bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review of "Dislike-Minded: Media, Audiences, and the Dynamics of Taste by Jonathan Gray," Gray, J. (2021).
Dislike-Minded: Media, Audiences, and the Dynamics of Taste
New York.
Authors: Neal D'Arcee Charington
Published: February 2023

In
Dislike-Minded
, Jonathan Gray makes a fascinating case for why the idea of dislike, away from disgust, anger, or hatred is worthy of its own lane of study. Pointing out that ratings, algorithms, collection data, and even academia prioritizes positive attributes like
likes
, Gray suggests that we in fact do a disservice to our understanding of choice (what it is, who it's for, and why) by excluding ideas that represent dislike. As an extension of taste, he points out that our connection of dislike to negative opinions like hate or aversion are misdirected as a group opinion instead of an individual idea. Further, the book suggests that this view reduces dislike's complex emotional engagement---comprised of a number of factors that include things like disappointment or expectation, the inescapable nature of the work, or the critical reception of a text or its handling of specific ideas---down to a simplistic dismissal or nonchalance. Instead, Gray posits that dislike works as a focused narrow consideration that often requires a deep connection to either the subject, or the subject field. However, it is often thought of based off a grouping of generalized characteristics akin to assumptions or stereotypes, as opposed to its actual singular positionality, where dislike straddles the complicated line between scrutiny and dissatisfaction.
Counterfactual Scenario-relevant Knowledge-enriched Multi-modal Emotion Reasoning
Authors: Liu Hao , Yang Xiaoshan , Xu Changsheng
Published: February 2023

Multi-modal video emotion reasoning (MERV)
has recently attracted increasing attention due to its potential application in human-computer interaction. This task needs to not only recognize utterance-level emotions for conspicuous speakers, but also perceive the emotions of non-speakers in videos. Existing methods focus on modeling multi-modal multi-level contexts to capture emotion-relevant clues from the complex scenarios in videos. However, the context information is far from enough to infer the emotion labels of non-speakers due to the large gap between the scenario situation and emotions labels. Inspired by the observation that humans can find solutions to complex problems with the leverage of experience and knowledge, we propose
SK-MER
, a
Scenario-relevant Knowledge-enhanced Multi-modal Emotion Reasoning
framework for MERV task, which can leverage external knowledge to enhance the video scenario understanding and emotion reasoning. Specifically, we use scenario concepts extracted from videos to build knowledge subgraphs from external knowledge bases. The knowledge subgraphs are then utilized to obtain scenario-relevant knowledge representations through dynamic knowledge graph attention. Next, we incorporate the knowledge representations into context modeling to enhance emotion reasoning with external scenario-relevant knowledge. In addition, we propose a counterfactual knowledge representation learning approach to obtain more effective scenario-relevant knowledge representations. Extensive experimental results on MEmoR dataset show that the proposed SK-MER framework achieves new state-of-the-art results.
Molecular Physiology of TRPV Channels: Controversies and Future Challenges
Authors: Rosenbaum Tamara , Islas León D.
Published: February 2023

The ability to detect stimuli from the environment plays a pivotal role in our survival. The molecules that allow the detection of such signals include ion channels, which are proteins expressed in different cells and organs. Among these ion channels, the transient receptor potential (TRP) family responds to the presence of diverse chemicals, temperature, and osmotic changes, among others. This family of ion channels includes the TRPV or vanilloid subfamily whose members serve several physiological functions. Although these proteins have been studied intensively for the last two decades, owing to their structural and functional complexities, a number of controversies regarding their function still remain. Here, we discuss some salient features of their regulation in light of these controversies and outline some of the efforts pushing the field forward.
Flipping Off and On the Redox Switch in the Microcirculation
Authors: Katona Máté , Gladwin Mark T. , Straub Adam C.
Published: February 2023

Resistance arteries and arterioles evolved as specialized blood vessels serving two important functions: ( a) regulating peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure and ( b) matching oxygen and nutrient delivery to metabolic demands of organs. These functions require control of vessel lumen cross-sectional area (vascular tone) via coordinated vascular cell responses governed by precise spatial-temporal communication between intracellular signaling pathways. Herein, we provide a contemporary overview of the significant roles that redox switches play in calcium signaling for orchestrated endothelial, smooth muscle, and red blood cell control of arterial vascular tone. Three interrelated themes are the focus: ( a) smooth muscle to endothelial communication for vasoconstriction, ( b) endothelial to smooth muscle cell cross talk for vasodilation, and ( c) oxygen and red blood cell interregulation of vascular tone and blood flow. We intend for this thematic framework to highlight gaps in our current knowledge and potentially spark interest for cross-disciplinary studies moving forward.
Pericytes and the Control of Blood Flow in Brain and Heart
Authors: Longden Thomas A. , Zhao Guiling , Hariharan Ashwini , Lederer W. Jonathan
Published: February 2023

