bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Medical competence as a multilayered construct
Authors: ten Cate Olle , Khursigara‐Slattery Natasha , Cruess Richard L. , Hamstra Stanley J. , Steinert Yvonne , Sternszus Robert
Published: July 2023

Background

The conceptualisation of medical competence is central to its use in competency‐based medical education. Calls for ‘fixed standards’ with ‘flexible pathways’, recommended in recent reports, require competence to be well defined. Making competence explicit and measurable has, however, been difficult, in part due to a tension between the need for standardisation and the acknowledgment that medical professionals must also be valued as unique individuals. To address these conflicting demands, a multilayered conceptualisation of competence is proposed, with implications for the definition of standards and approaches to assessment.

The model

Three layers are elaborated. This first is a core layer of canonical knowledge and skill, ‘that, which every professional should possess’, independent of the context of practice. The second layer is context‐dependent knowledge, skill, and attitude, visible through practice in health care. The third layer of personalised competence includes personal skills, interests, habits and convictions, integrated with one's personality. This layer, discussed with reference to Vygotsky's concept of Perezhivanie, cognitive load theory, self‐determination theory and Maslow's ‘self‐actualisation’, may be regarded as the art of medicine.

We propose that fully matured professional competence requires all three layers, but that the assessment of each layer is different.

Implications

The assessment of canonical knowledge and skills (Layer 1) can be approached with classical psychometric conditions, that is, similar tests, circumstances and criteria for all. Context‐dependent medical competence (Layer 2) must be assessed differently, because conditions of assessment across candidates cannot be standardised. Here, multiple sources of information must be merged and intersubjective expert agreement should ground decisions about progression and level of clinical autonomy of trainees. Competence as the art of medicine (Layer 3) cannot be standardised and should not be assessed with the purpose of permission to practice. The pursuit of personal excellence in this level, however, can be recognised and rewarded.
Introduction: Nation promotion and the crisis of neoliberal globalisation
Authors: Jiménez‐Martínez César , Mihelj Sabina , Sage Daniel
Published: July 2023

This themed section seeks to initiate a debate about the changing nature of what we call nation promotion. That is, promotional practices aimed at creating, communicating and managing versions of national identity to advance economic or political goals. These practices—badged as ‘nation branding’, ‘public diplomacy’, ‘country branding’ or ‘soft power—emerged more than two decades ago, in a context characterised by the proliferation of digital communication technologies, the intensification of globalisation and international cooperation, and the shift in the balance of power from states to market forces. However, as we outline in this introduction, nation promotion operates today in a very different environment, marked by a crisis of neoliberal globalisation, the changing communication environment and mounting global challenges. The three articles that make up this themed section tackle the changing practices of nation promotion by focusing on the impact of at least one of these structural shifts, offering conceptual and analytical tools for making sense of these transformations.
TIM‐3/Galectin‐9 and CD160 expression in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma
Authors: Li Mao , Wan Zi‐xin , Tang Yue‐yang , Liang Xin‐hua , Tang Ya‐ling
Published: July 2023

Objective

Investigating T‐cell immunoglobulin and mucin‐domain containing‐3 (TIM‐3), Galectin 9 (Gal‐9), CD160 expression and tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and correlation with clinicopathological characteristics of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC).

Methods

Sixty cases of SACC were detected by immunohistochemical staining to evaluate TIM‐3, Gal‐9, and CD160 expression and analyze the correlation between TIM‐3, Gal‐9, CD160 expression and clinicopathologic features by rank‐sum test. The association of TILs with TIM‐3, Gal‐9, and CD160 expression in SACC stromal was done by Chi‐square test.

Results

TIM‐3 and CD160 overexpression were correlated with recurrence of SACC (p = 0.029, p = 0.007, respectively). High Gal‐9 expression was correlated with pathological classification (p = 0.018). The average percentage of TILs was 18.2% in SACC and most of TILs were more likely to occur in minor salivary glands (p = 0.038). Pairwise positive correlations were observed between the expression of TIM‐3, Gal‐9, and CD160 in tumor cells as well as in TILs, respectively.

Conclusion

Low density of TILs was characteristic of the SACC microenvironment, with upregulation of TIM‐3, Gal‐9, and CD160 all occurring. However, TIM‐3, Gal‐9, and CD160 expression in the stromal dependent on the number of TILs represent potential therapeutic targets in SACC.
Patient and clinician perspectives of information needs concerning oral epithelial dysplasia
Authors: Alsoghier Abdullah , Riordain Richeal Ni , Fedele Stefano , Porter Stephen
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Individuals diagnosed with a chronic oral disease that increase the risk of mouth cancer, such as oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), require appropriate knowledge to make informed decisions. The present study aimed to assess whether patient information needs of a group of patients concerning dysplasia were met and to what degree clinicians agree with patients on ‘important’ topics.

Subjects and Methods

This represented secondary analyses of a cross‐sectional study to assess the information needs of 86 patients diagnosed with dysplasia compared with those of 77 clinicians using the validated OED Information Needs Questionnaire. Descriptive, concordance and regression analyses were performed for the collected data.

