bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lee Silverman Voice Treatment to Improve Speech in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Pu Tingting , Huang Min , Kong Xiangyu , Wang Meng , Chen Xiangling , Feng Xixi , Wei Changyou , Weng Xiechuan , Xu Fan
Published: December 2021

Background. Speech changes occur in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and cause communication difficulties, leading to social isolation. Lee Silverman voice treatment (LSVT) is a speech therapy approach designed to improve patients’ language and voice capabilities. Objective. The effectiveness of the LSVT was compared with that of other speech interventions or no treatment to evaluate PD patients with dysarthria. Design. Systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized trials. Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and SinoMed library were searched from inception to December 2021 related to PD and LSVT. Method. Abstracts were screened and reviewed against the eligibility criteria (intervention group participants were PD assessed based on LSVT (LSVT Loud) and randomized control). Result. Ten randomized controlled trials were identified on speech symptoms in patients with PD. Compared with the respiratory therapy (RET) exercise, or no training group, a significant improvement was detected in the sound press level (SPL) after immediate treatment during the reading of vowel and rainbow passages and an increase in semitone standard deviation (STSD). Furthermore, the LSVT training significantly increased the participants’ scores on unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS-III) and speech intelligibility. Conclusion. This meta-analysis demonstrated the efficacy of LSVT in increasing vocal loudness and functional communication among individuals with PD. However, most studies included participants with mild-moderate PD. Thus, additional randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with large sample sizes are needed to validate the efficacy of LSVT in patients with different progressions of PD, including severe PD.
Differential HLA Association of GAD65 and IA2 Autoantibodies in North Indian Type 1 Diabetes Patients
Authors: Chuzho Neihenuo , Kumar Neeraj , Mishra Neetu , Tandon Nikhil , Kanga Uma , Kaur Gurvinder , Singh Paras , Mishra Gunja , Sharma Shreya , Mehra Narinder K.
Published: December 2021

The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) association with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is well known but there are limited studies investigating the association between β-cell autoantibodies and HLA genes. We evaluated the prevalence of GAD65 and IA-2 autoantibodies (GADA and IA2A) in 252 T1D patients from North India and investigated the genetic association of GADA and IA2A with HLA class I and class II genes/haplotypes. GADA and IA2A were detected in 50.79% and 15.87% of T1D patients, respectively, while only 8.73% had both GADA and IA2A. HLA-DRB1∗03 was observed to be significantly higher in GADA+ T1D patients as compared to GADA– (91.41% vs. 66.13%, Bonferroni-corrected P Pc=1.11×10−5;OR=5.45; 95% CI: 2.67-11.08). Similarly, HLA-DQB1∗02 was found to be significantly increased in GADA+ patients (94.53%,Pc=2.19×10−5;OR=6.27; 95% CI: 2.7-14.49) as compared to GADA– (73.39%). The frequencies of HLA-DRB1∗04 and DQB1∗03 were increased in IA2A+ patients (45.0% and 52.5%, respectively) as compared to that in IA2A– (25.94% and 33.96%, respectively). Further, the frequency of DRB1∗03-DQB1∗02 haplotype was found to be significantly increased in GADA+ T1D patients as compared to GADA- (60.55% vs. 41.94%,P=3.94×10−5;OR=2.13;95%CI=1.49-3.03). Similarly, HLA-DRB1∗04-DQB1∗03 haplotype was found to be significantly increased in IA2A+ T1D patients compared to IA2A– patients (22.5% vs. 12.97%;P=0.041;OR=1.95;95%CI=1.08-3.52). None of the HLA class I genes (HLA-A, B, and Cw) was found to be associated with GADA or IA2A in people with T1D. Our findings suggest that HLA-DRB1∗03/DQB1∗02 and HLA-DRB1∗04/DQB1∗03 might play an important role in the development of GADA and IA2A, respectively.
Prognosis and Prognostic Factors of Patients with Emergent Cerclage: A Japanese Single-Center Study
Authors: Kobayashi Ami , Takahashi Hironori , Matsubara Shigeki , Baba Yosuke , Nagayama Shiho , Ogoyama Manabu , Horie Kenji , Suzuki Hirotada , Usui Rie , Ohkuchi Akihide , Fujiwara Hiroyuki
Published: December 2021