Pericytes, attached to the surface of capillaries, play an important role in regulating local blood flow. Using optogenetic tools and genetically encoded reporters in conjunction with confocal and multiphoton imaging techniques, the 3D structure, anatomical organization, and physiology of pericytes have recently been the subject of detailed examination. This work has revealed novel functions of pericytes and morphological features such as tunneling nanotubes in brain and tunneling microtubes in heart. Here, we discuss the state of our current understanding of the roles of pericytes in blood flow control in brain and heart, where functions may differ due to the distinct spatiotemporal metabolic requirements of these tissues. We also outline the novel concept of electro-metabolic signaling, a universal mechanistic framework that links tissue metabolic state with blood flow regulation by pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells, with capillary KATP and Kir2.1 channels as primary sensors. Finally, we present major unresolved questions and outline how they can be addressed.
La-Doped Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ
Air Electrodes with Enhanced Performance and Stability for Reversible Protonic Ceramic Cells
Authors: Xie Yun , Shi Nai , Hu Xueyu , Zhu Kang , Peng Ranran , Xia Changrong , Chen Ming
Published: February 2023

Reversible protonic ceramic cells (R-PCCs) have attracted intensive attention, as they can operate efficiently for both power generation and fuel production. The practical application of R-PCCs is, however, limited by the poor catalytic activity and stability of the air electrode. Here, we report a novel electrochemical catalyst of 10 mol% La substituted Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ
, showing improved stability under typical R-PCCs working conditions. XRD patterns confirm that La0.1Ba0.4Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ
maintains the cubic structure after heat treatment in humid air (3% H2O) at 700 °C for 100 h. In addition, the assembled full cells using this novel material as air electrode catalyst present outstanding performance. At 700 °C, the peak power density reaches 650 mW cm−2 (fuel cell mode); and in electrolysis mode the maximum current density reaches 1840 mA cm−2 at 1.5 V. We speculate that the much-improved stability and electrochemical performance of the La0.1Ba0.4Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ
air electrode may result from the higher electronegativity of La, which is beneficial for reducing the basicity and improving the chemical stability in acidic atmospheres; from the smaller ionic radius of La, which can alleviate the lattice distortion of BSCF; and from the stronger interaction between La and lattice oxygen inhibiting the structural degradation caused by Sr segregation.
A Method for Time-Resolved Characterization of Polarization-Induced Solid Oxide Cell Microstructure Evolution
Authors: Cox Dalton M. , Barnett Scott A.
Published: February 2023

Solid oxide cell long-term durability experiments are resource-intensive and have limited ability to capture the interdependence of microstructural evolution and electrochemical performance. Studies of microstructural degradation mechanisms are usually limited to before and after life-test images. Here we describe a life testing method that simultaneously operates multiple symmetric cells under different conditions, simultaneously providing information on electrolysis and fuel cell operation, while sampling the microstructure during operation. The method utilizes laser-cutting to exactly define different cell areas, allowing testing under different current densities with a single current source, and facilitating removal of segments of the cells during life tests, allowing for microstructural evaluation at intermediate times. The method is demonstrated in Ni-YSZ / YSZ / Ni-YSZ fuel-electrode-supported cells at low H2O/H2 ratios. Characterization using SEM-based imaging techniques shows pronounced microstructural damage that increases rapidly with increasing current density and time, mirroring observed electrochemical degradation. The present results agree with prior reports for SOC operation under such conditions but reveal new features of the degradation process via the unique capability of time-resolved imaging.
Co-Sintering of Spinel-Based Coating/Contact Dual-Layer Structure for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathode-Side Application
Authors: Yu Y. T. , Lin Y. C. , Li R. Z. , Cheng F. P. , Lu Y. , Zhou J. , Guan C. Z. , Wang J.-Q.
Published: February 2023

A coating/contact dual-layer structure is fabricated via co-sintering in simulated interconnect/coating/contact/cathode test cells. Two different precursors are utilized to form Mn1.25Co1.75O4 and Ce-doped Mn1.25Co1.75O4 spinel coatings, while a mixture of Mn oxide and Co metal powders is employed as the contact material. After thermal conversion into a dense coating and a porous contact layer at 900 °C in air simultaneously, both test cells exhibit excellent electrical performance during the 1500-h area-specific resistance (ASR) measurement at 800 °C, due to the unique dual-layer structure via co-sintering. The cell with Ce-containing coating precursor shows better cell ASR behavior and lower degradation rate. Cross-sectional observation of the tested cells is conducted to assess the compatibility of the dual-layer structure with adjacent components as well as its effectiveness in inhibiting chromia scale growth and blocking Cr migration from the interconnect to the cathode.
Levothyroxine Timing during Ramadan: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Mahzari Moeber , Al Remthi Fahad , Ajwah Ibrahim , Al Hazmi Mohammed , Moafa Wesam , Al Shahrani Awad , Al Shehri Sameerah , Badri Motasim
Published: February 2023

