inference to the best explanation strategies- for those who wish to hold a weak version of TNL that does not distort the debate.
Errata: "Teoría y experimento en Genética Mendeliana"
Authors: Theoria Editor
Published: February 2023

Por un error de imprenta, no aparecieron publicadas en color las figuras del artículo de Mario Casa-nueva y Diego Méndez "Teoría y experimento en Genética Mendeliana: una exposición en imágenes", publicado en Theoria, 2008, Vol. 23/3, Nº 63, 285-306. Dado que la impresión en color era necesaria para la comprensión del artículo, las reproducimos aquí con nuestras disculpas a los autores y lectores. Due to a mistake in the printing process, the following figures were not reproduced in colour in Mario Casanueva and Diego Méndez's article "Teoría y experimento en Genética Mendeliana: una exposi-ción en imágenes", published in Theoria, 2008, Vol. 23/3, Nº 63, 285-306. Given that the im-ages in colour were necessary to understand the article, the reader will find here a correct printing, to-gether with our apologies.
Defending "Restricted Particularism" from Jackson, Pettit & Smith
Authors: Lopez de Sa Dan
Published: February 2023

According to Jackson, Pettit & Smith (2000), "restricted particularism" is not affected by their supervenience-based consideration against particularism but, they claim, suffer from a different difficulty, roughly that it would violate the platitude about moral argument that, in debating controversial moral issues, a central role is played by various similarity claims. I present a defense of "restricted particularism" from this objection, which accommodates the platitudinous character of the claim that ordinary participants in conversations concerning the evaluative are committed to descriptive similarities and differences being relevant in the way described by Jackson, Pettit and Smith, to moral similarities and differences. My defense exploits a presuppositional component congenial to response-dependent proposals such as Lewis's (1989)
Sobre la dinámica relacional del espaciotiempo y la conservación de la energía en la Teoría General de la Relatividad
Authors: Cala Vitery Favio Ernesto
Published: February 2023

En este artículo pretendo desmantelar la opinión generalizada según la cual una interpretación relacional del espaciotiempo no es posible. Centro mi atención en el hecho de que las variables dinámicas usualmente están asociadas a objetos materiales en las teorías físicas. El tensor métrico de la Teoría General de la Relatividad (TGR) es un objeto dinámico así que —sostengo— este debe ser mejor entendido como un campo material en toda regla. Este argumento me lleva a vincular la naturaleza relacional del espaciotiempo a las dificultades para formular una genuina ley de conservación de energía-momento en la TGR.I will try to dismantle the widespread impression that a relational account of spacetime is not possible. I concentrate on the fact that dynamical variables are usually linked to material objects in physical theories. The metric tensor field of GR is a dynamical object so, I claim, it should be viewed as a matter field. The argument links the relational ontological status of spacetime to the failure to provide a genuine law of energy-momentum conservation within General Relativity.
La cuestión de la aserción en La Logique ou l'art de penser y la Grammaire générale et raisonnée
Authors: Pamparacuatro Martín Javier
Published: February 2023

Este artículo tiene como finalidad estudiar la noción de aserción en dos obras del siglo XVII francés: La Logique ou l'art de penser (conocida como Lógica de Port-Royal), de Antoine Arnauld y Pierre Nicole, y la Grammaire générale et raisonnée, de Antoine Arnauld y Claude Lancelot. Se ha dividido el artículo en dos apartados dedicados respectivamente a la concepción de Port-Royal acerca del juicio, y a la teoría del verbo. A lo largo de la reflexión en torno a estos importantes conceptos en la teoría del lenguaje de Port-Royal, pretendemos probar que sus autores efectuaron la distinción entre contenido proposicional y actitud proposicional antes de que Frege la estableciera de forma sólida y definitiva.The present paper sets out to examine the notion of assertion within two French 17th century works: Antoine Arnauld and Pierre Nicole's La Logique ou l'art de penser (known as the Port-Royal Logic), and Antoine Arnauld and Claude Lancelot's Grammaire générale et raisonnée. This article has been divided into two sections. The first section is devoted to the Port-Royalian doctrine about judgment; the second section analyzes the theory of verb. On our account of these important notions of Port-Royal's theory of language, we intend to prove that its authors had made out the distinction between propositional content and propositional attitude before Frege could set it forth in a solid and definite way.
Editor's Presentation: The interdisciplinary field of Logic, Language and Information
Authors: Nepomuceno Ángel
Published: February 2023

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Remarks on Second-Order Consequence
Authors: Jané Ignacio
Published: February 2023

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Why the economic conception of human behaviour might lack a biological basis
Authors: Vromen Jack
Published: February 2023

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Metamodeling abduction
Authors: Nepomuceno Ángel , Soler Toscano Fernando
Published: February 2023

A general trend is to consider abduction as a backward deduction with some additional conditions, but there can be more than one kind of deduction. By adopting Makinson's method to define deductive consequence relations, abduction is settled as a reverse one corresponding to each one of such deductive relations
Idealization, Abduction, and Progressive Scientific Change
Authors: De Donato-Rodríguez Xavier
Published: February 2023