Objectives. The aims of this study were to clarify the following: (1) how often does prolonged pregnancy ≥34 weeks occur in patients with emergent cerclage without progesterone and (2) the risk factors preventing such pregnancy continuation. Materials and Methods. This retrospective observational study was performed using medical records of patients for whom emergent cerclage had been performed between April 2006 and December 2018 in our institute. Results. Emergent cerclage was performed in 123 patients (median age: 34, interquartile range: 31–36). Primiparous patients numbered 44 (36%). A history of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) was present in 30 (24%). The median presurgical cervical length (CL) was 16 (8–21) mm at surgery. Of the 123, 20 (16%) were delivered at 33 + 6 weeks or less (<34 weeks). We conducted logistic regression analysis of the risk factors of SPTBs <34 weeks after cerclage. Three risk factors were identified that increased the risk of SPTB <34 weeks: presurgical CL 0 mm (odds ratio (OR): 5.30; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58–17.7), a history of SPTB (OR: 4.65; 95% CI: 1.38–15.7), and the presence of sludge (OR: 4.14; 95% CI: 1.20–14.3). Conclusion. Three risk factors predicted SPTB <34 weeks after emergency cerclage without progesterone administration: unmeasurable CL (CL 0 mm), a history of SPTB, and the presence of sludge on ultrasound. SPTB <34 weeks occurred after emergency cerclage in 16% of patients, being comparable with the recent data with progesterone.
Correlation between Serum Fatty Acid Binding Protein 4 (FABP4) Levels and Cardiac Function in Patients with Thalassemia Major
Authors: Fianza Pandji I. , Rahmawati Anita , Afifah Shofura , Praptama Suhendra , Ghozali Mohammad , Sihite Teddy A. , Setiabudi Djatnika , Syamsunarno Mas R. A. A. , Fucharoen Suthat , Panigoro Ramdan
Published: December 2021

Background. Patients with thalassemia major may suffer from complications due to iron overload. It has been suggested that several adipokines may play a potential role in the development of complications in thalassemia. Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) is one of the adipokines, bridging several aspects of metabolic and inflammatory pathways. Little is known about the relationship between this adipokine and cardiac and liver function, especially in patients with thalassemia major. Aims. This study is aimed at determining serum FABP4 levels in patients with thalassemia major and whether its concentration correlated with serum ferritin levels, as well as cardiac and liver function. Methods. Thalassemia major outpatients (

n
=
48

) completed laboratory examination, echocardiography, and electrocardiography. Results. The mean age was

21.9
±
8.0

years. A negative and weak correlation between serum ferritin and FABP4 was observed (

r
=
−
0.291

,

p
<
0.05

). In addition, there was moderate and positive correlation between left atrial volume index (LAVI) and FABP4 (

r
=
0.316

,

p
<
0.05

). Conclusions. Serum FABP4 correlated with serum ferritin and cardiac function in patients with thalassemia major. FABP4 may be a potential clinical biomarker for cardiac dysfunction via metabolic and inflammatory pathways due to iron accumulation and toxicity in patients with thalassemia major.
Anti-inflammatory and Antimicrobial Potential of Cissus quadrangularis-Assisted Copper Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Rajeshkumar S. , Menon Soumya , S Venkat Kumar , Ponnanikajamideen M. , Ali Daoud , Arunachalam Kalirajan
Published: December 2021

Recently, nontoxic origin-mediated synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles acquires further recognition because of the key role of bioapplications. The plant Cissus quadrangularis is one most prominent herbs used in the treatment of diabetes, asthma, tissue regeneration, etc. In this study, we tested the process of copper oxide nanoparticle synthesis and their role in many functions from Cissus quadrangularis. The synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles uses plant extract and characterization by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), atomic force microscope (AFM), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed for their biomedical applications such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory activity and antiproteinase action. The results show that the C. quadrangularis plant-mediated nanoparticles may be used in many biomedical applications related to arthritis, diabetes, and the production of various antimicrobial products in the future.
Mining Taxi Pick-Up Hotspots Based on Grid Information Entropy Clustering Algorithm
Authors: Bi Shuoben , Xu Ruizhuang , Liu Aili , Wang Luye , Wan Lei
Published: December 2021

In view of the fact that the density-based clustering algorithm is sensitive to the input data, which results in the limitation of computing space and poor timeliness, a new method is proposed based on grid information entropy clustering algorithm for mining hotspots of taxi passengers. This paper selects representative geographical areas of Nanjing and Beijing as the research areas and uses information entropy and aggregation degree to analyze the distribution of passenger-carrying points. This algorithm uses a grid instead of original trajectory data to calculate and excavate taxi passenger hotspots. Through the comparison and analysis of the data of taxi loading points in Nanjing and Beijing, it is found that the experimental results are consistent with the actual urban passenger hotspots, which verifies the effectiveness of the algorithm. It overcomes the shortcomings of a density-based clustering algorithm that is limited by computing space and poor timeliness, reduces the size of data needed to be processed, and has greater flexibility to process and analyze massive data. The research results can provide an important scientific basis for urban traffic guidance and urban management.
A Mathematical Model for Transport and Growth of Microbes in Unsaturated Porous Soil
Authors: Timsina Ramesh Chandra , Khanal Harihar , Ludu Andrei , Uprety Kedar Nath
Published: December 2021