Introduction. Hypothyroidism requires lifelong thyroid hormone replacement with levothyroxine. For most hypothyroid patients fasting during Ramadan, compliance with the administration procedure is a challenge. This study aimed to determine the impact of different administration times of levothyroxine on thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free T4 (FT4) levels before and after the holy month of Ramadan. Materials and Methodology. Hypothyroid patients taking levothyroxine were randomized to 3 groups during Ramadan: group 1, 30 minutes before the iftar meal; group 2, 3-4 hours after the iftar meal, with no food taken for at least 1 hour after the meal; group 3, they were not given specific instructions for taking levothyroxine during Ramadan. Thyroid function tests were performed within 2 weeks before Ramadan and within 2 weeks after Ramadan. Pre- and post-Ramadan TSH and free T4 levels were compared. Mixed-effects analyzes were performed to identify factors associated with changes in TSH and FT4 levels. Results. Compliance was lower in patients taking levothyroxine 3-4 hours after iftar. In addition, the majority of patients who had not received a specific recommendation took levothyroxine 30 minutes before iftar. There was a statistically significant increase in TSH (

P
=
0.006

) and FT4 (

P
=
0.044

) levels after Ramadan. In multivariate analysis, the cause of hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s; postthyroidectomy; compared to postradioactive iodine) and levothyroxine dose significantly affected FT4 levels. In contrast, no variable was significantly associated with TSH level. The timing of levothyroxine intake during Ramadan did not significantly affect TSH or FT4 levels. Conclusion. TSH and FT4 significantly increased after Ramadan. However, the timing of levothyroxine intake per se had no influence on TSH or free T4 levels. Therefore, hypothyroid patients might take levothyroxine either 30 minutes or 3-4 hours after iftar with no meal for 1 hour, depending on preference.
Balancing Academic Curriculum Problem Solution: A Discrete Firefly-Based Approach
Authors: Katal Avita , Singh Vijay K. , Choudhury Tanupriya , Imran Faisal , Hossain Md. Sabbir
Published: February 2023

The difficulty of allocating a balanced educational syllabus to academic periods of a curriculum, also known as curriculum balancing, has long been a source of consternation for any institution of higher education attempting to connect learners and teachers. The balanced academic curriculum challenge entails assigning courses to academic times while adhering to all load restrictions and prerequisite requirements. The balanced academic curriculum problem (BACP) includes assigning subjects to class hours that fulfill standards even while managing students’ burden in terms of credits, course load, and perquisites that includes subjects covered in the previous semesters/periods. The number of credits every semester corresponds to the academic load. As a result, educational frameworks must be “balanced,” which means the credits for each period should be equivalent in order for students to bear minimum work. As a result, it is desirable to reduce this cost by developing a study plan that employs an algorithm that conducts this work automatically. Using an optimization method, this article provides a solution to the challenge of curricula balancing based on the discrete firefly algorithm (DFA). In research, FA has already been used to solve the BACP problem. However, the basic FA is modified to DFA with a local search mechanism inbuilt that helps to reach optimum solution in less number of iterations. A series of tests on standard and real data instances are done to check the efficiency of the suggested approach, with the objective of producing a platform that would simplify the procedure of building a curriculum system at institutions of higher learning. The results show that the proposed solution obtained a rather rapid solution and hit the recognized optimum in most of the iterations.
The Prognostic Model Established by the Differential Expression Genes Based on CD8+ T Cells to Evaluate the Prognosis and the Response to Immunotherapy in Osteosarcoma
Authors: Chen Yu , Yan Wei , Wang Hongqing , Ou Zhiliang , Chen Huihong , Huang Zhenhua , Yang Jinlian , Liu Biqiong , Ou Fanjie , Zhang Huang
Published: February 2023

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant tumor with an extremely poor prognosis, especially in progressive patients. Immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is considered to be a promising treatment option for OS. Due to tumor heterogeneity, only a minority of patients benefit from immunotherapy. Therefore, it is urgent to explore a model that can accurately assess the response of OS to immunotherapy. In this study, we obtained the single-cell RNA sequencing datasets of OS patients from public databases and defined 34 cell clusters by dimensional reduction and clustering analysis. PTPRC was applied to identify immune cell clusters and nonimmune cell clusters. Next, we performed clustering analysis on the immune cell clusters and obtained 25 immune cell subclusters. Immune cells were labeled with CD8A and CD8B to obtain CD8+ T cell clusters. Meanwhile, we extracted the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of CD8+ T cell clusters and other immune cell clusters. Furthermore, we constructed a prognostic model (CD8-DEG model) based on the obtained DEGs of CD8+ T cells, and verified the excellent predictive ability of this model for the prognosis of OS. Moreover, we further investigated the value of the CD8-DEG model. The results indicated that the risk score of the CD8-DEG model was an independent risk factor for OS patients. Finally, we revealed that the risk score of the CD8-DEG model correlates with the immune profile of OS and can be used to evaluate the response of OS to immunotherapy. In conclusion, our study revealed the critical role of CD8 cells in OS. The risk score model based on CD8-DEGs can provide guidance for prognosis and immunotherapy of OS.
Safety Comparison of Simple and Spiral Horizontal Curves Based on Side Friction Factor Dynamic Modeling
Authors: Sharf Aldeen Asame , Abdi Kordani Ali , Fallah Afshin , Hosseinian Seyed Mohsen
Published: February 2023

