bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anthracycline therapy induces an early decline of cardiac contractility in low-risk patients with breast cancer
Authors: Voß Fabian , Nienhaus Fabian , Pietrucha Saskia , Ruckhäberle Eugen , Fehm Tanja , Melz Tobias , Cramer Mareike , Haberkorn Sebastian M. , Flögel Ulrich , Westenfeld Ralf , Scheiber Daniel , Jung Christian , Kelm Malte , Polzin Amin , Bönner Florian
Published: July 2024

Aims

Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is a dreaded complication of anthracycline therapy. CTRCD most frequently appears in patients with cardiovascular risk factors (CVR) or known cardiovascular disease. However, limited data exist on incidence and course of anthracycline-induced CTRCD in patients without preexisting risk factors.

We therefore aimed to longitudinally investigate a cohort of young women on anthracycline treatment due to breast cancer without cardiovascular risk factors or known cardiovascular disease (NCT03940625).

Methods and results

We enrolled 59 women with primary breast cancer and scheduled anthracycline-based therapy, but without CVR or preexisting cardiovascular disease. We conducted a longitudinal assessment before, immediately and 12 months after cancer therapy with general laboratory, electrocardiograms, echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), including myocardial relaxometry with T1, T2 and extracellular volume mapping.

Every single patient experienced a drop in CMR-measured left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 6 ± 3% immediately after cancer therapy. According to the novel definition 32 patients (54.2%) developed CTRCD after 12 months defined by reduction in LVEF, global longitudinal strain (GLS) and/or biomarkers elevation, two of them were symptomatic. Global myocardial T2 relaxation times as well as myocardial mass increased coincidently with a decline in wall-thickening. While T2 values and myocardial mass normalized after 12 months, LVEF and GLS remained impaired.

Conclusion

In every single patient anthracyclines induce a decline of myocardial contractility, even among patients without pre-existing risk factors for CTRCD. Our data suggest to thoroughly evaluate whether this may lead to an increased risk of future cardiovascular events.

Graphical Abstract

Reduced myocardial contractility in low-risk patients receiving anthracycline-based cancer therapy.

This study included 59 otherwise healthy women with primary breast cancer undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy. CMR was performed at baseline, directly and 12 months after cancer therapy. A decline in left ventricular function was observed in every single patient accompanied by transient edema. More than 50% were diagnosed with cancer therapy related cardiovascular dysfunction.

LVEF: left ventricular function, CTRCD: cancer therapy related cardiovascular dysfunction, GLS = Global longitudinal strain, hs-TnT
= high sensitive Troponin T, NT-pro BNP = NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide
Organic farming to mitigate biotic stresses under climate change scenario
Authors: Biswas Saikat , Das Rupa
Published: July 2024

Background

Climate change is inevitable owing from modern-day chemical agriculture, exerting detrimental impacts on sustainable crop production. Global agriculture is now facing serious threats from biotic stresses like weeds, pests, diseases, etc. These stresses not only hamper growth and production but also reduce crop quality.

Main body of the abstract

Exclusive reliance on synthetic inputs to tackle biotic stresses has created resistance, resurgence, residues, etc., leading to environmental pollution. Although plants adopt defensive mechansims, such biotic stresses need to be addressed properly with various eco-friendly organic farming approaches. Suitable modification and adoption of various organic agronomic practices (manual, mechanical, cultural, and biological) such as soil solarization, crop rotation, intercropping, tillage, sowing time and method, nutrient, water and intercultural operations, organic formulations, selection of resistant/tolerant varieties, etc., can mitigate the negative impacts of biotic stresses to a high extent resulting in uplift in crop production as well as the quality of produce. Microorganisms not only alter soil health positively for high crop production but also alleviate biotic stresses through bio-stimulant properties. Various indigenous technical knowledge approaches show great promise to tackle biotic stresses further.

Short conclusion

Adequate research, integration of multiple technologies, build-up of awareness, etc., are the keys for successful organic plant protection under changing climate scenario.
Design, synthesis and evaluation of new methyl piperazine derivatives as anticancer agents
Authors: Singh Mahaveer , Jadhav Hemant R. , Choudhary Amit , Wadhwa Pankaj
Published: July 2024

Background

To overcome the problem of side effects and toxicity, development of new anticancer agents is needed. Recently, piperidine salicylanilide derivatives with nanomolar epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitory and cytotoxicity activity have been reported. In the present study effect of replacing piperidine in reported piperidine salicylanilide with N-methyl piperazine and changing substituent’s of phenyl ring at other end on anticancer activity have been explored. A series of sixteen methyl piperazine incorporated phenyl benzamide and phenyl methanone derivatives have been synthesized and tested in a panel of three cancer cell lines (adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A-549), human colon carcinoma (HCT-116) and human pancreatic carcinoma (MIAPaCa-2)), using gefitinib as standard. Further, to study the probable mechanism, due to their structural similarity with EGFR inhibitors, docking interactions with EGFR active site were observed using Schrodinger suite.