After a brief comparison of Aliseda's account with different approaches to abductive reasoning, I try to relate abduction, understood in terms like those of Aliseda, to another concept which also occupies a very important role in scientific change: idealization. In particular, I try to reveal some interesting aspects related to notions like approximation and empirical progress.
Abduction and Inference to the Best Explanation
Authors: Iranzo Valeriano
Published: February 2023

The paper deals with the relation between abduction and inference to the best explanation (IBE). A heuristic and a normative interpretation of IBE are distinguished. Besides, two different normative interpretations —those vindicated by I. Niiniluoto and S. Psillos— are discussed. I conclude that, in principle, Aliseda's theory of abduction fits better with a heuristic account of IBE
Replies to Critics
Authors: Moran Richard
Published: February 2023

In this article I reply to the comments of six philosophers on my book Authority and Estrangement: An Essay on Self-knowledge.
La teoría de la selección natural darwiniana
Authors: Ginnobili Santiago
Published: February 2023

El tema de este trabajo es la reconstrucción de la teoría de la selección natural darwiniana. Me propongo esbozar la ley fundamental de esta teoría de manera informal a partir de sus aplicaciones en El origen de las especies de Darwin y presentar sus conceptos fundamentales. Presentaré la red teórica de leyes especiales que surgen de la especialización de esta ley fundamental. Supondré el estructuralismo como marco metateórico. Señalaré también algunas consecuencias que mi propuesta tiene sobre ciertas discusiones metateóricas en torno a la teoría y, finalmente, relacionaré mi reconstrucción con otras reconstrucciones disponibles.
How Believing Can Fail to Be Knowing
Authors: RAMACHANDRAN Murali
Published: February 2023

This paper puts forward necessary and suffficient conditions for knowing, and addresses Timothy Williamson's claims (a) that knowledge is an un-analyzable mental state, and (b) that any such analysis is futile. It is argued that such an account has explanatory motivation: it explains when belief fails to be knowledge.
The Relevance of History to Philosophy of Science
Authors: HUDSON Robert
Published: February 2023

I argue for the possibility of historicized philosophy of science, and then respond to three criticisms of view: 1) history of science provides too few case examples to be useful to philosophy, 2) philosophy based on history is prone to reflexive inconsistency and 3) history of science exhibits an incoherent flux of methods.
Normatividad en filosofía de la ciencia: el caso de la ciencia reguladora (Normativity in the philosophy of science: the case of regulatory science)
Authors: RODRÍGUEZ ALCÁZAR Francisco Javier
Published: February 2023

Se discuten varias concepciones con respecto al carácter normativo de la filosofía de la ciencia. De entre éstas, se aboga por una forma de naturalismo comprometido con la necesidad de discutir los valores (epistémicos o no) de la ciencia. El ejemplo de la "ciencia reguladora" ilustra esa necesidad.
Sobre la noción de información genética: semántica y excepcionalidad (On the notion of genetic information: semantics and exceptionality)
Authors: ETXEBERRIA AGIRIANO Arantza , GARCIA AZKONOBIETA Tomás
Published: February 2023

La noción de información genética es central para la biología, aunque no puede decirse que su estatus teórico esté claro. En este artículo se repasa brevemente la historia de su uso, y se consideran los diferentes problemas que la noción suscita para la comprensión de la evolución y del desarrollo.
Situated practices of testimony. A rhetorical approach
Authors: OLMOS Paula
Published: February 2023

Contrary to most current epistemologists who concentrate on core cases of rather 'spontaneous' (deliberately  de-contextualized)  trust  and  belief  in the  face  of  assertions,  Classical  rhetoricians  addressed  the study of 'testimony' as an (at least) two-acts phenomenon: that of the 'disclosure' of information and that of the 'appeal' to its authority in subsequent discursive practices. Moreover, they primarily focused on this second phase as they assumed that it was such argumentative setting that finally gave 'testimonial' relevance to the first act. According to this 'rhetorical' model, then, it is the dynamics (by means of an in medias res approach)  and  pragmatics  (by means  of  a  deliberate  attention  to  specifically  'situated'  practices)  of  such complex process that is the core issue regarding 'testimony'.
La observación científica en el proceso de contrastación de hipótesis y teorías (Scientific observation in the process of testing hypotheses and theories)
Authors: VÁZQUEZ Juan
Published: February 2023

Frente a la tesis de la "carga teórica", se muestra como en el proceso de contrastación de hipótesis y teorías es conveniente distinguir entre observación científica y percepción y, luego, se defiende que en los procesos de percepción no están implicados los conceptos teóricos de la ciencia sino conceptos de otro nivel, los que toman cuerpo en la codificación de la estimulación sensorial procedente de los ítems identificados perceptivamente. De donde se sigue que el mundo identificado a través de los procesos de percepción es la base o soporte empírico del conocimiento científico.
The Aristotelian Heritage in Early Naval Architecture. From the Venice Arsenal to the French Navy, 1500-1700
Authors: Ferreiro Larrie David
Published: February 2023

This paper examines the Aristotelian roots of the mechanics of naval architecture, beginning with Mechanical Problems, through its various interpretations by Renaissance mathematicians including Vettor Fausto and Galileo at the Venice Arsenal, and culminating in the first synthetic works of naval architecture by the French navy professor Paul Hoste at the end of the seventeenth century.