A horizontal curve’s geometric design is considered an important factor in highway accidents, and simple and spiral curves are regarded as the most common types of horizontal curves. Various factors affect the safety of horizontal curves, one of the most important of which is the side friction factor in the horizontal curves. Therefore, in this study, the safety of simple and spiral horizontal curves was investigated for the E-class sedan, E-class SUV, and two-axle conventional truck based on the side friction factor. In this regard, CarSim and TruckSim vehicle dynamic simulation software were utilized using 360 scenarios, including vehicle speed, vehicle type, curve radius, and road geometry. It was revealed that the maximum side friction factor for all vehicles in the simple horizontal curve was higher than the spiral horizontal curve. Also, the process of increasing the side friction factor was carried out with a gentler slope in the spiral horizontal curve. Except for the radius of 0.7 times the maximum radius of the spiral horizontal curve (R) for the truck and the radii of 0.7 R and 0.9 R for the sedan and SUV, the maximum side friction factor in simple and spiral horizontal curves was lower than the AASHTO recommended values, which shows that the spiral horizontal curve was better and safer compared to the simple horizontal curve based on the side friction factor.
Consensus Decision Modeling with Distributionally Robust Chance Constraint in Uncertain Environments
Authors: Zexing Dai , Zhiming Fang , Panhong Cheng , Jiayi Qin
Published: February 2023

Group decision-making (GDM) in an ambiguous environment has consistently become a research focus in the decision science field during the past decade. Existing minimum cost consensus models either control the total budget in a deterministic context or focus on improving the utility of decision makers. In this study, a novel consensus model with a distributionally robust chance constraint (DRO-MCCM) is explored. First, two distributionally robust chance constraints consensus models are developed based on the varied utility preferences of decision-makers and taking into consideration the uncertainty of the unit adjustment cost. Next, construct conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) to approximate the cost chance constraint, simulate the viewpoint of decision makers with ambiguous preferences such as utility function and Gaussian distribution, and convert the model into a feasible semidefinite programming problem using dual theory and the moment method. Finally, the supply chain management scenario involving new product prices employs these models. Comparison and sensitivity analyses demonstrates the model’s superiority and effectiveness.
Emerging Oral Nicotine Products and Periodontal Diseases
Authors: Ye Dongxia , Rahman Irfan
Published: February 2023

Oral nicotine pouches are emerging as a new “modern oral” nicotine product. These prefilled pouches contain nicotine, flavorings, and filling agents that dissolve in the mouth. Nicotine can be derived from tobacco leaf or chemical synthesis. Traces of TSNAs and toxic chromium were detected in the pouch products. This raises the concern about general and periodontal health. This review aims to update the current oral nicotine products research relating to periodontal disease and its relevance in periodontal inflammation. Nicotine interacts with host cells and affects inflammatory responses to microbial challenges. It may directly or indirectly deteriorate periodontal tissues by activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, repressing PDL fibroblasts cells, increasing cellular ROS and cytokines/chemokines, growth factors, breaking microbiota balance, and dysregulating miRNAs expression. Studies show that appealing flavorings contained in nicotine pouches pose harm to periodontal innate immune responses and increase penetration of nitrosamines. In addition, flavored ONPs increase the risk of dual or poly-tobacco products among young adults, stacking up detrimental effects on the periodontium. Given the recent growth of users, further studies are needed to elucidate the impact of ONPs, even poly-tobacco use, on systemic and periodontal health. Moreover, policymakers should ensure to avoid generating a new wave of nicotine addiction among youths in the U.S.
Exosomal lincROR Promotes Docetaxel Resistance in Prostate Cancer through a β-catenin/HIF1α Positive Feedback Loop
Authors: Jiang Xingkang , Xu Yong , Liu Ranlu , Guo Shanqi
Published: February 2023

Emerging evidence has suggested that patients with metastatic prostate cancer will become resistant after receiving docetaxel (DTX) chemotherapy, but the specific regulatory mechanism is still unclear. lincROR is an important oncogenic long noncoding RNA which plays an important role in regulating tumor carcinogenesis and metastasis; however, the underlying mechanism of lincROR functioning in the DTX resistance process of prostate cancer remains largely unknown. In the current study, we found that lincROR is highly expressed in DTX-resistant prostate cancer cell lines and was associated with poor DTX response in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. By using loss- and gain-of-function experiments revealed that lincROR promotes prostate cancer cells growth and DTX resistance in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that lincROR specifically interacts with and stabilizes MYH9 protein, which enhances β-catenin/hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1α) pathways. Besides, HIF1α could bind with the promoter region of lincROR to activate its transcription, thus forming the lincROR/MYH9/HIF1α positive feedback loop. Moreover, lincROR could be packaged into exosomes in an heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1)-dependent manner and then disseminated chemoresistance phenotype to receipt cells. Overall, our study provides evidence supporting exosome-mediated lincROR activates the β-catenin/HIF1α positive feedback loop by targeting MYH9 protein, which may be exploited for anticancer therapy.

