bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) completion and timeliness using reflex testing protocol for patients with stage II-III non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC).
Authors: Maheshwari Shipra , Smilnak Gordon , Singh Rishika , Williams Eli , Stelow Edward B , Pandey Subodh , Martin Linda , Larner James Mitchell , Hall Richard Delmar , Gentzler Ryan D.
Published: June 2024

8060

Background: Genomic testing is important for early-stage NSCLC due to benefits of adjuvant EGFR and ALK targeted therapies and implications for neoadjuvant immunotherapy decisions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the completion rates and timeliness of NGS prior to treatment initiation for patients with stage II-III NS-NSCLC, with reflex NGS testing protocols in place. Methods: Patients with stage II-III NS-NSCLC diagnosed between 2015 and 2022 at UVA Cancer Center were identified retrospectively. A reflex tissue-based NGS testing protocol was initiated at UVA in early 2015 using in-house TruSight Tumor and later PGDx platforms. Targeted pyrosequencing was performed in cases of NGS failures. The primary outcomes of the study were to evaluate the NGS completion rate and median time from biopsy to results and to any first line treatment (1L), including surgery, radiation, or systemic therapy. Actionable mutation incidence, proportion of patients with test results prior to treatment, and overall survival (OS) were all assessed. Statistical analysis included both descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier methodology for overall survival (OS). Results: 171 patients met eligibility, 92 (54%) female, 80 (47%) stage II and 91 (53%) stage III. 159 (93%) had known 1L start dates and 99 (58%) received systemic therapy with known dates. Testing completion rates and time to results are shown in the table. Actionable mutations identified included: KRAS 39% (G12C 15%), EGFR 7%, BRAF 4%, MET 2%, RET 1%, and NTRK 1%. There was no difference in NGS success rates between patients with stage II and III diseases, X2 (1, N = 171) = 2.667, p = 0.102. Median OS was 64.1 months in those with complete NGS testing and 53.4 months in those without complete NGS (p=0.222). Conclusions: Reflexive, in-house NGS resulted in a shorter median time from biopsy to results (17 days) and higher completion rate (NGS, 77%; at least limited testing, 92%) compared to historical controls. The majority of patients had NGS results available to inform systemic therapy decisions (69%). While OS was numerically higher for patients with complete NGS, this was not statistically significant. Reflex NGS testing protocols increase the likelihood of obtaining timely results in the new era of adjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitors and neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy. [Table: see text]
Combining SBRT with GM-CSF and Peg-IFNα to induce abscopal effects in previously treated patients with stage IV thymic tumors.
Authors: Fan Min , Wang Boyan , Chen Jiayan , Wen Junmiao , Li Huiting
Published: June 2024

8112

Background: After the failure of multi-line treatment, patients with stage Ⅳ thymic tumors have a poor prognosis and few therapeutic options. Combining stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and Pegylated interferon-α (Peg-IFNα) may induce abscopal effects and improve prognosis. Methods: We conducted this open-label, single-arm, phase Ⅱ trial to evaluate SBRT plus GM-CSF and Peg-IFNα in previously treated patients with stage Ⅳ thymic tumors. A 21-day treatment cycle consisted of SBRT delivered to one metastatic lesion with 30 Gy in 5 fractions from day 1, synchronous subcutaneous injection of GM-CSF 125 μg/ m2 once daily for 14 days, and subcutaneous injection of Peg-IFNα 90 μg on day 8. If the patient has more than two metastatic lesions, another treatment cycle was repeated. After the completion of 1 or 2 treatment cycles, Peg-IFNα therapy was maintained for at least half a year with a subcutaneous injection of 90 μg once a month. The two primary endpoints were the proportion of patients with abscopal effects and the objective response rate (ORR). The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and therapeutic safety. Results: A total of 20 patients from March 2021 to September 2022, were enrolled in this trial, with 1 (5.0%) type A thymoma, 2 (10.0%) type B1 thymoma, 2 (10.0%) type B2 thymoma, 1 (5.0%) type B3 thymoma, 12 (60.0%) thymic squamous cell carcinoma and 2 (10.0%) thymic neuroendocrine tumor. At a median follow-up of 18.6 months, 8 (40.0%) out of 20 patients had abscopal effects, and the ORR was 45.0%. The median OS had not been attained yet. The median PFS was 9.0 months. We observed that patients with abscopal effects tended to have longer OS and PFS than those without abscopal effects (Figure 1). 3 patients (15.0%) experienced Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events (CTCAE version 5.0), among which cardiac insufficiency compelled 1 patient (5.0%) to drop out of treatment. Conclusions: Combining SBRT with GM-CSF and Peg-IFNα was well tolerated with acceptable toxicity and may represent a promising salvage therapy for previously treated patients with stage Ⅳ thymic tumors. The occurrence of abscopal effects is likely to improve patient outcomes. Clinical trial information: NCT04517539 .
Timing of immunotherapy in stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.
Authors: Komiya Takefumi , Zhu Junjia , Takamori Shinkichi , Greenberg Max
Published: June 2024