Result

The results indicated that most of the compounds showed promising activity; out of which, compound A-11 was most active having cytotoxicity much better than that of gefitinib. It showed IC50 value of 5.71 µM against A-549 cell line, 4.26 µM against HCT-116 colon cancer line and 31.36 µM against MIAPaCa-2 cell line.

Conclusion

It was found that these compounds fit well in the active site and may be exhibiting anticancer activity via EGFR inhibition.

Graphical Abstract
Systemic Therapy in Breast Cancer
Authors: Corti Chiara , Batra-Sharma Hemali , Kelsten Max , Shatsky Rebecca A. , Garrido-Castro Ana C. , Gradishar William J.
Published: July 2024

Therapeutic advances in breast cancer have significantly improved outcomes in recent decades. In the early setting, there has been a gradual shift from adjuvant-only to neoadjuvant strategies, with a growing focus on customizing post-neoadjuvant treatments through escalation and de-escalation based on pathologic response. At the same time, the transition from a pre-genomic to a post-genomic era, utilizing specific assays in the adjuvant setting and targeted sequencing in the advanced stage, has deepened our understanding of disease biology and aided in identifying molecular markers associated with treatment benefit. Finally, the introduction of new drug classes such as antibody-drug conjugates, and the incorporation in the (neo)adjuvant setting of therapies previously investigated in the advanced stage, like immunotherapy and CDK4-6 inhibitors, poses new challenges in treatment sequencing.
Differences in 21-Gene and PAM50 Recurrence Scores in Younger and Black Women With Breast Cancer
Authors: Van Alsten Sarah C. , Vohra Sanah N. , Ivory Joannie M. , Hamilton Alina M. , Gao Xiaohua , Kirk Erin L. , Butler Eboneé N. , Earp H. Shelton , Reeder-Hayes Katherine E. , Hoadley Katherine A. , Carey Lisa A. , Troester Melissa A.
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

Genomic tests, such as the Oncotype Dx 21-gene and Prosigna risk of recurrence (ROR-P) assay, are commonly used for breast cancer prognostication. Emerging data suggest variability between assays, but this has not been compared in diverse populations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RNA sequencing was performed on 647 previously untreated stage I-III estrogen receptor–positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative tumors in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, which oversampled Black and younger women (age <50 years at diagnosis), using research versions of two common RNA-based prognostic assays: ROR-PR and the 21-gene recurrence score (RSR). Relative frequency differences and 95% CIs were estimated for associations with race and age, and hazards of 5-year local or distant recurrence were modeled with Cox regression. Proliferation and estrogen module scores from each assay, representing broad activity of genes in those pathways, were examined to guide interpretation of differences between tests.

RESULTS

Among both younger and older individuals, Black women had higher frequency of intermediate and high ROR-PR scores than non-Black women. Race was not significantly associated with RSR in either age group. High (hazard ratio [HR], 4.67 [95% CI, 1.73 to 12.70]) and intermediate (HR, 2.12 [95% CI, 0.98 to 4.62]) ROR-PR scores were associated with greater risk of recurrence, but RSR did not predict recurrence. RSR emphasized estrogen over proliferation modules, whereas ROR-PR emphasized proliferation. Higher proliferation scores were associated with younger age and Black race in both assays. Modifications to the RSR algorithm that increased emphasis on proliferation improved prognostication in this diverse population.

CONCLUSION

ROR-PR and the 21-gene RSR differentially emphasize estrogen-related and proliferative biology. The emphasis of 21-gene RS on estrogen-related biology and lower endocrine therapy initiation among Black women may contribute to poorer prognostic ability in heterogeneously treated populations.
Cryptography with stochastic photons
Authors: Shakhmuratov R. , Zinnatullin A. , Vagizov F.
Published: July 2024

Quantum cryptography protocols are based on the use of quantum objects with at least two orthogonal states, for example, the polarization states of a photon. We propose a completely different cryptography protocol using a stochastic flow of single photons. Our method is based on the stochastic decay of an ensemble of radioactive nuclei randomly emitting a stream of γ-photons. We have experimentally demonstrated the transmission of classical information containing binary bits. Reading this information requires precise knowledge of the repetition rate of its sending. Otherwise, it is impossible to make the transmitted information visible, since it will be lost in the noise.
Plotting a New Course for Environmental Humanities
Authors: Moulton Alex A.
Published: July 2024