Implications:

Our findings suggest that targeting hypoxia stress and chemoresistance for therapeutic purposes and lincROR could promote the improvement of treatment responses in patients with DTX-resistant prostate cancer.
Reducing Southern Ocean Shortwave Radiation Errors in the ERA5 Reanalysis with Machine Learning and 25 Years of Surface Observations
Authors: Mallet Marc D. , Alexander Simon P. , Protat Alain , Fiddes Sonya L.
Published: February 2023

Earth system models struggle to simulate clouds and their radiative effects over the Southern Ocean, partly due to a lack of measurements and targeted cloud microphysics knowledge. We have evaluated biases of downwelling shortwave radiation in the ERA5 climate reanalysis using 25 years (1995–2019) of summertime surface measurements, collected on the Research and Supply Vessel (RSV) Aurora Australis, the Research Vessel (R/V) Investigator, and at Macquarie Island. During October–March daylight hours, the ERA5 simulation of SWdown exhibited large errors (mean bias = 54 W m−2, mean absolute error = 82 W m−2, root-mean-square error = 132 W m−2, and R2 = 0.71). To determine whether we could improve these statistics, we bypassed ERA5’s radiative transfer model for SWdown with machine learning–based models using a number of ERA5’s gridscale meteorological variables as predictors. These models were trained and tested with the surface measurements of SWdown using a 10-fold shuffle split. An extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and a random forest–based model setup had the best performance relative to ERA5, both with a near complete reduction of the mean bias error, a decrease in the mean absolute error and root-mean-square error by 25% ± 3%, and an increase in the R2 value of 5% ± 1% over the 10 splits. Large improvements occurred at higher latitudes and cyclone cold sectors, where ERA5 performed most poorly. We further interpret our methods using Shapley additive explanations. Our results indicate that data-driven techniques could have an important role in simulating surface radiation fluxes and in improving reanalysis products.

Significance Statement

Simulating the amount of sunlight reaching Earth’s surface is difficult because it relies on a good understanding of how much clouds absorb and scatter sunlight. Relative to summertime surface observations, the ERA5 reanalysis still overestimates the amount of sunlight entering the Southern Ocean. We taught some models how to predict the amount of sunlight entering the Southern Ocean using 25 years of surface observations and a small set of meteorological variables from ERA5. By bypassing the ERA5’s internal simulation of the absorption and scattering of sunlight, we can drastically reduce biases in the predicted surface shortwave radiation. Large improvements in cold sectors of cyclones and closer to Antarctica were observed in regions where many numerical models struggle to simulate the amount of incoming sunlight correctly.
Aberrant expression of GOLM1 protects ALK+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma from apoptosis by enhancing BCL-XL stability
Authors: Zi Zhenguo , Du Shujuan , Zhang Liming , Wang Yuebo , Ding Ling , Zhang Chongqi , Wang Huanyu , Pawlicki Jan , Cai Yuan , Yao Yazhou , Zhou Feng , Tong Yin , Riley James L. , Cai Qiliang , Ma Xiaojing , Wei Fang
Published: February 2023

Golgi membrane protein 1 (GOLM1) is aberrantly expressed in many types of solid tumors and contributes to cancer development; however, its role in hematopoietic and lymphoid neoplasms remains unknown. Here, we report that GOLM1 was significantly upregulated in anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), particularly in anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) ALCL. Mechanistically, the expression of GOLM1 was induced by nucleophosmin-ALK in both ALK-transformed T cells and ALCL cell lines through AKT/mTOR pathway. Knockdown of GOLM1 expression led to a reduction in the growth and viability of ALCL cells with increased spontaneous apoptosis, whereas ectopic expression of GOLM1 protected ALCL cells from apoptosis induced by staurosporine treatment. Moreover, GOLM1 directly interacted with B-cell lymphoma-extra large protein (a crucial anti-apoptosis regulator) and significantly prolonged its stability. Introduction of GOLM1 promoted ALK+ ALCL cells colony formation in vitro and tumor growth in a murine xenograft model. Taken together, our findings demonstrate, to our knowledge, for the first time that GOLM1 plays a critical role in suppressing apoptosis and promoting the progression of ALK+ ALCL and provide evidence that GOLM1 is a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in ALK-induced hematological malignancies.
The role of systemic ımmune ınflammatory ındex in showing active lesion ın patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Gokce Seyda Figul , Bolayır Asli , Cigdem Burhanettin , Yildiz Bulent
Published: February 2023

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has two pathophysiological processes, one inflammatory and the other degenerative. We investigated the relationship between active lesions on magnetic resonance imaging showing the inflammatory phase in MS patients and serum parameters that can be used as inflammatory biomarkers. Thus, we aim to detect the inflammatory period in clinical and radiological follow-up and to reveal the period in which disease-modifying treatments are effective with serum parameters.