8544

Background: Excluding oncogene-driven disease, a combination of cytotoxic chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor (i.e., anti-PD1/PDL1 inhibitors) became a standard management in stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 2017. Cases with a positive driver oncogene such as EGFR, however, need to be treated with rather appropriate targeted therapy. In routine practice, a lengthy turnaround time of molecular analysis to rule out oncogenes makes the chemo-immunotherapy combination a challenge. In addition, unexpected toxicities when immunotherapy and targeted therapy are combined or sequenced have been reported. Because of these restrictions many oncologists often initiate traditional chemotherapy alone for the first few cycles until molecular result becomes available so that they can modify the first-line therapy accordingly. This practice pattern to delay initiation of immunotherapy may lead to inferior cancer outcome. Keynote-189, an international phase III trial defining the role of additive pembrolizumab to first-line chemotherapy, demonstrated an overall survival advantage of chemo-immunotherapy combination over chemotherapy alone regardless of PDL1 status. In the arm of chemotherapy alone, an approximately 40% of patients received immunotherapy as second-line therapy. Despite the cross-over of the arms, this study showed a statistically significant difference in OS, suggesting the importance of early exposure to immunotherapy. Impact of delayed administration of immunotherapy in the first-line therapy is unknown. Methods: Using NCDB, a total of 99,008 patients diagnosed in 2017-2018 as stage IV NSCLC were screened. Eligible patients must have been treated with multi-agent chemotherapy as first-course of therapy. Those with neuroendocrine pathology, those who were exposed to immunotherapy prior to chemotherapy were excluded. They were assigned to a group of: (1) those who received immunotherapy within 30 days of chemotherapy, (2) 30-61 days of chemotherapy, or (3) chemotherapy alone. Those who have died within 2 months of diagnosis were excluded. Results: A total of 3291, 237, and 4309 were selected for group 1, 2, 3 for the analysis, respectively. Median OS was 14.5, 9.5, and 10.0 months for the group 1,2, 3, respectively. The significant difference in OS was observed between group 1 and 2 (HR= 0.74, 95% CI: 0.64-0.87, p=0.0003) and between group 1 and 3 (HR=0.73, 95%CI 0.70-0.78, p<0.0001). There is no difference in OS between group 2 and 3. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that group 1 has a significantly prolonged OS over group 2. The significant OS difference between group 1 and 2 was confirmed by propensity-score matching analysis (N=237 each, HR=0.73, 95%CI: 0.59-0.90, p=0.004). Conclusions: This retrospective study using one of the largest cancer databases suggests that delay of immunotherapy when used in combination with chemotherapy have detrimental effect in survival outcome.
Intracranial outcomes of 1L selpercatinib in advanced RET fusion-positive NSCLC: LIBRETTO-431 study.
Authors: Perol Maurice , Goto Koichi , Solomon Benjamin J. , Park Keunchil , Nadal Ernest , Bria Emilio , Martin Claudio , Bar Jair , Williams Justin , Puri Tarun , Li Jian , Uh Minji , Lin Boris K. , Zhou Caicun
Published: June 2024