This article suggests that the notion of “the plot” has methodological and epistemological value for the environmental humanities. Conceptualized in the work of Sylvia Wynter, the plot—as material site and narrative mode crucial to the novel form—offers a heuristic for analyzing the conjuncture of political economy, social-cultural aesthetics, and power. The plot names places that have been created through improvisational forms of world-making against racial and socioecological domination. The plot also names an insurgent scheme that is staged from peripheralized places and that is crucial to maintaining these spaces of insurgent living. Plotting is presented as an analytical mode that offers scholars in the environmental humanities: a framework for place-specific historical-geographical and ecological study; a critical cartographical praxis; and an approach for examining the logics and affective relations of place production. Environmental humanities scholarship that engages with Black ecocriticism along these lines is well positioned to examine the geographies of the past, present, and future with attention to the racial politics of human embodiment. Such scholarship would be characterized by more careful use of spatial metaphors, ensuring that ecocriticism and broader environmental humanities work considers the material and physical racial ecologies alongside the discursive and representational environments.
Is Long-Term Thinking a Trap?
Authors: Bastian Michelle
Published: July 2024

This provocation critiques the notion of long-term thinking and the claims of its proponents that it will help address failures in dominant conceptions of time, particularly in regard to environmental crises. Drawing on analyses of the Clock of the Long Now and Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future, the article suggests that we be more wary of the concept’s use in what we might call chronowashing. Like the more familiar greenwashing, where environmental issues are hidden by claims to be addressing the problem, the article explores how these examples of long-term thinking distract from extractivism, racism, and environmental injustice, making it harder to address the complexities involved. In particular, the article discusses examples where long-term thinking provides a veneer of environmental concern that actually disconnects from the work of building more equitable forms of relation. As a contrast, the article’s author asks: What is lost when we diagnose a problem as arising due to short-term thinking and propose long-term thinking as the solution? Against chronowashed environmental time, the author argues for more complex approaches that explicitly take into account the temporalities of inequality, political organization, ethical responsibilities and much else. The article engages with approaches to time that foreground the work needed to create time and move ethically within it, including Charles W. Mills’s white time and Kyle Powys Whyte’s kinship time. The author suggests that a stronger emphasis on the temporality of community, solidarity, and coalition—versus what James Hatley and Deborah Bird Rose have described as temporal narcissism—can better foreground the kinds of work that needs to be done, particularly by those with privilege.
Communicating with Plants
Authors: Laist Randy
Published: July 2024

The Secret Life of Plants, a 1973 book that was developed into a 1979 documentary film, reports on a flurry of parapsychological research involving attempts to communicate with plants using electrodes, lie detectors, and psychic powers. The book highlights the work of Cleve Backster, an American researcher who claimed he could demonstrate that plants could read people’s minds and that measurements of his plants’ emotional responses to the randomized death of brine shrimp revealed empathetic connections “even on the lower levels of life.” Although this research appears risible in retrospect, Backster’s work expresses attempts to conceptualize plant subjectivity and plant agency against the backdrop of the emergent environmental movement. While it might be overly charitable to credit these experiments in plant communication with inspiring contemporary research into the ways plants share information with one another and with other species, Backster’s outlandish investigations suggest enduring object lessons for human beings in general and for the environmental humanities field in particular regarding the ways that plants continue to baffle us, to enchant us, and even, in their own weird way, to speak to us.
Hazardous Hope
Authors: Dhawan Ayushi , Müller Simone M.
Published: July 2024

This special section seeks to reconsider our troubled times and their histories of irreversible toxic pollution through the lens of hopeful yet critical ways of engaging with this unprecedented condition of life. Thinking with “hazardous hope” as a tool of analysis, the five contributions—combining perspectives from ecocriticism, environmental philosophy, film studies, visual arts, and history—showcase alternative presents and futures of living responsibly with a permanently polluted planet. Writing from the perspective of hazardous hope, the section’s editors argue, includes a plethora of conceptual and methodological repositionings to embrace the ambiguity that comes with living responsibly on a permanently polluted planet. Among them is a shift in focus on the acts and modes of hazardous hope as a relational practice that is focused on reorganizing established processes in radically different ways rather than wishing to achieve a predefined outcome, while at the same time remaining mindful of the polluted status quo. Contributions in this special section are situated across the entire troubled planet, from Chernobyl’s exclusion zone to Brazilian oil fields and from Canada’s tar sands to British asbestos-loaded homes.
Biportal Endoscopic TransOrbital and transMaxillary Approach to the Cranio-Orbital Region and Middle Cranial Fossa: A Preliminary Analysis of Maneuverability
Authors: Tariciotti Leonardo , Rodas Alejandra , Patel Biren , Zohdy Youssef M. , De Andrade Erion Jr , Revuelta Barbero Manuel , Porto Edoardo , Vuncannon Jackson , Maldonado Justin , Vergara Silvia M. , Lohana Samir , Solares C. Arturo , DiMeco Francesco , Garzon-Muvdi Tomas , Pradilla Gustavo
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Traditional and well-established transcranial approaches to the spheno-orbital region and middle cranial fossa guarantee optimal intracranial exposure, and additional orbital and zygomatic osteotomies provide further control over extracranial components to be resected; however, these techniques come at the cost of additional morbidity. The introduction of minimally invasive endoscopic approaches and the conceptualization of the so-called “multiportal” paradigm might provide an alternative route. This preliminary study investigates the feasibility of the combined Biportal Endoscopic TransOrbital and transMaxillary Approach (bETOMA) approach to the spheno-orbital and middle cranial fossa regions.