Results

The mean and median total scores for all items in the amount of information received subscale were 2.33 and 2.44, indicating overall unmet needs concerning dysplasia. Clinicians were generally able to predict topics of greatest importance to patients, although their scores were mainly lower than those of patients (k = 0.06). There was a higher agreement between patients (k = 0.25) than clinicians (k = 0.09).

Conclusion

Clinicians are encouraged to assess a patient's information needs to ensure tailored and patient‐centred communication concerning OED during all clinical consultations.
Short‐term use of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosusSD11 and the oral microbiome: Low caries RCT study
Authors: Teanpaisan Rawee , Surachat Komwit , Wonglapsuwan Monwadee , Piwat Supatcharin , Pahumunto Nuntiya
Published: July 2023

Objectives

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of short‐term lozenges containing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus SD11 on cariogenic pathogens and on oral microbiota.

Materials and Methods

This double‐blind, randomized, controlled trial included 121 subjects and was randomly divided into the control and probiotic group. All subjects were blindly administered to receive the control‐ or probiotic L. rhamnosus SD11 lozenges every day for 4 weeks and then followed up for another 4 weeks.

Results

After probiotic consumption, the probiotic group had significantly lower levels of Streptococcus mutans and significantly higher levels of total lactobacilli at 4 and 8 weeks compared with the baseline. The 16S rRNA sequencing revealed an increase in bacterial diversity and beneficial bacteria in the Firmicutes phylum, Bacilli class, and a reduction in the mutans streptococci group in the probiotic group. The opposite results were found in the control group. This study did not find any caries increment, nor did the subjects have any side effects after product consumption.

Conclusion

With the limitation of a short‐time study in low caries children, it showed that L. rhamnosus SD11 could increase beneficial bacteria in the Firmicutes phylum and Bacilli class that might support good oral health in children.
Molly Dewson, the women's division, and grassroots presidential campaigning during the New Deal
Authors: Blair Melissa E.
Published: July 2023

In the 1930s, Molly Dewson built the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee into a central cog of FDR's presidential campaigns. She leveraged her personal friendship with the Roosevelts to develop a connected, national network of women who became the foot soldiers of the Democratic Party. By designing structures that made women the eyes and ears of the New Deal at the local level, the tactics and organizations she established persisted after her retirement and were copied by Republicans. Dewson ushered in a 30‐year period when women were at the center of presidential campaigns
Effects of selection regimes on state supreme court opinion writing
Authors: Shieh Marcy
Published: July 2023

Background

Judicial reformers have long debated the merits of different types of judicial selection methods.

Objectives

While many of the debates center on how selection methods impact decision making, I argue that selection methods may also affect how justices approach opinion writing.

Methods

Using opinion data from 1953 to 2014 in 21 states and opinion data from 1953 to 2019 in five states, this article investigates whether selection methods influence the clarity of the opinions.

Results

The results show that selection methods do not have a substantive impact on opinion clarity. What does have an effect on opinion clarity is when justices are ideologically distant from their constituents. Opinion clarity increases when nonpartisan justices are ideologically distant from their constituents, indicating that justices may use written opinions to demonstrate support for public opinion on specific issues, even if they do not generally vote in line with public opinion. In contrast, opinions in states that changed from partisan to nonpartisan are less clear, indicating that when a court changes its selection method, opinion authors may purposefully obfuscate their views and rely on their incumbency advantage to hold on to power.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that judicial selection methods only influence opinion clarity in certain contexts.
Numerical constraints on the one‐stage and two‐stage Greater India collision models
Authors: Li Qian , Li Zhong‐Hai , Huangfu Pengpeng
Published: July 2023

India‐Asia collision is generally believed to have collided since 55 ± 5 Ma, with a total amount of convergence of 2900–4400 km. Besides the overriding Tibetan lithospheric shortening, a large amount of convergence has to be accommodated by the subducting plate of Greater India. Three typical India‐Asia collision models have been proposed, including the Greater Indian Continent (GIC) model, Intra‐Oceanic Arc model and Greater Indian Oceanic Basin model. In this study, a large‐scale 2D numerical model, driven by the reconstruction‐based India‐Asia convergence rate, have been conducted to evaluate these three major models. The model results indicate that the one‐stage GIC model favours later initial collision at ≤50 Ma. For the two‐stage collision, the large amount of convergence can be easily accommodated by modifying the length of oceanic subduction after the first stage of continental collision. This study provides systematic numerical constraints for the favourable conditions of each model.
Alrededor de una comunidad femenina: los perfiles de mujeres de Marta Brunet en Ecran
Authors: Cisterna Jara Natalia
Published: July 2023