In this work, we develop a mathematical model for transport and growth of microbes by natural (rain) water infiltration and flow through unsaturated porous soil along the vertical direction under gravity and capillarity by coupling a system of advection diffusion equations (for concentration of microbes and their growth-limiting substrate) with the Richards equation. The model takes into consideration several major physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms. The resulting coupled system of PDEs together with their boundary conditions is highly nonlinear and complicated to solve analytically. We present both a partial analytic approach towards solving the nonlinear system and finding the main type of dynamics of microbes, and a full-scale numerical simulation. Following the auxiliary equation method for nonlinear reaction-diffusion equations, we obtain a closed form traveling wave solution for the Richards equation. Using the propagating front solution for the pressure head, we reduce the transport equation to an ODE along the moving frame and obtain an analytic solution for the history of bacteria concentration for a specific test case. To solve the system numerically, we employ upwind finite volume method for the transport equations and stabilized explicit Runge–Kutta–Legendre super-time-stepping scheme for the Richards equation. Finally, some numerical simulation results of an infiltration experiment are presented, providing a validation and backup to the analytic partial solutions for the transport and growth of bacteria in the soil, stressing the occurrence of front moving solitons in the nonlinear dynamics.
[Retracted] Relieving the Incompatibility of Network Representation and Classification for Long‐Tailed Data Distribution
Authors: Hu Hao , Gao Mengya , Wu Mingsheng
Published: December 2021

In the real‐world scenario, data often have a long‐tailed distribution and training deep neural networks on such an imbalanced dataset has become a great challenge. The main problem caused by a long‐tailed data distribution is that common classes will dominate the training results and achieve a very low accuracy on the rare classes. Recent work focuses on improving the network representation ability to overcome the long‐tailed problem, while it always ignores adapting the network classifier to a long‐tailed case, which will cause the “incompatibility” problem of network representation and network classifier. In this paper, we use knowledge distillation to solve the long‐tailed data distribution problem and fully optimize the network representation and classifier simultaneously. We propose multiexperts knowledge distillation with class‐balanced sampling to jointly learn high‐quality network representation and classifier. Also, a channel activation‐based knowledge distillation method is also proposed to improve the performance further. State‐of‐the‐art performance on several large‐scale long‐tailed classification datasets shows the superior generalization of our method.
Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Hypertension
Authors: Wan Chuanqi , Zhu Chen , Jin Gulei , Zhu Min , Hua Junyi , He Yuzhou
Published: December 2021

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are characterized by high rates of morbidity and mortality. Microbiota is closely associated with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to comprehensively analyze the microbiotas of 300 healthy controls, 300 patients with high blood pressure (HBP), and 300 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The results indicated no significant difference in microbiota diversity among the three groups (

P
>
0.05

). However, differences in microbiota richness among the three groups were significant (

P
<
0.05

). Bacteroidetes and Bacteroidia were the dominant bacteria in the CHD group, Enterobacteriales and Escherichia-shigella in the HBP group, and Acidaminococcaceae and Phascolarctobacterium in the healthy control group. The prediction results of the random forest model indicated that the population with CHD displayed prominent features with high sensitivity, indicating that microbiota detection might become a novel clinical indicator to predict and monitor the risk of cardiovascular events. The prediction of microbiota function suggested differences in oxygen supply and chronic inflammation between populations with HBP/CHD and healthy populations. Although there is no difference in gut microbiota diversity among the three groups, each group has its dominant microbiota in terms of richness.
Piezoelectric Configuration for Generating Electricity Using Waves Power
Authors: Arbie A. , Hasan Z. A. , Nuayi A. W.
Published: December 2021

This study is aimed at determining the piezoelectric configuration for generating electricity from wave power through the design of a prototype model named Cov-TOTal. The study was carried out in Tomini Bay, Lopo Village, Batudaa Pantai District, Gorontalo Regency, located at approximately ±50 meters from the shoreline, while the piezoelectric construction was arranged in parallel with varying numbers of 28, 70, and 90 pieces. The result showed that the amount of piezoelectric configuration affects the value of the voltage and electric current generated by the Cov-TOTal model. Furthermore, the average electric voltage values were 17.58, 20.76, and 29.85 volts, while the average current was 1.16, 1.73, and 2.01 mA for each piezoelectric amount. Therefore, the largest values of power and electrical energy for each piezoelectric are 16.65 mW and 0.56 joules, 31.82 mW and 1.20 joules, and 44.59 mW and 1.77 joules, respectively. This study concluded that the amount of piezoelectric configuration has a significant effect on the voltage, current, power, and electrical energy produced.
The Maximal Difference of Different Powers of an Element Modulo
n
Authors: Qi Jinyun , Xu Zhefeng
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we investigate the maximal difference of integer powers of an element modulo

n

. Let

a

n

denote the integer

b

with

1
≤
b
≤
n

such that

a
≡
b

mod
 
n

for any integer

a

. Using the bounds for exponential sums, we obtain a lower bound of the function

H

m

1

,

m

2

n

:
=
max

a

m

1

n

−

a

m

2

n

:
1
≤
a
≤
n
,

a
,
n

=
1

,

which gives

n
−

H

m

1

,

m

2

n

=
O

n

3
/
4

+
o

1

.
Can Wavelet Transform Detect LDDoS Abnormal Traffic in Multipath TCP Transmission System?
Authors: Lei Gang , Ji Lejun , Ji Ruiwen , Cao Yuanlong , Yang Wei , Wang Hao
Published: December 2021