METHODS:

Using 4 silicon-injected adult cadaver heads (8 sides; 16 approaches), we systematically dissected through superior eyelid ETOA and endoscopic TMA approaches. The analysis focused on pterygopalatine, infratemporal, anterior and middle cranial fossae, Meckel cave, and cavernous sinus access. We evaluated the feasibility of bETOMA using linear distances, angles of attack, and exposure areas. We also introduced volume of operative maneuverability, its standardized derivative (sVOM), target distance, visuo-operative angle, and working zone volume as novel metrics.

RESULTS:

The analysis revealed comparable angles of attack between approaches. ETOA and TMA exposure areas were 918.38 ± 223.93 mm2 and 257.07 ± 86.07 mm2, respectively. TMA showed a larger VOM in the greater sphenoid wing, but ETOA offered superior distal maneuverability (sVOM: 5.39 ± 1.94 vs 2.54 ± 0.79 cm3) and closer intracranial space access (27.45 vs 50.83 mm). The combined approaches yielded a mean working zone volume of 13.75 ± 3.73 cm3 in the spheno-orbital interface.

CONCLUSION:

The bETOMA approach provides adequate neurovascular exposure and maneuverability to the spheno-orbital region, infratemporal, and anterior and middle cranial fossae, addressing significant limitations of previously investigated monoportal techniques (ie, optic nerve decompression, hyperostotic bone resection, and infratemporal exposure). This combined minimally invasive approach might help manage lesions harbored within the cranio-orbital interface region invading the extracranial space.
Δια βίου μάθηση των επαγγελματιών υγείας
Authors: Ορφανίδου Χαρίκλεια
Published: July 2024

Σκοπός της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η διερεύνηση των απόψεων των επαγγελματιών υγείας σχετικά με την επίδραση που ασκούν οι ιστορίες ζωής τους, με εστίαση στη διά βίου μάθηση, στην επαγγελματική και προσωπική ανάπτυξή τους, καθώς και των αντιλήψεών τους για την επίδραση της διά βίου μάθησης στην κατάκτηση μιας βιώσιμης σταδιοδρομίας. Η ερευνητική ευαισθητοποίηση που καθοδήγησε την ανάλυση των δεδομένων προήλθε από θεωρίες όπως η Ολoκληρωμένη Μάθηση του Knud Illeris, η τυπολογία των μαθησιακών αποτελεσμάτων της Μετασχηματίζουσας Μάθησης του Chad Hoggan και η Βιώσιμη Ανάπτυξη της Σταδιοδρομίας της Ann De Vos και των συνεργατών της. Η συλλογή των ερευνητικών δεδομένων έγινε με τη χρήση της βιογραφικής αφηγηματικής συνέντευξης την περίοδο 2021-2023. Οι περιπτώσεις που αποτέλεσαν το δείγμα μας ήταν 14 άνδρες και γυναίκες, επαγγελματίες υγείας ελληνικών δημόσιων νοσοκομείων, διά βίου μανθάνοντες. Προσπαθήσαμε να αναδείξουμε πως η ταυτότητα του διά βίου μανθάνοντα και η διαρκής ετοιμότητα για μάθηση που συνεπάγεται διαμορφώνουν την αντίληψη των πληροφορητών για τη βιωσιμότητα της σταδιοδρομίας. Οι διαπιστώσεις της έρευνας μπορούν να φανούν χρήσιμες στους ίδιους τους επαγγελματίες υγείας, σε επιστημονικούς, επαγγελματικούς και συνδικαλιστικούς φορείς, στους διαμορφωτές της πολιτικής υγείας, εκπαίδευσης και εργασίας, συμβούλους σταδιοδρομίας και άλλους ερευνητές.
Unraveling the genetic basis of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus: Focus on mecA and PVL Genes
Authors: Nguyen-Thi Be-Hai , Pham-Thi Ngoc-Nga , Nguyen-Thi Hai-Yen , Nguyen Long-Nguyen , Le Trung-Son
Published: July 2024

Background Staphylococcus aureus infections, including Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and Methicillin-Sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), present significant challenges in healthcare due to rising antimicrobial resistance. This study evaluates the genetic basis of antibiotic resistance in S. aureus, focusing on key resistance-associated genes mecA and PVL. Methods A total of 568 clinical specimens were analyzed for the presence of S. aureus. Demographic data were collected to assess age-dependent prevalence. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted to evaluate resistance patterns. The prevalence of the mecA and PVL genes was determined using molecular techniques. Results S. aureus was identified in 37.9% of cases, with the highest prevalence (60-79 age group). All S. aureus isolates showed 100% resistance to penicillin. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains accounted for 84.19% of isolates, with a significant presence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains. The mecA gene was prevalent in 82.79% of MRSA isolates, indicating its strong association with methicillin resistance. Additionally, 41.86% of all S. aureus isolates were positive for the PVL gene, highlighting its widespread distribution. Conclusions The high prevalence of mecA and PVL genes in S. aureus strains underscores the challenges in managing these infections. These findings emphasize the necessity for judicious antibiotic use and enhanced collaborative efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance. Understanding the genetic basis of resistance can inform more effective diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive strategies, ultimately improving patient outcomes in S. aureus infections.
Demonstration of the potential use of off-grid renewable energy in agricultural production in rural Uganda
Authors: Mirembe Agnes , Nakiirya Ronah , K. Kansiime Monica
Published: July 2024