El artículo analiza un conjunto de perfiles de mujeres escritos por Marta Brunet para la revista chilena Ecran, entre los años 1935 y 1936, publicados en la columna “Alrededor de una mujer”. Esta columna constituyó un importante espacio de difusión y valorización de las actividades artísticas e intelectuales realizadas por mujeres latinoamericanas del periodo. Los perfiles son analizados considerando el medio en el que circularon. En tal sentido, sostengo que, a diferencia de los modelos femeninos que Ecran promovió en sus páginas, en la columna de Brunet se destacaron cualidades propias de una mujer moderna, con trayectorias en donde el trabajo, el viaje y la autoformación eran determinantes para llevar a cabo un proyecto personal y original.
The role of Communities of Practice in improving practice in Indigenous health and education settings: A systematic review
Authors: Wynn Ellen , Delbridge Robyn , Palermo Claire , Wilson Annabelle
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Several workforce development strategies have been developed to improve practice in Indigenous health and education settings. These programs are often not implemented well, and as a result, they don’t have the intended effect on Indigenous health and education outcomes. Building capability of the health and education workforce is critical to improving health and education outcomes for Indigenous Peoples. Interventions that foster communities of practice are effective at influencing practice in various sectors, however no systematic reviews have investigated the impact of communities of practice in Indigenous health or education settings.
Methods: This systematic review investigates the role of communities of practice in supporting existing workforce development strategies in Indigenous health and education settings. Seven databases were searched in 2019 and again in 2020. Data synthesis was through thematic analysis.
Results: Eleven qualitative studies were included. Most community of practice interventions were situated in education settings. Interventions that foster community of practice can successfully include both Indigenous and non-Indigenous health and education professionals, allowing them to share personal stories, knowledge and resources and engage in personal and group reflection. This supports them to develop culturally responsive health and education tools, assessments and strategies and, therefore, may play a role in improving Indigenous health and education outcomes.
Conclusion: Participation in communities of practice coupled with increased training and teaching about Indigenous culture may play a role in improving practice of Indigenous health and education professionals. Further research is required to determine what impact this has on Indigenous Peoples.
A volume-averaged model for acoustic streaming induced by focused ultrasound in soft porous media
Authors: Price Sebastian E. N. , Hansen Rune , Gjennestad Magnus Aa.
Published: July 2023

Equations describing acoustic streaming in soft, porous media driven by focused ultrasound are derived based on the assumption that acoustic waves pass through the porous material as if it were homogeneous. From these equations, a model that predicts the time-averaged flow on the macroscopic scale, as well as the advective transport of the trace components, is created. The model is used to perform simulations for different shapes of the focused ultrasound beam. For a given shape, and using the paraxial approximation for the ultrasound, the acoustic streaming is found to be linearly proportional to the applied ultrasound intensity, to the permeability of the porous material and to the attenuation coefficient, and inversely proportional to the liquid viscosity. Results from simulations are compared to a simplified expression stating that the dimensionless volumetric liquid flux is equal to the dimensionless acoustic radiation force. This approximation for the acoustic streaming is found to be reasonable near the beam axis for focused ultrasound beam shapes that are long in the axial direction, compared to their width. Finally, a comparison is made between the model and experimental results on acoustic streaming in a gel, and good agreement is found.
Model Organisms To Study Methanogenesis, a Uniquely Archaeal Metabolism
Authors: Costa Kyle C. , Whitman William B.
Published: July 2023

Methanogenic archaea are the only organisms that produce CH
4
as part of their energy-generating metabolism. They are ubiquitous in oxidant-depleted, anoxic environments such as aquatic sediments, anaerobic digesters, inundated agricultural fields, the rumen of cattle, and the hindgut of termites, where they catalyze the terminal reactions in the degradation of organic matter.
Wood–Ljungdahl pathway found in novel marine Korarchaeota groups illuminates their evolutionary history
Authors: Pan Jie , Zhang Xinxu , Xu Wei , Liu Yang , Liu Lirui , Luo Zhuhua , Li Meng
Published: July 2023

Korarchaeota, due to its rarity in common environments, is one of the archaeal phyla that has received the least attention from researchers. It was previously thought to consist solely of strict thermophiles. However, our study provides genetic evidence for the presence of korarchaeal members in temperate subsurface seawater. Furthermore, a systematic reclassification of the Korarchaeota based on 16S rRNA genes and genomes has revealed three novel marine groups (Kor-6 to Kor-8) at the root of the Korarchaeota branch. Kor-6 contains microbes that are present in moderate temperatures. All three novel marine phyla possess genes for the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway, and Kor-7 and Kor-8 possess fewer genes encoding oxygen resistance traits than other korarchaeal groups, suggesting a distinct lifestyle for these novel phyla. Our results, together with estimations of Korarchaeota divergence times, suggest that oxygen availability may be one of the important factors that have influenced the evolution of Korarchaeota.

IMPORTANCE

Korarchaeota were previously thought to inhabit exclusively high-temperature environments. However, our study provides genetic evidence for their unexpected presence in temperate marine waters. Through analysis of publicly available korarchaeal reference data, we have systematically reclassified Korarchaeota and identified the existence of three previously unknown marine groups (Kor-6, Kor-7, and Kor-8) at the root of the Korarchaeota branch. Comparative analysis of their gene content revealed that these novel groups exhibit a lifestyle distinct from other Korarchaeota. Specifically, they have the ability to fix carbon exclusively via the Wood–Ljungdahl (WL) pathway, and the genomes within Kor-7 and Kor-8 contain few genes encoding antioxidant enzymes, indicating their strictly anaerobic lifestyle. Further studies suggest that the genes related to methane metabolism and the WL pathway may have been inherited from a common ancestor of the Korarchaeota and that oxygen availability may be one of the important evolutionary factors that shaped the diversification of this archaeal phylum.
Characterization of Bacteriophage cd2, a Siphophage Infecting Carnobacterium divergens and a Representative Species of a New Genus of Phage
Authors: Britton Angelle P. , Visser Kaitlyn A. , Ongenae Véronique M. A. , Zhang Peipei , Wassink Heather , Doerksen Thomas A. , Welke Catherine A. , Lynch Karlene H. , van Belkum Marco J. , Dennis Jonathan J. , Yang Xianqin , Claessen Dennis , Briegel Ariane , Martin-Visscher Leah A.
Published: July 2023