With the rapid development of mobile Internet technology and multihost terminal devices, multipath transmission protocol has been widely concerned. Among them, multipath TCP (MPTCP) has become a hot research protocol in recent years because of its good transmission performance and Internet compatibility. Due to the increasing power of Low-Rate Distributed Denial of Service (LDDoS) attack, the network security situation is becoming increasingly serious. The robustness of MPTCP network has become an urgent performance index to improve. Therefore, it is very necessary to detect LDDoS abnormal traffic timely and effectively in the transmission system based on MPTCP. This paper tries to use wavelet transform technology to decompose and reconstruct network traffic and find a detection method of LDDoS abnormal traffic in the MPTCP transmission system. The experimental results show that in the MPTCP transmission system, the signal processing technology based on wavelet transform can realize the identification of LDDoS abnormal traffic. It indicates a direction worth further exploration for the detection and defense of the LDDoS attack.
Analysis of Clinical Characteristics, Radiological Predictors, Pathological Features, and Perioperative Outcomes Associated with Perinephric Fat Adhesion Degree
Authors: Liu Junqiang , Jiang Yiheng , Huang Hongwei , Zhu Zheng , Chen Jing , Liu Dikuan , Wang Lina , Zong Huafeng , Song Xishuang , Wang Xuejian , Zhu Xinqing , Wang Jianbo , Nahayo Sony , Chen Qiwei , Yang Deyong
Published: December 2021

Background. To assess the clinical characteristics, radiological predictors, and pathological features of perinephric fat adhesion degree (PFAD) graded based on fixed criteria and to determine the impact of adherent perinephric fat (APF) on retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RLPN) outcomes. Methods. 84 patients undergoing RLPN were included and graded into 4 groups based on PFAD. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for clinical characteristics and radiological predictors of PFAD. Perioperative data were compared between APF groups and non-APF groups. Masson staining determined collagen fibers. Immunohistochemistry detected CD45 immune cells and CD34 vessels. Results. 20, 28, 18, and 18 patients were graded as normal perinephric fat (NPF), mild adherent perinephric fat (MiPF), moderate adherent perinephric fat (MoPF), and severe adherent perinephric fat (SPF), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that gender (

p

 < 0.001), age (

p

 = 0.003), and hypertension (

p

 = 0.006) were significant clinical risk factors of PFAD, while radiological predictors included perinephric stranding (

p

 = 0.001), posterior perinephric fat thickness (

p

 = 0.009), and perinephric fat density (

p

 = 0.02). APF was associated with drain output (

p

 = 0.012) and accompanied by immune cells gathering in renal cortex near thickened renal capsule with many vessels. Conclusions. Clinical characteristics and radiological predictors can evaluate PFAD and may assist to guide preoperative surgical option. Pathological features of APF reflect decapsulation and bleeding during kidney mobilization at RLPN.
Optimal Analysis of Human Resources Allocation in Colleges and Universities Based on Internet of Things Technology
Authors: Zhang Ai , Ju Zhengmao , Liu Yiling
Published: December 2021

This article takes the development and superiority of the human resource system under the IoT technology as the background and adopts the popular IoT architecture and the current latest technical theories to develop and improve the human resource management system. First, we introduce the establishment of the J2EE development environment and then introduce the realization of the three layers of the overall IoT architecture of the system, namely, the realization of the presentation layer, the realization of the layer, and the realization of the data and then the realization of the main modules of the system; finally, we explain the function test of some modules of the system. After that, we mainly analyze the requirements of the system, first the overall requirements analysis and then the function and nonfunctional requirements analysis of the system. On the basis of perfecting the service‐oriented modeling of manufacturing resources, the integration and optimization of resources are carried out according to the requirements of manufacturing tasks, and the discovery mechanism and matching methods of manufacturing resource services are studied to reduce the solution space of resource allocation. Aiming at the problem of optimal utilization of manufacturing resources, this paper establishes a scientific and reasonable evaluation index system to reduce resource service costs and improve resource utilization. At the same time, after analyzing the problem of real‐time distribution of resources in the manufacturing Internet of Things environment, the real‐time information of resource distribution is designed. The interactive mechanism and a two‐tier optimization method based on real‐time information‐driven resource distribution tasks are proposed. The simulation experiment results show that the optimization method proposed in this paper, compared with the traditional resource distribution method, not only reduces the carrying distance of human resource distribution but also reduces the empty load rate, thereby reducing the waste of human resources.
Incidence of Head and Neck Cancers before and after 9/11 in New York City and New York State
Authors: Machado Rosalie , Tham Tristan , Zhu Daniel , Wong Amanda , Hiltzik David , Roche Ansley
Published: December 2021