Background As the world's consciousness of the threats posed by the current state of climate change and its related consequences on food security increase, several nations, including Uganda, have modified their long-term plans for the shift to low-carbon economies and provision of affordable off-grid renewable energy (RE) sources especially in rural areas. Methods Through a citizen science initiative, this study examined the adoption of off-grid renewable energy in agricultural production in rural Uganda, with a focus on solar, charcoal briquettes, and biogas technologies. The study employed a cross-sectional study design and combined qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Data were collected through structured interviews with 1,068 households and 20 key informants. An in-depth review of case studies of RE use in agriculture was also done. Results All respondents embraced at least one RE technology, predominantly solar (92% of respondents), highlighting its widespread adoption. Women exhibited higher adoption rates, particularly in solar and charcoal briquettes usage. The diverse applications of RE in agriculture were evident ranging from solar-powered irrigation, drying of produce, brooding, to biogas digesters for fertilizer production. Benefits associated with RE implementation were multifaceted, including time savings, enhanced health and safety, income generation, and environmental sustainability. Despite these advantages, barriers such as high initial costs and limited awareness persist. Conclusions This study highlights the significant potential of off-grid renewable energy in agricultural production in rural Uganda. Widespread adoption and scale-up of RE technologies requires strong collaborations between government, non-government organisations and private actors to build community awareness, train community resource persons on operation and management, and provide financing for the acquisition of RE technologies.
The genome sequence of the smooth giant clam, Tridacna derasa Röding, 1798
Authors: Li Ruiqi , Li Jingchun , Lopez Jose Victor , Oatley Graeme , Clayton-Lucey Isabelle Ailish , Sinclair Elizabeth , Aunin Eerik , Gettle Noah , Santos Camilla , Paulini Michael , Niu Haoyu , McKenna Victoria , O’Brien Rebecca ,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory Team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics Team,   EBI Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Data Portal Team,   Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Project Leadership
Published: July 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual Tridacna derasa (the smooth giant clam; Mollusca; Bivalvia;Cardiida; Cardiidae). The genome sequence is 1,060.2 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 18 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 24.95 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 19,638 protein coding genes.
Can vitamin supplementation improve quality of life and disease severity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, or is physical activity enough?
Authors: Kozicz Michał Andrzej , Cuper Paulina , Jastrzębska Ilona , Bilecki Krzysztof , Gugulski Hubert , Bado Michał , Nowoświat Patrycja , Goncerz Michał
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and progressive joint destruction, significantly impacting quality of life. While conventional treatments focus on managing symptoms and slowing disease progression through pharmacological means, the potential role of complementary therapies like vitamin supplementation or increased physical activity has garnered increasing interest.
Aim of the Study: This narrative review explores the existing literature on the efficacy and mechanisms of various vitamins in the management of RA. By synthesizing current research findings, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of how vitamin supplementation might influence RA outcomes, offering insights into potential integrative approaches to enhance patient care.
Methods and Materials: A thorough search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on literature published in the past five years. Vitamins with potential impacts on RA progression were identified and paired with the term "Rheumatoid Arthritis" to collect data on their influence on the disease's incidence and management, as well as the mechanisms involved. Additionally, references from selected articles were reviewed and included in the analysis. This method ensured a comprehensive evaluation of the current evidence regarding vitamin supplementation in RA treatment. Similarly, studies on the impact of physical activity on RA were also reviewed.
Results: The influence of physical activity on serum inflammatory markers in RA patients was limited. Vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced disease activity, alleviated pain, and mitigated methotrexate-related side effects, especially in patients with baseline vitamin D deficiency or lower serum levels. In contrast, other vitamins have not exhibited the same positive effects. These findings underscore the need for continued research to optimize the role of various vitamins in managing RA effectively.
O videocast 360° como novo gênero do audiovisual imersivo de não ficção
Authors: Gois Falandes Carolina , Porto Renó Denis
Published: July 2024