Currently, very little is known about phages that infect carnobacteria, an important genus of lactic acid bacteria with both beneficial and detrimental effects in the food and aquaculture industries. This report provides a detailed characterization of phage cd2, a novel siphophage that targets
Carnobacterium divergens
, and sets the groundwork for understanding the biology of these phages and their potential use in the detection and biocontrol of
C. divergens
isolates.
Therapeutic Switching of Rafoxanide: a New Approach To Fighting Drug-Resistant Bacteria and Fungi
Authors: Bendary Mahmoud M. , Abd El-Hamid Marwa I. , Abousaty Amira I. , Elmanakhly Arwa R. , Alshareef Walaa A. , Mosbah Rasha A. , Alhomrani Majid , Ghoneim Mohammed M. , Elkelish Amr , Hashim Nada , Alamri Abdulhakeem S. , Al-Harthi Helal F. , Safwat Nesreen A.
Published: July 2023

The drug repurposing strategy is an alternative approach to reducing drug development timelines with low cost, especially during outbreaks of disease caused by drug-resistant pathogens. Rafoxanide can disrupt the abilities of bacterial and fungal cells to adapt to stress conditions.
Coexistence of Dominant Marine Phytoplankton Sustained by Nutrient Specialization
Authors: Masuda Takako , Inomura Keisuke , Mareš Jan , Kodama Taketoshi , Shiozaki Takuhei , Matsui Takato , Suzuki Koji , Takeda Shigenobu , Deutsch Curtis , Prášil Ondřej , Furuya Ken
Published: July 2023

Our manuscript addresses the following fundamental question in microbial ecology: how do different plankton using the same essential nutrients coexist?
Prochlorococcus
and
Synechococcus
are the two dominant picocyanobacteria in the low-nutrient surface waters of the subtropical ocean, which support a significant amount of marine primary production. The geographical distributions of these two organisms are largely overlapping, but the basis for their coexistence in these biomes remains unclear.
Supplemental Material: Decoupled Oligocene mylonitic shearing and Miocene detachment faulting in the East Humboldt Range metamorphic core complex, northeast Nevada, USA
Authors: Zuza Andrew V. , Dee Seth
Published: July 2023

Details of U-Pb zircon dating, complete datatables of U-Pb zircon dating, and a compilation of muscovite and biotite Argon dates.
Alcohol septal ablation in patients aged 75 years or older with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Authors: Lawin Dennis , Stellbrink Christoph , Stellbrink Ekaterina , Buck Benjamin , Poudel Madan Raj , Tego Andi , Marx Kristin , Lawrenz Thorsten
Published: July 2023

Objective

Outcome data for patients ≥75 years with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) undergoing alcohol septal ablation (ASA) are lacking. Therefore, a retrospective single-centre analysis was conducted.

Methods

The data of all consecutive ASAs, that were performed at our institution between 1 September 1997 and 31 July 2021 in patients with HOCM with left ventricular outflow tract gradients (LVOTG) ≥50 mm Hg, were collected from patient reports. ASA was performed per institutional standards with 95% ethanol infused into a feasible septal branch. Differences regarding echocardiographic, procedural and clinical parameters at baseline and after 6 months between patients ≥75 years and <75 years were assessed.

Results

We found 208 ASAs in patients ≥75 years (85.1% female; age 78.0 years (IQR 76.0–80.0)) and 1430 ASAs in patients <75 years (42.0% female; age 56.0 years (IQR 46.0–65.0)). Patients ≥75 years had lower distances in 6 min walk test (baseline: 317.0 m (IQR 242.0–389.0) vs 438.0 m (IQR 353.3–504.0); p<0.0001). Exercise-induced LVOTG calculated at follow-up was lower in patients ≥75 years (29.5 mm Hg (IQR 18.0–54.0) vs 39.5 mm Hg (IQR 23.0–73.8); p=0.0007). There were more high-degree AV blocks after ASA in patients ≥75 years (25.5% vs 13.6%; p<0.0001). The in-hospital mortality did not differ between the groups (age ≥75 years: 1.0%; age <75 years: 0.6%; p=0.6580).