Introduction: The incidence of cancers in New York State (NYS) before and after 9/11 including lung, colorectal, and renal cancers has been previously described. To date, the incidence of head and neck cancers (HNCs) before and after 9/11 has not been described. Methods: Cancers involving the oral cavity and oropharynx; the nose, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, and middle ear; larynx; and thyroid were identified using the New York State Cancer Registry (NYSCR). Age-adjusted incidence and rates per 100,000 residents from 1987 to 2015 were analyzed using joinpoint regression. Trends in incidence using annual percent changes are presented. Results: The overall rate of HNC increased slightly by 0.7% (p < 0.001) from 1987 to 2003 in NYS. From 2003 to 2008, the rate increased by 5.73% (p < 0.001), and from 2008 to 2015, the rate increased by 1.68% (p < 0.001). The rate of thyroid cancer increased by 6.79% (p < 0.001) from 1987 to 2003, by 9.99% (p < 0.001) from 2003 to 2009, and by 2.41% (p = 0.001) from 2009 to 2015. The rate of thyroid cancer was higher in women at all time points. In a subset analysis of HNCs excluding thyroid cancer, the rate decreased by 2.02% (p < 0.001) from 1991 to 2001, followed by a nonsignificant increase of 0.1% (p = 0.515) from 2001 to 2015. The rate of oropharyngeal (OP) cancer significantly increased from 1999 to 2015 (2.65%; p < 0.001). The rate of oral cavity cancer significantly decreased from 1987 to 2003 (1.97%; p < 0.001), with no significant change after 2003. The rate of laryngeal cancer decreased significantly by 2.43% (p < 0.001) from 1987 to 2015, as did the rate of nasal cavity/nasopharyngeal cancer (0.33%; p = 0.03). Conclusions: In NYS, OP cancer and thyroid cancer rates increased significantly during the study period. The rate of thyroid cancer was higher in women. The rate of combined HNC increased significantly after 9/11 compared to before 9/11; however, in a subset analysis of all HNC patients excluding thyroid cancer, the rate decreased significantly prior to 9/11 and then nonsignificantly increased afterward. This suggests that the increase in thyroid cancer accounts for the increase in combined HNC in NYS. The impact of 9/11 on rates of HNC requires further research.
Unlocking Access to Broad Molecular Profiling: Benefits, Barriers, and Policy Solutions
Authors: Thomas David M. , Hackett Joanne M. , Plestina Stjepko
Published: December 2021

Objectives: “Personalized healthcare” is generating new approaches to disease management by considering inter-individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle. Technologies such as comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) are drivers of this shift. Here, we address the significant hurdles to the equitable implementation of CGP into routine clinical practice. Methods: This article draws on published evidence on the value of genomic profiling, as well as interviews with nine academic and clinical experts from six different countries to validate findings and test policy proposals for reforms. Results: The potential benefits of CGP extend beyond direct patient outcomes, to healthcare systems with societal and economic impacts. Among key barriers impeding integration into routine clinical practice are the lack of infrastructure to ensure reliable clinical testing and the limited understanding of genomics among healthcare personnel. In addition, the absence of health economic evidence supporting broader use of CGP is creating concerns for payers regarding the systemic benefits and affordability of this technology. Conclusion: Policy proposals that aim to improve equitable patient access to CGP will need to consider new funding models, health technology assessment processes that capture both patient and systemic benefits, and appropriate regulatory standards to determine the quality of genomic profiling tests.
Googling Alzheimer Disease: An Infodemiological and Ecological Study
Authors: Piamonte Bernadeth Lyn C. , Anlacan Veeda Michelle M. , Jamora Roland Dominic G. , Espiritu Adrian I.
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Understanding the emergent role of the internet on the health-seeking behavior of people is critical not only in the areas of medicine and public health but also in the field of infodemiology. Methods: Using Google Trends, data on global search queries for Alzheimer disease (AD) between January 2004 and April 2021 were analyzed. The relationship between online interest, as reflected by search volume index (SVI), and measures of disease burden, namely prevalence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years, was evaluated. Results: There was a reduction in the tendency to search for AD during the past two decades. SVI peaks corresponded to news of famous people with AD and awareness months. Symptoms, causes, and differences with the term dementia were central queries for persons interested in AD. No notable overall correlation between SVI and measures of disease burden was found due to competing results. Sub-group analyses, however, showed that these correlations may be influenced by socioeconomic development, with strong negative significant associations observed in lower middle-income countries. Conclusion: Online interest in AD may represent a more complex metric influenced by socioeconomic factors. Awareness of the impact of celebrity diagnosis and awareness months on online search behavior may prove useful in the planning of public health campaigns for AD.
Cell Type of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Origin: Implications for Prognosis and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Patil Shilpa , Dou Yan , Kopp Janel L.
Published: December 2021

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease that has no effective early detection method or treatment to date. Summary: The normal cell type that initiates PDAC, or its cellular origin, is still unknown. To investigate the contribution of distinct normal epithelial cell types to PDAC tumorigenesis, genetically engineered mouse models were used to show that both acinar and ductal cells are capable of giving rise to PDAC. These studies indicated that genetic mutations and pancreatic injury interact differently with each cellular origin to affect their predilection and process for forming PDAC. In this review, we summarize recent findings using various genetically engineered mouse models in the identification and characterization of the PDAC cell of origin. We also discuss potential implications for cellular origin on tumor development, PDAC transcriptional subtype, and disease prognosis of patients. Key Message: Although it is clear that both ductal and acinar cells have the potential to form PDAC, whether cellular origin can indeed influence patient prognosis and whether knowledge of cellular origin will aid in the diagnosis or treatment of patients in the future will need further study.
An Uncommon Recurrent Metastasis of Ovarian Immature Teratoma to the Small Bowel
Authors: Al‐hazaimeh Mohammad , Jaradat Mahmoud , El-Sadoni Mohammed , Smadi Tamara , Shannaq Ruba , Bani Hani Omar , Alhesa Ahmad , Abu Shahin Nisreen , Saleh Tareq
Published: December 2021