8547

Background: Selpercatinib is a highly selective and potent CNS active RET inhibitor approved for treatment of advanced RET fusion-positive ( RET+) NSCLC. Treatment or prevention of CNS disease is critical in RET+ NSCLC patients (pts), who have nearly a 50% lifetime prevalence of brain metastases (mets) (Drilon et al. JTO 2018). LIBRETTO-431 is the first study to compare intracranial (IC) efficacy of a targeted therapy to chemo/IO in pts with oncogene driven NSCLC. Methods: LIBRETTO-431 (NCT04194944) is a randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial comparing 1L selpercatinib vs chemotherapy (cisplatin/carboplatin + pemetrexed) +/- pembrolizumab. As previously reported, the study met its primary endpoint of PFS by blinded independent central review (BICR) at the pre-planned interim analysis. IC analyses included CNS and non-CNS PD, IC PFS and IC responses by BICR per RECIST 1.1 in all pts who had a baseline and one or more post-baseline CNS scans (CNS-evaluable) and were designated to receive pembrolizumab if randomized to the control arm (CNS-pembro population). Adverse events were evaluated in the CNS safety population. Results: A total of 192 of 261 pts enrolled were CNS-evaluable (selpercatinib: 120, control: 72). Baseline characteristics were generally balanced with the selpercatinib arm having a slightly lower proportion of pts with BICR-assessed baseline brain mets (21% vs 25%) and prior CNS radiotherapy (RT; 6% vs 10%) compared to the control arm. Selpercatinib delayed CNS PD as evidenced by a lower 12 mo cumulative incidence rate (CIR) for CNS PD, as well as delaying non-CNS PD compared to control in pts with and without brain mets (Table). In pts with measurable brain mets at baseline (n=29), median time to IC response per RECIST 1.1 was similar between selpercatinib and control (1.4 mo [range: 1.2-2.9] vs 1.6 mo [range: 1.2-2.9]); however, as previously reported the IC response rates were higher (82% vs 58%) and more durable (12 mo DOR rate 76% vs 63%) with selpercatinib vs control (Zhou et al. NEJM 2023). IC responses to selpercatinib were more common in pts without prior CNS RT (14/15, 93%) than with prior CNS RT (3/6, 50%). Conclusions: Selpercatinib delayed IC progression in advanced RET+ NSCLC pts with or without baseline brain mets and achieved higher IC response rates compared to chemotherapy + pembrolizumab. LIBRETTO-431 is the first study to demonstrate IC efficacy improvement of a targeted therapy vs chemo/IO in a biomarker selected NSCLC population. These data further support selpercatinib as the preferred 1L regimen in pts with advanced RET+ NSCLC. Clinical trial information: NCT04194944 . [Table: see text]
Clinical Utility of Tumor Next-Generation Sequencing Panel Testing to Inform Treatment Decisions for Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors in a Tertiary Care Center
Authors: Bogdan Lucia , Saleh Ramy R. , Avery Lisa , Del Rossi Samanta , Yu Celeste , Bedard Philippe L.
Published: June 2024

PURPOSE

There is limited information about the clinical utility of targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel testing to inform decision making for patients with advanced solid tumors. The Ontario-wide Cancer Targeted Nucleic Acid Evaluation (OCTANE) is a prospective study that enrolled more than 4,500 patients with solid tumor for NGS panel testing. We performed a retrospective survey of medical oncologists to evaluate the impact of NGS testing on treatment decisions.

METHODS

Patients and treating oncologists were identified at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center between 2016 and 2021. Tumor-only sequencing was performed using a gene panel of either 555 or 161 cancer genes. Oncologists were asked to review testing results and complete a survey indicating whether NGS testing affected treatment decisions. The primary outcome of this study was rate of treatment change on the basis of mutation results. Patient, test, and physician factors were evaluated for association with treatment changes using univariate analyses and a mixed-effects model.

RESULTS

Of the 582 surveys sent, 394 (67.7%) were completed. We found that 188 (47.7%) patients had testing results classified as actionable by the oncologist and 62 (15.7%) patients were matched to treatment, of whom 37 (60%) were enrolled in a clinical trial, 13 (21%) received an approved drug, four (6%) were prescribed off-label therapy, and eight (13%) avoided ineffective treatment. Patient, test, and physician characteristics were not significantly associated with treatment change. There was no difference in overall survival between patients who received matched treatment versus those who did not ( P = .55, median survival not reached).