Conclusion

ASA had similar efficacy and intrahospital mortality in patients ≥75 years compared with younger patients. Higher rates of AV block with need for permanent pacemaker implantation were observed in patients ≥75 years of age.
A multilayered approach to the analysis of genetic data from individuals with suspected albinism
Authors: Sergouniotis Panagiotis I. , Michaud Vincent , Lasseaux Eulalie , Campbell Christopher , Plaisant Claudio , Javerzat Sophie , Birney Ewan , Ramsden Simon C. , Black Graeme C. , Arveiler Benoit
Published: July 2023

Albinism is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of conditions characterised by visual abnormalities and variable degrees of hypopigmentation. Multiple studies have demonstrated the clinical utility of genetic investigations in individuals with suspected albinism. Despite this, the variation in the provision of genetic testing for albinism remains significant. One key issue is the lack of a standardised approach to the analysis of genomic data from affected individuals. For example, there is variation in how different clinical genetic laboratories approach genotypes that involve incompletely penetrant alleles, including the common, ‘hypomorphic’TYRc.1205G>A (p.Arg402Gln) [rs1126809] variant. Here, we discuss the value of genetic testing as a frontline diagnostic tool in individuals with features of albinism and propose a practice pattern for the analysis of genomic data from affected families.
Performance of the eHealth decision support tool, MIPOGG, for recognising children with Li-Fraumeni, DICER1, Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency and Gorlin syndromes
Authors: Hebert Robyn , Cullinan Noelle , Armstrong Linlea , Blood Katherine A , Brossard Josee , Brunga Ledia , Cacciotti Chantel , Caswell Kimberly , Cellot Sonia , Coltin Hallie , Deyell Rebecca J , Felton Kathleen , Fernandez Conrad V , Fleming Adam J , Gibson Paul , Hammad Rawan , Jabado Nada , Johnston Donna L , Lafay-Cousin Lucie , Larouche Valérie , Leblanc-Desrochers Cassandra , Michaeli Orli , Perrier Renee , Pike Meghan , Say Jemma , Schiller Ian , Toupin Annie-Kim , Vairy Stéphanie , van Engelen Kalene , Waespe Nicolas , Villani Anita , Foulkes William D , Malkin David , Reichman Lara , Goudie Catherine
Published: July 2023

Background

Cancer predisposition syndromes (CPSs) are responsible for at least 10% of cancer diagnoses in children and adolescents, most of which are not clinically recognised prior to cancer diagnosis. A variety of clinical screening guidelines are used in healthcare settings to help clinicians detect patients who have a higher likelihood of having a CPS. The McGill Interactive Pediatric OncoGenetic Guidelines (MIPOGG) is an electronic health decision support tool that uses algorithms to help clinicians determine if a child/adolescent diagnosed with cancer should be referred to genetics for a CPS evaluation.

Methods

This study assessed MIPOGG’s performance in identifying Li-Fraumeni, DICER1, Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency and Gorlin (nevoid basal cell carcinoma) syndromes in a retrospective series of 84 children diagnosed with cancer and one of these four CPSs in Canadian hospitals over an 18-year period.

Results

MIPOGG detected 82 of 83 (98.8%) evaluable patients with any one of these four genetic conditions and demonstrated an appropriate rationale for suggesting CPS evaluation. When compared with syndrome-specific clinical screening criteria, MIPOGG’s ability to correctly identify children with any of the four CPSs was equivalent to, or outperformed, existing clinical criteria respective to each CPS.

Conclusion

This study adds evidence that MIPOGG is an appropriate tool for CPS screening in clinical practice. MIPOGG’s strength is that it starts with a specific cancer diagnosis and incorporates criteria relevant for associated CPSs, making MIPOGG a more universally accessible diagnostic adjunct that does not require in-depth knowledge of each CPS.
Exploring the ChatGPT platform with scenario-specific prompts for vaping cessation
Authors: Amin Samia , Kawamoto Crissy Terawaki , Pokhrel Pallav
Published: July 2023

Objective

To evaluate and start a discussion on the potential usefulness of applying Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven natural language processing technology such as the ChatGPT in tobacco control efforts, specifically vaping cessation.

Method

Ten real-world questions about vaping cessation were selected from a Reddit forum and used as ChatGPT prompts or queries. Content analysis was performed on the ChatGPT responses to identify the thematic aspects of vaping cessation support represented in the responses. Next, the responses were empirically evaluated by five experts in tobacco control on accuracy, quality, clarity, and empathy.

Result

The following themes related to vaping cessation support were identified: understanding nicotine withdrawal symptoms, self-regulation, peer support, motivational support, and Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). The experts judged the ChatGPT responses to be 'satisfactory' to 'excellent' in areas of accuracy, quality, clarity, and empathy.

Conclusion

If managed by a group of experts, including clinicians, and behavioral and computer scientists, a platform such as the ChatGPT may be leveraged to design tailored interventions for tobacco use cessation, including vaping cessation.
Comparative analysis of the effect of hypoxia in two different tumor cell models shows the differential involvement of PTEN control of proangiogenic pathways
Authors: Majewska Aleksandra , Brodaczewska Klaudia , Filipiak-Duliban Aleksandra , Kieda Claudine
Published: July 2023