Immature ovarian teratomas are rare ovarian germ cell tumors associated with a variable potential of distant metastasis. The acquisition of mature phenotypes upon post-treatment recurrence of immature teratomas has been previously described. In this study, we report, for the first time, a rare case of a recurrent ovarian immature teratoma with mature deposits in the small bowel. An incidental pelvi-abdominal mass was identified in a 30-year-old pregnant patient during antenatal ultrasonography. The mass, which was resected through salpingo-oopherectomy, was histopathologically characterized as an immature teratoma of grade 2 and treated with 3 cycles of chemotherapy. After 3 years of completing treatment, the patient suffered from severe anemia which was investigated by capsule endoscopy that identified a bleeding source in the ileum. Imaging studies revealed an intrabdominal mass that was resected laparoscopically. The pathological assessment of the mass identified a submucosal/intramuscular teratoma with mature elements indicative of a recurrent metastasis of immature teratoma associated with post-chemotherapy retroconversion. The secondary mass was then managed with adjuvant chemotherapy.
Mimicking Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case of a Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula
Authors: Santos Mónica , Reimão Sofia , de Carvalho Mamede
Published: December 2021

A number of conditions can mimic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which are in general excluded by neurophysiological and neuroimaging investigation. We present a novel mimicking disorder. A 58-year-old male, without relevant past medical history, presented with a 7-year history of progressive paraparesis. On examination, he had bilateral thigh atrophy, fasciculations, and asymmetric paraparesis (severe on the left side). Upper motor neuron signs were present in the lower limbs, with normal sensory examination. Needle EMG disclosed mild chronic neurogenic changes in the lower limbs. Brain and spinal cord neuroimaging was normal, namely, in the dorso-lumbar segment. Lumbar puncture showed mild hyperproteinorachia. Diagnosis of slowly progressive (possible) ALS was established. One year later, he required a bilateral support to walk, and neurological examination revealed weak tendon reflexes, abnormal pinprick, and proprioceptive sensation in the legs. Repeated lumbar MRI showed an extensive spinal cord oedema from T7 to the conus with multiple perimedullary vessel flow voids suggestive of a vascular malformation. Conventional angiography revealed a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula in L2–L3 with the left L4 lumbar branch as the afferent artery. Dural arteriovenous fistula is the most common vascular malformation of the spinal cord, despite being rare. It leads to arterialization of spinal veins, causing venous hypertension, spinal cord oedema, and ischaemia. The clinical picture includes a stepwise, sometimes fluctuant, myeloradiculopathy. In this case, EMG changes did not meet Awaji criteria. This case reinforces the need to critically follow atypical cases to ascertain clinical progression in patients with suspected ALS.
Symptom Presence and Symptom Severity as Unique Indicators of Psychopathology: An Application of Multidimensional Zero-Inflated and Hurdle Graded Response Models
Authors: Magnus Brooke E. , Liu Yang
Published: December 2021

Questionnaires inquiring about psychopathology symptoms often produce data with excess zeros or the equivalent (e.g., none, never, and not at all). This type of zero inflation is especially common in nonclinical samples in which many people do not exhibit psychopathology, and if unaccounted for, can result in biased parameter estimates when fitting latent variable models. In the present research, we adopt a maximum likelihood approach in fitting multidimensional zero-inflated and hurdle graded response models to data from a psychological distress measure. These models include two latent variables: susceptibility, which relates to the probability of endorsing the symptom at all, and severity, which relates to the frequency of the symptom, given its presence. After estimating model parameters, we compute susceptibility and severity scale scores and include them as explanatory variables in modeling health-related criterion measures (e.g., suicide attempts, diagnosis of major depressive disorder). Results indicate that susceptibility and severity uniquely and differentially predict other health outcomes, which suggests that symptom presence and symptom severity are unique indicators of psychopathology and both may be clinically useful. Psychometric and clinical implications are discussed, including scale score reliability.
Drug Legalization, Elite Support, and Government Effectiveness in Latin America
Authors: Bohigues Asbel , Fernández-i-Marín Xavier
Published: December 2021

In Latin America, the legalization of drugs—where it occurred—has been driven mainly by elites, although much attention has been placed on public opinion. Considering that efforts toward legalization have been top-down, analysis should concentrate on opinions of the governing elites. To undertake such an analysis, we draw on data from surveys conducted in 18 Latin American parliaments (2012–2018), and we examine elite perspectives on the legalization of all drugs. Results from a Bayesian hierarchical logistic analysis show that in countries where the government is less effective, and where public health problems persist, legislators are less likely to support legalization. We argue that this is due to a lack of trust by MPs in legalization as a solution to trafficking. Wherever those concerned with drug trafficking see the current government as problematic, they will be less likely to support so challenging and complex a policy as drug legalization.
Security Threat Management in Prison: Revalidation and Revision of the Inmate Risk Assessment for Segregation Placement
Authors: Labrecque Ryan M.
Published: December 2021