Methods

One hundred eighty-six MS patients presented to our hospital between January 2016 and November 2021 and 94 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were recruited for our study. While 99 patients had active lesions on magnetic resonance imaging, 87 patients did not have any active lesions. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were determined. The SII (systemic immune inflammatory index) value was calculated according to the platelet X neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio formula.

Results

NLR, MLR, PLR and SII values were found to be statistically significantly higher in MS patients than in the control group. The NLR, MLR, PLR and SII were higher in the active group with gadolonium than in the group without active lesions. In addition, the cutoff values that we can use to determine the presence of active lesions were 1.53, 0.18, 117.15, and 434.45 for NLR, MLR PLR and SII, respectively.

Conclusions

We found that all parameters correlated with radiological activity. In addition, we showed that we can detect the inflammatory period with high sensitivity and specificity with the cutoff value used for SII and PLR. Among these easily accessible and inexpensive evaluations, we concluded that SII, including the values in the PLR formula, can come to the fore.
Association between sedentary behavior and chronic kidney disease in Korean adults
Authors: Jang Ye Seul , Park Yu Shin , Kim Hyunkyu , Hurh Kyungduk , Park Eun-Cheol , Jang Suk-Yong
Published: February 2023

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant health care burden, with a worldwide prevalence of approximately 11%. The general population spends over 50% of the awake time sedentary activities. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has evaluated the association between sedentary time and CKD, with a focus on both kidney damage and kidney function, in the South Korean population. Accordingly, the present study aimed to address this gap in the knowledge.

Method

We used data from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The analysis included 9,534 participants, especially excluded those who had been diagnosed with kidney disease or who were currently undergoing treatment. Sedentary behavior was self-reported by the participants. An estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and/or albuminuria were used as measures for detection of CKD according to the guidelines of the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes. We analyzed the data using multiple logistic regression.

Results

Among the women, the risk of CKD was significantly greater among those who sat for ≥ 12 h/d relative to those who sat for < 6 h/d, after adjusting for physical activity and other covariates (odds ratio [OR]: 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–2.06). Similarly, among those who sat over 12 h/d, those who engaged in low levels of physical activity had a higher risk of CKD than those who engaged in high levels of activity (OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.04–2.61). No statistically significant results were found for men.

Conclusion

Excessive sedentary behavior was associated with an increased risk of CKD, especially albuminuria, regardless of the level of physical activity, only in women. These findings emphasize the importance of avoiding excessive sitting for a long time and increasing overall physical activity levels.
Factors impacting implementation of nutrition and physical activity policies in rural schools
Authors: Ausenhus Caryn , Gold Joshua M. , Perry Cynthia K. , Kozak Andrea T. , Wang Monica L. , Jang Sou Hyun , Leong Judy , Rodriguez Edgar , Duggan Catherine , Ko Linda K.
Published: February 2023

Background

Rural Latino children have higher rates of obesity compared to non-Latino Whites. Schools are in a unique position to address rural childhood obesity through policies. While evidence exists on factors that promote or impede school-based physical activity (PA) and nutrition policies, only a fraction has been in rural communities. This study seeks to understand 1) the knowledge and perceptions of school nutrition and PA policies and 2) barriers and facilitators to their implementation among rural school stakeholders from Washington State.

Methods

We conducted 20 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with school stakeholders (e.g., principals and school nutrition directors) from four K–12 school districts in the Lower Yakima Valley of Eastern Washington State. Thematic analysis was conducted using inductive, constant comparison approach to identify themes around knowledge and perceptions of policies and barriers and facilitators of policy implementation.

Results

Three main themes were identified: perceptions and knowledge of school PA and nutrition policies, barriers to policy implementation, and facilitators of policy implementation. The majority of stakeholders were supportive of school-based policies promoting PA and a healthy diet, even when lacking a specific understanding of these policies. Four subthemes were identified as barriers to policy implementation: viewing PA as a low priority, misuse of recess time, funding constraints, and lack of strong leadership. Facilitators of implementation included strong leadership at the district level, creating healthy norms through school-community linkages and pooling community resources to improve nutrition and PA among children.

Conclusions

Schools provide a unique setting to promote healthy diet and PA behaviors among children and their families. Study findings show that while knowledge of specific nutrition and PA policies may vary, support for such policies were high among rural stakeholders. Study findings can inform policy development and support strategies for policy implementation in rural settings. Future studies may want to examine whether implementation of strategies addressing the barriers and enhancing facilitators lead to success in rural school settings.
Simultaneous bilateral traumatic clavicle fractures: incidence, characteristics, and surgical outcomes
Authors: Feng Dongxu , Jiang Wuqiang , Kang Xiaomin , Jiang Yuxuan , Zhu Yangjun , Zhang Jun
Published: February 2023

Background

Although clavicle fractures are common injuries in adults, simultaneous bilateral clavicle fractures are rarely reported. The present report describes 13 patients with simultaneous bilateral traumatic clavicle fractures who were treated with surgical management and followed for more than 12 months postoperatively.