Hypoxia, low, non-physiological oxygen tension is a key regulator of tumor microenvironment, determining the pathological tumor vascularization. Alleviation of hypoxia through vessel normalization may be a promising therapeutic approach. We aimed to assess the role of low oxygen tension in PTEN-related pathways and proangiogenic response, in vitro, in two different tumor cell lines, focusing on potential therapeutic targets for tumor vessel normalization. Downregulation of PTEN in hypoxia mediates the activation of distinct mechanisms: cytoplasmic pAKT activation in melanoma and pMDM2 modulation in kidney cancer. We show that hypoxia-induced proangiogenic potential was stronger in Renca cells than B16 F10—confirmed by a distinct secretory potential and different ability to affect endothelial cells functions. Therefore, the impact of hypoxia on PTEN-mediated regulation may determine the therapeutic targets and effectiveness of vessel normalization and intrinsic characteristics of cancer cell have to be taken into account when designing treatment.
Non-destructive exploration of late Gothic panel painting using X-ray tomography and flattening of the reconstructed data
Authors: Vavřík Daniel , Antušková Václava , Chlumská Štěpánka , Kumpová Ivana , Šefců Radka , Vopálenský Michal
Published: July 2023

The use of computed tomography (CT) for studying artwork has a long tradition in the restoration and care of collections in memory institutions. The result of the related tomographic reconstruction is a virtual spatial model in which we can examine the production technology, the internal structure, various damaged areas, and previous restoration interventions. The extension of standard CT to dual energy CT provides additional information to help distinguish materials with similar densities but different chemical compositions. As will be shown, pigment differences that appear very similar in optical light can be identified in this way. The differences found were confirmed by X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy analytical techniques. Current laboratory CT scanners make it possible to examine the layered structures of paintings and polychrome sculptures. In the case of wood panel paintings, however, we are faced with the common deformation of the panels. So, when examining the CT data, we can only see a small section of the paint layer, and it is difficult to examine the whole artwork in its entire context. This disadvantage can be solved by a virtual straightening of the panel, as will be demonstrated.
Vibration properties of an elastic gold nanosphere submerged in viscoelastic fluid
Authors: Huang Xin , Baroudi Adil El , Wu Bin
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we propose a novel, simple and accurate analytical study based on nonlocal elasticity theory to forecast small-scale effects on the radial vibration of anisotropic gold nanospheres submerged in viscoelastic fluid (VEF). Eringen’s model is used to determine the motion equation for anisotropic nanospheres, with the fluid assumed to be viscoelastic and compressible. The frequency equation is derived by imposing the fluid-nanosphere interface continuity conditions. A comparison with the literature results is conducted to demonstrate the validity and correctness of this analysis, which indicates a very good agreement. The importance of small-scale effects in the radial vibration, which need to be included in the nonlocal elasticity model of submerged nanospheres, is eventually revealed by numerical examples. It is discovered that the nanosphere size, nonlocal parameter, and glycerol–water mixture have a significant impact on the vibration behaviors. Our results show that the small scale is crucial for the radial vibration of gold nanoparticles when the gold nanosphere is smaller than [Formula: see text]. Thus, the resulting frequency equation is very useful to interpret experimental measurements of the vibration characteristics of submerged gold nanospheres in VEF.
Room temperature nonlinear optical mass sensing based on a hybrid nanoresonator system
Authors: Chen Hua-Jun , Xie Bao-Hao
Published: July 2023

We present a strong coupled quantum dot-nanomechanical resonator system and investigate its nonlinear optical properties using optical pump-probe technology. The process of evolution of the nonlinear Kerr spectrum is studied for different resonator frequencies under low temperature and room temperature, respectively, and the results indicate that even at room temperature the nonlinear Kerr spectrum can still be resolved. In addition, we further theoretically propose a room temperature nonlinear optical mass sensing scheme based on the hybrid nanoresonator system. When the masses of external nanoparticles (such as biomolecules including baculovirus, coronavirus, DNA, etc.) are attached to the nanomechanical resonator, the resonance frequency shift caused by nanoparticles can be measured by nonlinear Kerr spectrum, and then the mass of nanoparticles can be determined. The hybrid coupled nanoresonator system will have potential applications in ultra-sensitive and high-resolution mass sensors.
A Study of Training Approaches of a Hybrid Summarisation Model Applied to Patent Dataset
Authors: Souza Cinthia M. , Bastos Daniel S. , Souza Filho Leonardo A. , Meireles Magali R. G.
Published: July 2023

Patents are recognised as an important source of scientific knowledge. The automatic summarisation process of patents can assist in the organisation, and, consequently, the access to the contents of patent databases. The main contribution of this work is to carry out a study of training approaches of a hybrid summarisation model to create concise, single sentence summaries for patent documents. The experiments were executed using a dataset containing more than 80,000 patents, made available by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Comparative experiments between the selected model and seven state-of-the-art models in extractive, abstractive and hybrid text summarisation (HTS) were performed. The results obtained showed that the selected approach produces better results than extractive and HTS models, and yields good prospects in extremely concise summaries. It is concluded that the study of different training approaches, coupled with the analysis of the attention words weights in the final results, is an important step in this process, impacting directly the choice of the final summarisation model. Besides this, the results of the experiments suggest that the removal of stop words from the input text did not generate better results, although the attention words extracted with the model without stop words were, in general, better.
A Neo-Copenhagen Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Lindblad Göran
Published: July 2023

An analysis of the quantum measurement problem is presented which is a modest modification of the standard one often called the Copenhagen interpretation.

The starting assumption is that QM is universal, and that all evolutions are unitary. We must also assume that the set of evolutions is restricted to allow the existence of stable structures for the equipment in our laboratory, including the measurement devices. The devices need some macroscopic properties to make the outcomes of the experiments stable data. There should not exist superdevices capable of retrieving the information needed to reverse these evolutions. As a result the quantum coherences complementary to the outcomes of experiments will typically be inaccessible and there is no need to remove them by decoherence.