CONCLUSION

OCTANE testing led to a change in drug treatment in 15.7% of patients, supporting the clinical utility of NGS panel testing for patients with advanced solid tumors.
Adult expression of the cell adhesion protein Fasciclin 3 is required for the maintenance of adult olfactory interneurons
Authors: Vaikakkara Chithran Aarya , Allan Douglas W. , O'Connor Timothy P.
Published: June 2024

The proper functioning of the nervous system is dependent on the establishment and maintenance of intricate networks of neurons that form functional neural circuits. Once neural circuits are assembled during development, a distinct set of molecular programs is likely required to maintain their connectivity throughout the lifetime of the organism. Here, we demonstrate that Fasciclin 3 (Fas3), an axon guidance cell adhesion protein, is necessary for the maintenance of the olfactory circuit in adult Drosophila. We utilized the TARGET system to spatiotemporally knockdown Fas3 in selected populations of adult neurons. Our findings show that Fas3 knockdown results in the death of olfactory circuit neurons and reduced survival of adults. We also demonstrated that Fas3 knockdown activates caspase-3-mediated cell death in olfactory local interneurons, which can be rescued by overexpressing baculovirus p35, an anti-apoptotic protein. This work adds to the growing set of evidence indicating a crucial role for axon guidance proteins in the maintenance of neuronal circuits in adults.
Prediction of Isolated Local Recurrence After Resection of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Nationwide Study
Authors: van Goor I. W. J. M. , Andel P. C. M. , Buijs F. S. , Besselink M. G. , Bonsing B. A. , Bosscha K. , Busch O. R. , Cirkel G. A. , van Dam R. M. , Festen S. , Koerkamp B. Groot , van der Harst E. , de Hingh I. H. J. T. , Kazemier G. , Liem M. S. L. , Meijer G. , de Meijer V. E. , Nieuwenhuijs V. B. , Roos D. , Schreinemakers J. M. J. , Stommel M. W. J. , Wit F. , Verdonk R. C. , van Santvoort H. C. , Molenaar I. Q. , Intven M. P. W. , Daamen L. A. ,   The Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group
Published: June 2024

Background

Distinguishing postoperative fibrosis from isolated local recurrence (ILR) after resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is challenging. A prognostic model that helps to identify patients at risk of ILR can assist clinicians when evaluating patients’ postoperative imaging. This nationwide study aimed to develop a clinically applicable prognostic model for ILR after PDAC resection.

Patients and Methods

An observational cohort study was performed, including all patients who underwent PDAC resection in the Netherlands (2014–2019; NCT04605237). On the basis of recurrence location (ILR, systemic, or both), multivariable cause-specific Cox-proportional hazard analysis was conducted to identify predictors for ILR and presented as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A predictive model was developed using Akaike’s Information Criterion, and bootstrapped discrimination and calibration indices were assessed.

Results

Among 1194/1693 patients (71%) with recurrence, 252 patients (21%) developed ILR. Independent predictors for ILR were resectability status (borderline versus resectable, HR 1.42; 95% CI 1.03–1.96; P = 0.03, and locally advanced versus resectable, HR 1.11; 95% CI 0.68–1.82; P = 0.66), tumor location (head versus body/tail, HR 1.50; 95% CI 1.00–2.25; P = 0.05), vascular resection (HR 1.86; 95% CI 1.41–2.45; P < 0.001), perineural invasion (HR 1.47; 95% CI 1.01–2.13; P = 0.02), number of positive lymph nodes (HR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01–1.08; P = 0.02), and resection margin status (R1 < 1 mm versus R0 ≥ 1 mm, HR 1.64; 95% CI 1.25–2.14; P < 0.001). Moderate performance (concordance index 0.66) with adequate calibration (slope 0.99) was achieved.