Este estudo se concentra no exame das reportagens “Viagem ao continente gelado” e “Maratona de Jerusalém”, lançadas pelo departamento de jornalismo da Record tv em 2023 (Brasil) e apoiadas em imagens esféricas, que se destacam por explorar um novo gênero do audiovisual imersivo de não ficção: o videocast 360°. Tal estética é inspirada nas premissas do podcast e do videocast, formas de entretenimento que têm recebido maior atenção recentemente. Em termos metodológicos, a investigação é classificada como um estudo de casos múltiplos, pautado na interpretação da estrutura transmidiática dos produtos e das escolhas referentes à linguagem 360°, contando também com o alicerce de entrevistas concedidas por profissionais da emissora de tv. Na seção de revisão bibliográfica, são apresentadas contribuições relacionadas à convergência no ambiente televisivo, à interatividade, ao telejornalismo e a suas conexões com conteúdos imersivos. Entre os resultados alcançados, pôde-se apurar que as obras avaliadas evidenciam arranjos distintos, mas que se conectam pela exploração de qr codes, de estratégias multiplataforma e de um novo modelo narrativo: o podcast/videocast 360°. Trata-se de opção que se soma ao leque de possibilidades existentes no campo das narrativas esféricas de não ficção, sendo capaz de enriquecer a experiência noticiosa da audiência.
Branded apps de marcas brasileiras e suas tipificações
Authors: Lima Burgos Taciana
Published: July 2024

O uso de aplicativos móveis está inserido em grande parte das nossas atividades diárias. Seja para efetuar compras, conectar eletrodomésticos em nossas casas ou para nos entretermos. O avanço tecnológico e maior adoção dos consumidores aos meios digitais, nos últimos anos, modificou as estratégias de branding. As marcas veiculadas em aplicativos móveis já não visam unicamente a venda ou o relacionamento, mas também a coleta de dados de seus usuários e o consequente direcionamento de conteúdos publicitários. Neste estudo analisamos 200 branded apps de marcas brasileiras para investigarmos suas tipificações, segundo Zhao e Balagué (2015). Em específico, buscamos também identificar se ocorriam outras tipificações ainda não catalogadas. Empregamos o método estudo de caso, sendo ele realizado durante os meses de maio a julho de 2023. O resultado revelou três novas tipificações, nomeadas como simulação, saúde e propósito. Concluímos que este estudo contribuiu para o avanço da pesquisa aplicada no campo da publicidade em aplicativos móveis, como também para que possamos realizar estratégias de comunicação mais eficazes.
Extractivismo y expulsiones en las regiones Chaqueña y Metropolitana de Buenos Aires: una propuesta en el debate sobre migraciones y desplazamientos ambientales
Authors: Castilla Malena
Published: July 2024

El desarrollo del modelo extractivista en Argentina causa numerosas consecuencias en los te­rritorios y seres humanos y no humanos que en ellos habitan. Los cambios en el uso de suelo, las infraestructuras del ‘desarrollo’, los paquetes tecnológicos y el acaparamiento territorial ex­pulsan a sus habitantes a otras zonas del país, generalmente urbanas, donde, lejos de encontrar mejores condiciones de habitabilidad, profundizan las desigualdades existentes. En este sentido, nos proponemos en este artículo analizar aquellas movilidades que tienen por protagonistas a integrantes de pueblos indígenas, a partir de describir los escenarios ambientales de los cuales son expulsados, fundamentalmente en la región chaqueña, y los territorios de destino donde convergen estos colectivos, centrándonos en la Región Metropolitana de Buenos Aires. Este artículo se sustenta en la información obtenida en investigaciones precedentes, trabajos y notas de campo, entrevistas en profundidad, análisis de fuentes estadísticas, datos cartográficos y literatura especializada en la temática.
On the Convex Formulations of Robust Markov Decision Processes
Authors: Grand-Clément Julien , Petrik Marek
Published: July 2024

Robust Markov decision processes (MDPs) are used for applications of dynamic optimization in uncertain environments and have been studied extensively. Many of the main properties and algorithms of MDPs, such as value iteration and policy iteration, extend directly to RMDPs. Surprisingly, there is no known analog of the MDP convex optimization formulation for solving RMDPs. This work describes the first convex optimization formulation of RMDPs under the classical sa-rectangularity and s-rectangularity assumptions. By using entropic regularization and exponential change of variables, we derive a convex formulation with a number of variables and constraints polynomial in the number of states and actions, but with large coefficients in the constraints. We further simplify the formulation for RMDPs with polyhedral, ellipsoidal, or entropy-based uncertainty sets, showing that, in these cases, RMDPs can be reformulated as conic programs based on exponential cones, quadratic cones, and nonnegative orthants. Our work opens a new research direction for RMDPs and can serve as a first step toward obtaining a tractable convex formulation of RMDPs.