We need devices designed such that the outcome of an experiment is indicated by a pointer with the property that it has a definite but random final state. We then find that the outcomes of experiments can be considered factual data, and random in a classical sense. They can be considered to happen in a single world.
Long-Time Relaxation of a Finite Spin Bath Linearly Coupled to a Qubit
Authors: Pekola Jukka P. , Karimi Bayan , Cattaneo Marco , Maniscalco Sabrina
Published: July 2023

We discuss the long-time relaxation of a qubit linearly coupled to a finite bath of [Formula: see text] spins (two-level systems, TLSs), with the interaction Hamiltonian in rotating wave approximation. We focus on the regime [Formula: see text], assuming that the qubit–bath coupling is weak, that the range of spin frequencies is sufficiently broad, and that all the spins are initialized in the ground state. Despite the model being perfectly integrable, we make two interesting observations about the effective system relaxation. First, as one would expect, the qubit relaxes exponentially towards its zero-temperature state at a well characterized rate. Second, the bath spins, even when mutually coupled, do not relax towards a thermal distribution, but rather form a Lorentzian distribution peaked at the frequency of the initially excited qubit. This behaviour is captured by an analytical approximation that makes use of the property [Formula: see text] to treat the TLS frequencies as a continuum and is confirmed by our numerical simulations.
Assessing the Impact of Cultural Planning in the Age of Social Media: Twitter-Based Indicators for Established and Emerging Art Locations
Authors: Tomarchio Ludovica , He Peijun , Herthogs Pieter , Tunçer Bige
Published: July 2023

Planning administrations are concerned with the diffusion of art. The concept of the Creative City has encouraged planners to develop cultural policies to support creative economies, city branding, urban identity and urban quality. With the introduction of social media, the production and consumption of art is changing significantly. It has resulted in the emergence of hybrid art spaces: social spaces existing both in physical space and on social media. This implies that the integration of social media data in cultural planning is not just beneficial, but necessary. However, existing cultural planning approaches hardly consider this shifting paradigm. Therefore, this paper introduces a methodology to analyze, map and evaluate art venues and the online communication they generate using social media data. We developed this methodology for Singapore. We gathered geo-located Twitter data and extracted posts relating to art (Social Media Art Classifier). We applied topic and sentiment analysis to art tweets, and introduced social media-based planning indicators. We also developed a machine learning model to determine the relationship between 11 art venue features and the level of their social media production. This methodology successfully demonstrates the use of social media data to support cultural planning in cities. While the work presented in this paper focuses on Singapore, and is limited to a two-year data period, our methodology could easily be adapted for other locales, and to include continuous assessment. As a next step, we will demonstrate and discuss our methodology with cultural planning professionals, in order to improve our methods and indicators, and explore some of the applications suggested in this paper.
Pointers in Far Memory
Authors: Miller Ethan , Benetopoulos Achilles , Neville-Neil George , Mehra Pankaj , Bittman Daniel
Published: July 2023

Effectively exploiting emerging far-memory technology requires consideration of operating on richly connected data outside the context of the parent process. Operating-system technology in development offers help by exposing abstractions such as memory objects and globally invariant pointers that can be traversed by devices and newly instantiated compute. Such ideas will allow applications running on future heterogeneous distributed systems with disaggregated memory nodes to exploit near-memory processing for higher performance and to independently scale their memory and compute resources for lower cost.
Understanding How National CSIRTs Evaluate Cyber Incident Response Tools and Data: Findings from Focus Group Discussions
Authors: Mohd Kassim Sharifah Roziah Binti , Li Shujun , Arief Budi
Published: July 2023

National Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) have been established worldwide to coordinate responses to computer security incidents at the national level. While it is known that national CSIRTs routinely use different types of tools and data from various sources in their cyber incident investigations, limited studies are available about how national CSIRTs evaluate and choose which tools and data to use for incident response. Such an evaluation is important to ensure that these tools and data are of good quality and, consequently, help to increase the effectiveness of the incident response process and the quality of incident response investigations. Seven online focus group discussions with 20 participants (all staff members) from 15 national CSIRTs across Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, and North and South America were carried out to address this gap. Results from the focus groups led to four significant findings: (1) there is a confirmed need for a systematic evaluation of tools and data used in national CSIRTs, (2) there is a lack of a generally accepted standard procedure for evaluating tools and data in national CSIRTs, (3) there is a general agreement among all focus group participants regarding the challenges that impinge a systematic evaluation of tools and data by national CSIRTs, and (4) we identified a list of candidate criteria that can help inform the design of a standard procedure for evaluating tools and data by national CSIRTs. Based on our findings, we call on the cyber security community and national CSIRTs to develop standard procedures and criteria for evaluating tools and data that CSIRTs, in general, can use.
How to Study Global Lawmaking: Lessons from Intellectual Property Rights and International Health Emergencies
Authors: Andia Tatiana , Chorev Nitsan
Published: July 2023