Methods

This retrospective chart review involved skeletally mature patients with traumatic clavicle injuries. Patients with bilateral clavicle fractures who were followed up for at least 12 months after surgery were included. Data regarding the patients’ demographics, injury characteristics, fracture classification, comorbidities, concomitant injuries, and treatment strategies were collected. Each displaced fracture was managed with open reduction and internal fixation. Postoperative follow-up included radiographs for assessment of bone union; calculation of the Constant–Murley score for shoulder function; administration of the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire for upper limb function; determination of the visual analogue scale score for pain; and assessment of complications.

Results

From October 2013 to November 2021, 15 patients (10 men, 5 women) were diagnosed with bilateral clavicle fractures among 1542 patients with clavicle injuries (overall incidence of 1.0%). Of these 15 patients, this study included 13 patients (8 men, 5 women; mean age, 38.3 ± 15.3 years) who were followed up for more than 12 months postoperatively. Among the 13 patients, 10 (77.0%) had associated concomitant injuries, and 25 sides were fixed with internal plate fixation. After a follow-up period of 29.9 ± 28.5 months, all fractures achieved bone healing. Eleven patients attained excellent shoulder function on both sides and returned to their pre-injury daily activities, and the remaining two patients had unilateral shoulder dysfunction. No complications occurred.

Conclusions

Bilateral clavicle fractures are extremely rare and associated with polytrauma. Open reduction and internal fixation is recommended for such patients, especially those with severe chest injuries, because osteosynthesis of the clavicle can improve respiratory function and reduce the duration of functional disability.
Prevalence of dental caries and relation with nutritional status among school-age children in resource limited setting of southern Ethiopia
Authors: Bassa Selamawit , Workie Shimelash Bitew , Kassa Yibeltal , Tegbaru Dawit Worku
Published: February 2023

Background

Globally, dental caries appears a major public health problem and a widespread non -communicable disease. It is more prevalent among children school-age children (6–12 years), However, there are few studies that correlate dental caries with nutritional status. Thus, this study aims to determine the relation of dental caries with nutritional status among school-age children at resource limited setting of southern Ethiopia.

Methodology

A community-based cross sectional study was employed on randomly selected 761 school-age children of Areka town. Data were collected by face-to-face interviewer-administered questionnaire and clinical assessment of dental caries. After that, the collected data were entered into Epi data 3.2.1 and exported to SPSS 20 for further analysis. On the other hand, bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify the association of dependent and independent variables. p Value < 0.05 was considered to declare a result as statistically significant.

Results

Prevalence of dental caries among school-age children was 15.6%  (95% CI 13.0–18.5). In technical senses, 4.3% (95% CI 2.9–5.8%) of children were underweight and 14.2% (95% CI 11.7–16.6%) were overweight. However, it has been unfolded that the relationship between dental caries and nutritional status was not statistically significant with a p value (p = 0.32). Factors associated with dental caries were educational status of a mother AOR 3.14, (95% CI 1.03–9.56), not cleaning teeth AOR 7.70, (95% CI 4.00–14.85), sugared coffee drinking AOR 3.22, (95% CI 1.68–6.18.0), sweet food consumption AOR 4.19, (95% CI 1.76–9.96) and non-consuming milk AOR 5.66 ( 95% CI 1.49–21.49).

Conclusion and recommendation

Dental caries at south Ethiopia were low compared to WHO’s reports on oral health on school-age children. Tooth cleaning habit, parental education, sweet food consumption and milk consumption are associated factors. Therefore, behavioral intervention on dental hygiene and dietary practices are mandatory for school-age children.
What drives patients’ acceptance of Digital Therapeutics? Establishing a new framework to measure the interplay between rational and institutional factors
Authors: Carrera Alessandro , Zoccarato Francesca , Mazzeo Margherita , Lettieri Emanuele , Toletti Giovanni , Bertoli Simona , Castelnuovo Gianluca , Fresa Emanuele
Published: February 2023

Background

The rising incidence of chronic diseases among the population, further exacerbated by the phenomenon of aging, is a primary concern and a serious challenge for the healthcare systems worldwide. Among the wide realm of health digital technologies, the rise of Digital Therapeutics (DTx), which are medical devices able to deliver evidence-based treatments to manage and treat diseases, opens new opportunities. However, their diffusion and usage are still fragmented among countries. As the diffusion results from the adoption of technology from a social system and individual acceptance, this study aims to design and test a theoretical model that investigates the intention to use DTx, with a particular focus on the treatment of obesity, as a widespread and burdensome chronic condition.

Methods

This research is built on 336 answers coming from a survey to test the proposed model, which consists of a combination of organizational mechanisms, derived from Institutional Theory, and rational factors, derived from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The survey has been delivered to patients and former patients of Istituto Auxologico Italiano, a hospital with several locations in northern Italy, recognized as a center of excellence for the treatment of obesity.