Prison officials often rely on restrictive housing to promote institutional safety and security. However, a growing body of research indicates this type of confinement has little impact on inmate behavior or institutional order. An alternative approach involves providing the most dangerous and disruptive inmates with increased case management services and other proactive programmatic opportunities. The success of this strategy requires an ability to prospectively and accurately identify the most problematic inmates. The results of this study indicate that Risk Assessment for Segregation Placement (RASP) and its revised Oregon version (RASP-OR) are valid predictors of segregation placement and institutional misconduct. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.
World class from within: Aspiration, connection and brokering in the Colombo real estate market
Authors: Radicati Alessandra
Published: December 2021

This paper explores how the aspirational urban form of the ‘world-class city’ is produced from within the city itself. Rather than focusing on global competition between cities, the analysis considers how local actors in key industries discursively and materially produce the world-class city through their labor. The analytic of connection is introduced as central to understanding how world-class city-making projects are achieved. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Colombo’s high-end real estate sector, the article examines how a successful broker creates and manages connections across different scales and registers. It focuses on three key areas: (1) the rhetorical connections drawn between luxury real estate and national development; (2) the connections created between wealthy foreign clients and local property owners and (3) the work of connecting disparate narratives about supply and demand for luxury housing. I highlight that against the backdrop of considerable economic and political uncertainty, connections are valuable even if they do not result in immediate profit. Offering a glimpse into the world of white-collar professionals in the luxury real estate industry, this paper underscores that world-class city-making projects are embedded in local realities even as they reflect generalized patterns of urban development.
Real-Time Crash-Risk Optimization at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Reyad Passant , Sayed Tarek , Essa Mohamed , Zheng Lai
Published: December 2021

Over the past few decades, numerous adaptive traffic signal control (ATSC) algorithms have been proposed to alleviate traffic congestion and optimize traffic mobility using real-time traffic data, such as data from connected vehicles (CVs). However, most of the existing ATSC algorithms do not consider optimizing traffic safety, likely because of the lack of tools to evaluate safety in real time. In this paper, we propose a novel ATSC algorithm for real-time safety optimization. The algorithm utilizes a traditional Reinforcement Learning approach (i.e., Q-learning) as well as recently developed extreme value theory (EVT) real-time crash prediction models. The algorithm was validated using real-world traffic video data collected from two signalized intersections in British Columbia. The results indicated that, compared with an existing fully actuated signal controller, the developed algorithm can significantly reduce the real-time crash risk by 43% to 45% at the intersection’s approaches even at low CVs market penetration rates.
Incorporating Delay Minimization in Design of the Optimized Arterial Signal Progression
Authors: Chen Yen-Hsiang , Cheng Yao , Chang Gang-Len
Published: December 2021

Despite the abundance of studies on signal progression for arterial roads, most existing models for bandwidth maximization cannot concurrently ensure that the resulting delays will be at a desirable level, especially for urban arterials accommodating high turning volume at some major intersections or constrained by limited turning bay length. Extending from those models that aim to address delay minimization in the progression design, this study provides two enhanced progression maximization models for arterials with high turning volumes. The first model aims to select the signal plan that can produce the lowest total signal delays for all movements from the set of non-inferior offsets produced by MAXBAND. Failing to address the impact of potential turning bay spillback at some critical intersections under such a design may significantly degrade the quality of through progression and increase the overall delay. For this reason, the second model proposed in this study offers the flexibility to trade the progression bandwidths within a pre-specified level for the target delay reduction, especially for turning traffic. The evaluation results from both numerical analyses and simulation experiments have shown that both proposed models can produce the desirable level of performance when compared with the two benchmark models, MAXBAND and TRANSYT 16. The second model yielded the lowest average network delay of 117.2 seconds per vehicle (s/veh), compared with 121.7 s/veh with TRANSYT. Moreover, even its average delay of 141.8 s/veh for through vehicles is comparable with that of 141.2 s/veh by MAXBAND, which is designed mainly to benefit through-traffic flows.
Conditional cross-border effects of terrorism in China
Authors: Hong Ji Yeon , Yang Wenhui
Published: December 2021

This paper explores whether the cross-border effect of ethnic violence is contingent on internal factors, such as domestic security measures, distribution of religious sites, availability of communication tools, and proximity to turbulent neighboring countries. Using county-level data from Xinjiang (1995–2012), our analyses show no support for direct violence-enhancing effects of outside terrorism in Xinjiang. When terrorist attacks increase globally or in neighboring countries, overall violence in Xinjiang diminishes. We attribute this to increased security measures by the government. However, the reduction in violence is highly conditional on local factors. We find that historical religiosity and geographic proximity to the border reduce the subsident effects of external terrorism.
Critical Reflection and Cognitive Empowerment among Youth Involved in Community Organizing
Authors: Christens Brian D. , Morgan Kathryn Y. , Ruiz Erika , Aguayo Alicia , Dolan Tom
Published: December 2021