International agreements on Intellectual Property (IP) have proven to be a good example to study global lawmaking. Beginning by looking at the 1990s Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement and into the negotiation and implementation of regional and national trade agreements, this article reflects on the intricate relationship between international IP agreements and public health. The comprehensive analysis of these international rules and their effect provides valuable insights into the dynamic interplay between domestic and international factors in shaping health policies. Building upon the IP case, we categorize existing scholarship on global lawmaking into three methodological approaches: ( a) methodological internationalism, ( b) methodological nationalism, and ( c) the interplay between domestic and international factors. We close with a call for researchers to advocate and integrate into their methods a co-constitutive approach that considers the simultaneous shaping of domestic and international elements.
Attenuated reactive hyperemia after prolonged sitting is associated with reduced local skeletal muscle metabolism: insight from artificial intelligence
Authors: Anderson Cody P. , Park Song-Young
Published: July 2023

Prolonged sitting reduces lower leg skeletal muscle metabolic rate in healthy individuals. Artificial intelligence revealed that impaired post-occlusive reactive hyperemia after prolonged sitting is related to a reduced stimulus for vasodilation and may not be evidence of microvascular dysfunction. Current post-occlusive reactive hyperemia protocols may be insufficient to assess micro- and macrovascular function after prolonged sitting.
Nerve transfer for restoration of lower motor neuron-lesioned bladder, urethral, and anal sphincter function in a dog model. Part 3. nicotinic receptor characterization
Authors: Frara Nagat , Barbe Mary F. , Giaddui Dania , Porreca Danielle S. , Braverman Alan S. , Tiwari Ekta , Ahmad Attia , Brown Justin M. , Johnston Benjamin R. , Bazarek Stanley F. , Ruggieri Michael R.
Published: July 2023

Very little is known about the physiological role of nicotinic receptors in canine bladders, although functional nicotinic receptors have been reported in bladders of many species. Utilizing in vitro methods, we evaluated nicotinic receptors mediating bladder function in dogs: control (9 female and 11 male normal controls, 5 sham operated), Decentralized (9 females, decentralized 6–21 mo), and obturator-to-pelvic nerve transfer reinnervated (ObNT-Reinn; 9 females; decentralized 9–13 mo, then reinnervated with 8–12 mo recovery). Muscle strips were collected, mucosa-denuded, and mounted in muscle baths before incubation with neurotransmitter antagonists, and contractions to the nicotinic receptor agonist epibatidine were determined. Strip response to epibatidine, expressed as percent potassium chloride, was similar (∼35% in controls, 30% in Decentralized, and 24% in ObNT-Reinn). Differentially, epibatidine responses in Decentralized and ObNT-Reinn bladder strips were lower than controls after tetrodotoxin (TTX, a sodium channel blocker that inhibits axonal action potentials). Yet, in all groups, epibatidine-induced strip contractions were similarly inhibited by mecamylamine and hexamethonium (ganglionic nicotinic receptor antagonists), SR 16584 (α3β4 neuronal nicotinic receptor antagonist), atracurium and tubocurarine (neuromuscular nicotinic receptor antagonists), and atropine (muscarinic receptor antagonist), indicating that nicotinic receptors (particularly α3β4 subtypes), neuromuscular and muscarinic receptors play roles in bladder contractility. In control bladder strips, since tetrodotoxin did not inhibit epibatidine contractions, nicotinic receptors are likely located on nerve terminals. The tetrodotoxin inhibition of epibatidine-induced contractions in Decentralized and ObNT-Reinn suggests a relocation of nicotinic receptors from nerve terminals to more distant axonal sites, perhaps as a compensatory mechanism to recover bladder function.
Changes in sex hormones and their interactions are related to pain perception between different menstrual subphases
Authors: Zhang Luyao , Zhao Ying , Liu Xinmin , Chen Juan , Sun Mingyang , Zhang Jiaqiang , Zhang Wei
Published: July 2023

Whether sex hormones are related to pain perception across the menstrual cycle is unclear. We examined changes in experimental pain perception in healthy young females between the early to midfollicular subphase (emF) and the midluteal subphase (mL) and explored the role of sex hormones. Sixty-six participants were involved in the study. We tested pressure pain, cold pain, ischemic pain, and needle pain, while at the same time we measured sex hormones levels in two menstrual subphases. Only the right ulna pressure test showed a significant reduction in pain threshold (PPTh3) during the mL. The absolute change of PPTh3 (PPTh3mL − PPTh3emF) was related to the absolute change of prolactin. The relative change of the range of pain tolerance for pressure pain of the right ulna (RPT3rc) was related to the relative change of progesterone (Prc) and estradiol (E2rc) levels, and the interaction effects showed that at Prc ≤ 30, E2rc was positively correlated with RPT3rc. The same, the relative change of pressure pain tolerance of the pulp of the middle finger on the right hand (PPTo4rc) was related to E2rc and Prc, and the results of the interaction between E2rc and Prc suggest that when E2rc is ≤0.8, Prc is positively correlated with PPTo4rc. Two different formulas were applied in this study and showed inconsistent results. Most pain tests showed no difference between the two subphases of the menstrual cycle. Only the relative changes of the PPTo4 and RPT3 are related to the E2rc and Prc, respectively, between menstrual subphases in an interactive way in healthy young women.