Results

The analyses of the answers, performed through the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique, confirmed the influence of the Perceived Usefulness on Intention To Use, and of the Perceived Ease Of Use on the Perceived Usefulness, confirming the validity of the assumptions derived from the TAM. On the other hand, institutional factors were introduced as antecedents of the Perceived Usefulness, and the Perceived Ease Of Use. Results show that the Regulative Pillar influences both the TAM constructs, the Normative Pillar (peer influence) has a positive effect only on the Perceived Usefulness, and finally, the Cultural Pillar impacts the Perceived Ease Of Use.

Conclusion

This study allows filling the knowledge gap regarding the usage of the Institutional as a means to predict individuals’ intentions. Moreover, managerial contributions are available as the results have been operationalized into practical advice to managers and healthcare professionals to foster the adoption, and thus the diffusion, of Digital Therapeutics.
Symptom-based clusters in people with ME/CFS: an illustration of clinical variety in a cross-sectional cohort
Authors: Vaes Anouk W. , Van Herck Maarten , Deng Qichen , Delbressine Jeannet M. , Jason Leonard A. , Spruit Martijn A.
Published: February 2023

Background

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex, heterogenous disease. It has been suggested that subgroups of people with ME/CFS exist, displaying a specific cluster of symptoms. Investigating symptom-based clusters may provide a better understanding of ME/CFS. Therefore, this study aimed to identify clusters in people with ME/CFS based on the frequency and severity of symptoms.

Methods

Members of the Dutch ME/CFS Foundation completed an online version of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire version 2. Self-organizing maps (SOM) were used to generate symptom-based clusters using severity and frequency scores of the 79 measured symptoms. An extra dataset (n = 252) was used to assess the reproducibility of the symptom-based clusters.

Results

Data of 337 participants were analyzed (82% female; median (IQR) age: 55 (44–63) years). 45 clusters were identified, of which 13 clusters included ≥ 10 patients. Fatigue and PEM were reported across all of the symptom-based clusters, but the clusters were defined by a distinct pattern of symptom severity and frequency, as well as differences in clinical characteristics. 11% of the patients could not be classified into one of the 13 largest clusters. Applying the trained SOM to validation sample, resulted in a similar symptom pattern compared the Dutch dataset.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that in ME/CFS there are subgroups of patients displaying a similar pattern of symptoms. These symptom-based clusters were confirmed in an independent ME/CFS sample. Classification of ME/CFS patients according to severity and symptom patterns might be useful to develop tailored treatment options.
Discovery of potential FGFR3 inhibitors via QSAR, pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening and molecular docking studies against bladder cancer
Authors: Ganji Mahmoud , Bakhshi Shohreh , Shoari Alireza , Ahangari Cohan Reza
Published: February 2023

Background

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 is known as a favorable aim in vast range of cancers, particularly in bladder cancer treatment. Pharmacophore and QSAR modeling approaches are broadly utilized for developing novel compounds for the determination of inhibitory activity versus the biological target. In this study, these methods employed to identify FGFR3 potential inhibitors.

Methods

To find the potential compounds for bladder cancer targeting, ZINC and NCI databases were screened. Pharmacophore and QSAR modeling of FGFR3 inhibitors were utilized for dataset screening. Then, with regard to several factors such as Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADMET) properties and Lipinski’s Rule of Five, the recognized compounds were filtered. In further step, utilizing the flexible docking technique, the obtained compounds interactions with FGFR3 were analyzed.

Results

The best five compounds, namely ZINC09045651, ZINC08433190, ZINC00702764, ZINC00710252 and ZINC00668789 were selected for Molecular Dynamics (MD) studies. Off-targeting of screened compounds was also investigated through CDD search and molecular docking. MD outcomes confirmed docking investigations and revealed that five selected compounds could make steady interactions with the FGFR3 and might have effective inhibitory potencies on FGFR3.

Conclusion

These compounds can be considered as candidates for bladder cancer therapy with improved therapeutic properties and less adverse effects.
Identification of a variant in NLRP3 gene in a patient with Muckle-Wells syndrome: a case report and review of literature
Authors: Liu Jia , Zhang Ranran , Yi Zhi , Lin Yi , Chang Hong , Zhang Qiuye
Published: February 2023

Background

Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS), a rare genetic autoimmune disease, is composed of familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAs), Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS), and neonatal onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID). MWS is caused by dominantly inherited or de novo gain-of-function mutations in the NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) gene. At present, there is no report about the variation of R262W in China.

Case presentation

We reported a 3-year-old Chinese boy who had recurrent fever without obvious inducement, bilateral conjunctival congestion, and urticarial-like rash. Laboratory examination showed elevation in leukocyte count, neutrophil count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid protein (SAA) levels. Whole exome sequencing identified a missense variation c.784-786delinsTGG (p.R262W) in the coding region of the NLRP3 gene.

Conclusion

A classical variant of the NLRP3 gene in a patient with MWS was first reported in China.