Funding: The work in the paper was supported, in part, by NSF [Grants 2144601 and 1815275]; and Agence Nationale de la Recherche [Grant 11-LABX-0047].
Nurse-led virtual clinic for liver cirrhosis: impact on quality of life and health outcomes – a mixed methods research proposal
Authors: Sharma Tarika , Kang Harmeet Kaur , Shalimar  , Varshney Mohit , Jindal Ankur
Published: July 2024

Liver cirrhosis causes high mortality and morbidity, affecting patients' quality of life (QoL) and health outcomes. Given the significant burden of liver cirrhosis, restructuring healthcare services is crucial. Nurses' involvement in secondary prevention for other chronic diseases has shown benefits, including improved symptom control, reduced hospitalisations and enhanced HRQoL. However, the nursing role in liver disease management remains understudied. This mixed-methods study proposal with an embedded sequential design will assess the effectiveness of a nurse-led virtual liver cirrhosis clinic (NLVLCC) on QoL, self-efficacy, and health outcomes in 90 patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis (60 intervention, 30 control). Health outcomes include medication adherence, performance status, dietary adherence, alcohol intake, depression, anxiety, stress and 30-day readmission. Phase one will involve a randomised controlled trial, followed by narrative analysis in phase two. Data collection will utilize standardized and structured tools, including the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire, Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-item Scale, MARS, Karnofsky Performance Scale, 24-hour dietary recall, AUDIT, DASS, and adherence logs. NLVLCC components include patient education, dietary counseling, brief alcohol de-addiction intervention, psychological support, medication adherence, physical activity guidance and regular virtual follow-ups.
Not all ketosis is type 1 – remember Flatbush
Authors: Craus Sarah , Mula Abigail , Coppini David
Published: July 2024

A 35-year-old otherwise healthy gentleman from Togo, was referred as a ‘walk-in’ to our clinic with polyuria and polydipsia, and a glycated haemoglobin (Hba1c) of 119 mmol/mol (13.1%). The patient also noted 5kg weight loss over a short span of time. He had a significant family history of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Initial blood tests revealed a blood glucose of 22.84 mmol/L, with positive ketones (1.2 mmol/L). Urinalysis showed glycosuria (1000 mg/dL) but was negative for nitrites and white cells. Renal, liver and thyroid function tests were all within normal limits. He had mild metabolic acidosis.
Associations between different anatomical types of chronic rhinosinusitis and anxiety and depression
Authors: Chen Yanping , Jiang Juan , Xu Chuze , Chen Weijun , Geng Yan , Lei Chenyang
Published: July 2024

Aims/Background Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis often have a higher incidence of anxiety and depression. Nevertheless, the impact of specific chronic rhinosinusitis types (chronic anterior/posterior/anterior and posterior rhinosinusitis) on anxiety and depression remains unexplored.

Methods From January 2022 to July 2023, we employed various assessment scales to gauge the severity of chronic rhinosinusitis and anxiety and depression among Chinese patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Statistical analysis involved non-parametric tests and binary logistic regression.

Results In total, 123 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis were enrolled. The number of patients with anxiety and depression in the chronic posterior rhinosinusitis and chronic anterior and posterior rhinosinusitis groups (p=0.022), the nasal symptom subdomain scores of the chronic anterior rhinosinusitis and chronic anterior and posterior rhinosinusitis (p=0.011) groups and the chronic posterior rhinosinusitis and chronic anterior and posterior rhinosinusitis (p=0.008) groups, and the Lund-Kennedy score of the three groups (all p < 0.05) were significantly different. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that chronic rhinosinusitis type (p=0.035) was a risk factor for anxiety and depression.

Conclusion Anatomical chronic rhinosinusitis type was a risk factor for anxiety and depression in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.
Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitor for treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Bai Zhenhua , Yu Xianhuan , Tang Qibin , Zhang Rui , Shi Xiangde , Liu Chao
Published: July 2024

Aims/Background The combination of lenvatinib and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor has demonstrated significant efficacy in treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Our study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of triple therapy that includes hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitor for treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods Patients with a primary diagnosis of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma between June 2020 and August 2023 were included in this study. Initially, 53 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were enrolled. Then, 13 patients were excluded based on the inclusion criteria, resulting in 40 patients included for analysis. Among them, 31 patients received triple therapy, including 16 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer C stage, 12 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer-B, and 3 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer-A hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate, while the secondary endpoints included the conversion resection rate, pathological complete response rate, pathological partial response rate, and treatment-related adverse events.

Results The objective response rate was 80.65% at a median follow-up of 24.5 months (range: 12.6–55.8 months). Of the 14 patients (45.2%) who underwent conversion therapy and were eligible for surgery, 7 patients underwent liver resection and the remaining 7 patients underwent liver transplantation. The median interval between the start of triple therapy and surgery was 117 days, ranging from 25 to 215 days. The pathological complete response was observed in six patients (19.4%) and the pathological partial response rate in eight patients (25.8%). All adverse events occurred in 77.4% of the patients.