Through youth organizing initiatives, young people conduct research into social issues and build power to address these issues. This study examines the developmental interplay between the cognitive components of two of the most influential civic developmental constructs—critical consciousness and psychological empowerment—through analysis of interviews with 19 current and former participants in a youth organizing initiative in San Bernardino, CA, all of whom identify as Latinx. Most participants clearly articulated viewpoints consonant with the cognitive components of critical consciousness and psychological empowerment, but these were much more pronounced among those who had been involved for longer periods of time. Findings provide insights into distinctions and crosscurrents between critical reflection and cognitive empowerment, and into the settings and processes leading to their development. Cycles of action and reflection can support the simultaneous development of critical reflection and cognitive empowerment.
“A Little Bit Closer”: A Mixed Method Analysis of the Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Lives of Adolescent Parents
Authors: Astle Shelby M. , Duncan Jeneé C. , Toews Michelle L. , Perez-Brena Norma J. , McAllister Paige , Maddy Molly A. , E. Feinberg Mark
Published: December 2021

Using a Family Stress Model framework, we used quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the impact of the pandemic on Latinx pregnant and parenting adolescents and their families. Participants were 406 adolescents (ages 14–19) in the southwestern U.S. who participated in a school-based relationship education program for pregnant and parenting adolescents. In the quantitative analysis, we compared self-reported mental health (depressive symptoms, worry, parental stress), coparental relationships (conflict and communication), and parenting of adolescents who participated prior to the pandemic ( N = 357; 83.6% female; 84.7% Latinx) with those who participated during the pandemic ( N = 49; 74.6% female; 87.8% Latinx). Unexpectedly, the pandemic-period cohort reported fewer depressive symptoms, less parental stress, more frequent coparental communication, and more positive coparental communication and conflict management than the pre-pandemic cohort. For the qualitative analysis, we conducted focus groups and individual interviews with 21 adolescent parents (95.2% female; 90.5% Latinx) from the pandemic-period cohort and analyzed the data using thematic analysis. Participants reported many negative effects of the pandemic, including increased economic and health stress, yet also discussed reduced pressure with school and more time with family members. These findings have important implications for enhancing the well-being of adolescent parents and their children after the pandemic.
APOE4 Allele, Sex, and Dementia Risk in Parkinson’s Disease: Lessons From a Longitudinal Cohort
Authors: Umeh Chizoba C. , Mahajan Abhimanyu , Mihailovic Aleksandra , Pontone Gregory M.
Published: December 2021

Introduction

The effect of APOE4 allele on dementia risk is well established in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, it is unknown if sex modifies this relationship. We sought to determine the effect of sex on the relationship between APOE4 status and incident cognitive decline in PD.

Methods

Data from the prospectively collected longitudinal National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set (UDS) and Neuropathology Data Set (NDS) were analyzed. The NACC develops and maintains data from approximately 29 National Institutes of Aging-funded Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers. Further details may be found at the NACC web site ( www.alz.washington.edu ). The visit at which diagnosis of PD was made was termed the baseline visit. All patients with a PD diagnosis but without dementia at the baseline visit were included in the analyses.

Results

Presence of APOE4 allele was associated with higher odds (OR = 7.4; P < .001) of subsequent diagnosis of dementia and with a faster time to developing dementia ( P = .04). Those with APOE4 allele were more likely to have neuropathology associated with Alzheimer’s disease than those without APOE4 allele. We did not find any difference by sex. There were no differences between Lewy body pathology or neuron loss in the substantia nigra between the 2 groups. Sex was not associated with dementia risk in PD (OR = 0.53, P = .15) or with the time to dementia onset ( P = .22). Sex did not modify the relationship between the APOE4 allele and dementia onset in PD patients ( P = .12)

Conclusions

APOE4 allele status in PD may be a predictor of cognitive decline in PD but does not appear to be modified by sex.
Entrepreneurship imperatives in higher education institutions: The case of Australian universities
Authors: Nguyen Quan A , Maritz Alex , Millemann Jan A
Published: December 2021

Earlier research has not explicitly emphasised the dynamic integration of entrepreneurship imperatives and transformation in developing the entrepreneurial university. The purpose of this research is to examine the linkage between the strategic intents articulated by universities and their corresponding level of entrepreneurship transformation. This article develops a theoretical framework to examine transformational imperatives, applying a data analytical approach to assess strategic documents using automated content analysis and complex algorithms. Australian universities were chosen for the research given the specific context of the higher education sector and the availability of strategic documents on the institutions’ websites. In the research context, the findings show that, while there are some variances with specific institutions, Australian universities in general, and several groups of universities in particular, expressed different levels of determination, ranging from moderate to moderately strong, to transform themselves into being entrepreneurial. Universities’ management can benefit from the theoretical framework developed in this research to craft strategies to further adopt entrepreneurship imperatives. Implications are also provided to inform universities, industry and government with regard to enhancing the dynamics of entrepreneurship ecosystems.