Conclusion In patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, the combination of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, lenvatinib, and PD-1 inhibitor exhibits favourable efficacy and well tolerability, achieving a desirable pathological complete response rate while maintaining manageable drug toxicity.
Freud and Marie Bonaparte's Correspondence (1925–1939): An Intimate Relationship
Authors: Baudry Francis
Published: July 2024

Abstract: This paper explores the correspondence between Freud and his patient Marie Bonaparte over the course of 14 years and illuminates their complex personal and professional relationship. The letters expose Freud's therapeutic challenges in balancing the theoretical concept of transference and its actual management in Freud's work in the late 1920s and 1930s.
English School Science Dictionaries: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Buendía-Castro Miriam
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACT: Science is transferred and represented through its terminology. The acquisition of specialized knowledge is progressive and begins in elementary school. Even though science dictionaries for primary school students greatly facilitate this type of knowledge acquisition, such dictionaries are difficult to find, especially in languages such as Spanish. In contrast, English has a wide variety of pedagogical lexicographical resources. However, bilingual school science dictionaries are practically non-existent. This paper describes and compares a set of eight monolingual English school science dictionaries with a view to discussing what should be considered for the future design of a bilingual English–Spanish school science dictionary.
Band Together, Team Up, Pool Resources: Interplay Between a Thesaurus and Other Language Tools
Authors: Stone Rachel Victoria
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACT: This article gives insight into combining language resources in a digital medium, by focusing on synonyms within Antidote, a bilingual French–English software product composed of a text corrector, dictionaries, and writing guides. This thesaurus has applications beyond its use as an isolated dictionary; it offers mutual enrichment for related language resources in the software. The presentation of synonyms is made more robust by integrating labels and definitions from the main definitions dictionary, and an algorithm, devised using the product's dictionary of word combinations (i.e. collocations), orders the synonyms based on relevance. In turn, the synonyms enrich other elements of the software; synonyms appear as substitution suggestions in the text corrector, and they expand the translations offered in the bilingual English–French dictionary.
Different Binding: The Myth of the Binding of Isaac in Two Israeli Documentary Films on Combat Stress Reaction
Authors: Tsachi Adam
Published: July 2024

Abstract: This article seeks to point out a phenomenon in Israeli cinema: a return to the story of the binding of Isaac [the akedah ] in its biblical version. Against the background of the traditional casting of the akedah myth in Israeli art, where the miracle of Isaac's rescue is replaced by his death, and the ram is missing from the picture, recently Israeli documentary films have appeared that deal with combat stress reaction, which shapes the story of the akedah in a way that is faithful to the biblical story. They reinstate within the plot the story of Isaac's replacement by a ram and describe life after Isaac saw the knife raised over him, where the traumatic memory of the past upsets the routine of the present. At the same time, the films are informed by the Israeli art tradition, with one film adopting the hegemonic view of Abraham, who raises the knife, while the other adopts the critical view of Sarah, the mother, who identifies with the victim.
Refusing Child-Stealing States: Settler Capitalism and the Ends of Canada's Indigenous Child Removal System
Authors: Kristjansson Margaux
Published: July 2024

Abstract: This article examines the relationship between Canadian sovereignty and the removal of Indigenous children into non-native foster and adoptive homes. In it, I analyze how colonial child protection regimes following Residential Schools—from the Sixties Scoop (1951–1991) to the present Millennium Scoop—continue Canada's war against Indigenous lives and nations. From Sixties Scoop survivor narratives, ethnographic and archival data, and Indigenous and Black feminist theory, I highlight the gendered character of colonial sovereignty and capitalism. This paper argues that daily practices of refusal and care as an elaboration of Indigenous political orders unmake the grounds of colonial polity.
Hybrid design scheme for enabling large-aperture diffractive achromat imaging
Authors: Zhang Jian , Zhao Ziyu , Fan Zeying , Jiao Hongfei , Wang Zhanshan , Cheng Xinbin , Peng Yifan , Dun Xiong
Published: July 2024

Diffractive achromats (DAs) combined with image processing algorithms offer a promising lens solution for high-performance ultra-thin imagers. However, the design of large-aperture DAs that align seamlessly with image processing algorithms remains challenging. Existing sequential methods, which prioritize focusing efficiency in DAs before selecting an algorithm, may not achieve a satisfactory match due to an ambiguous relationship between efficiency and final imaging quality. Conversely, image-quality-oriented end-to-end design often entails high computational complexity for both front-end optics and back-end algorithms, impeding the development of large-aperture designs. To address these issues, we present a hybrid design scheme that begins with end-to-end optimization of the DA with the simplest image processing algorithm, i.e., Wiener filter, significantly reducing the back-end complexity. Subsequently, we apply complex algorithm fine-tuning to further enhance image quality. We validate this hybrid design scheme through extensive investigations on several DA imagers. Our results demonstrate a reduction in memory requirement by approximately 50% while maintaining a high imaging quality with a reasonably large aperture. As a case in point, we simulated a DA imager with a 25 mm diameter aperture. Furthermore, our hybrid design scheme provides two crucial insights. Firstly, we find no strong linear correlation between focusing efficiency and imaging quality, which challenges the conventional understanding. Secondly, we establish a prediction formula for imaging quality, benefiting from the hybrid design scheme.