Conclusions

This nationwide study identified factors predictive of ILR after PDAC resection. Our prognostic model, available through www.pancreascalculator.com, can be utilized to identify patients with a higher a priori risk of developing ILR, providing important information in patient evaluation and prognostication.
Macroeconomic Frameworks: Reconciling Evidence and Model Predictions from Demand Shocks
Authors: Auerbach Alan J. , Gorodnichenko Yuriy , Murphy Daniel
Published: June 2024

How do demand shocks affect the economy? We exploit detailed data on US defense spending to examine a large set of outcome variables in response to well-identified local demand shocks, jointly examining new outcomes (e.g., firm entry and housing rents) and other key macroeconomic outcomes and elasticities that previously have been estimated separately or in settings with weaker identification. We find that government spending crowds in employment, firm entry, private consumption, and labor productivity while also increasing local housing rents. To reconcile the evidence with theory, we study a model of economic slack. (JEL E12, E21, E24, E25, H56, L11, R31)
Conditional converb of the verb ‘say’ as a conditional marker in Forest Enets
Authors: Ovsjannikova Maria
Published: June 2024

In Forest Enets conditional constructions, the protasis clause is typically headed by a conditional converb. The conditional converb of the verb man- ‘say’ also serves as a conditional marker in the form mab or mabut, which is typically used along with the lexical predicate in a finite form. This corpus-based study aims to explore the properties of the marker mab(ut). I analyse the differences in its use by Forest Enets speakers of two generations and propose a scenario for the development of this marker. I examine its distribution with respect to phonological form, possessive marking, and position in the clause, as well as the aspectual properties of the constructions in which it features. The proposed source of the marker is a construction with the meaning ‘you might say’, which originally introduced an event in the following clause as a potential example and later developed into a clause-connecting particle.

Kokkuvõte. Maria Ovsjannikova: Konditsionaalne konverbivorm tegusõnast ‘ütlema’ kui tingimuslik marker metsaeenetsi keeles. Metsaeenetsi keeles on tingimuslikes konstruktsioonides esineva tingimuslause peasõnaks harilikult konditsionaalne konverb. Tegusõna man- ‘ütlema’ konditsionaalne konverb võib konditsionaalse markerina esineda ka kujudel mab või mabut, mida kasutatakse tüüpiliselt koos leksikaalse öeldisverbi finiitse vormiga. Siinne korpuspõhine uuring keskendub markeri mab(ut) omadustele. Analüüsin selle markeri kasutuserinevusi kahe põlvkonna metsaeenetsi keele rääkijate vahel ja pakun välja selle markeri võimaliku arengutee. Uurin markeri distributsiooni selle järgi, mis on tema fonoloogiline vorm, possessiivne markeering, ning positsioon osalauses, ka uurin nende konstruktsioonide aspektilisi omadusi. Mainitud markeri arvatav allikas on konstruktsioon tähendusega ‘võib öelda’, mis on algselt sisse juhatanud järgnevas osalauses esinevat olukorda kui potentsiaalset näidet, ja mis on hiljem arenenud osalauseid ühendavaks partikliks.
Mathematical model of intermodal cargo transportation
Authors: Novikova Tat'yana , Evdokimova Svetlana , Novikov Arthur
Published: June 2024

In order to improve the quality of transport services, cooperation between road and long-distance transport, improve efficiency and timeliness, the freight transportation market needs a service-oriented model that solves transport problems based on customer requirements. Therefore, the study of the optimization of container transportation routes by public rail and a combination of modes of transport is important for improving the efficiency of transport services. When planning the transport needs of various shippers, it is necessary to develop reasonable transport solutions, usually controlling both total transport costs and total transportation time, planning optimal routes and choosing a combination of modes of transport. In this paper, the problem of optimizing the distribution of public railway transport on the basis of a non-stop mode is considered. The purpose of the developed mathematical model was to reduce the total cost of transportation and total time, as well as to limit the time window of railway service at transit hubs. A genetic algorithm is proposed to solve the problem of optimizing the implementation of intermodal freight transportation. Based on the characteristics of the model of this work, a matrix approach to coding is used for the task of optimizing the intermodal path, which reduces complexity and also preserves the genetic integrity of descendants.
Ways of improvement effective methods of protecting information in dual-purpose unmanned aerial vehicles
Authors: Titov Mihail
Published: June 2024

At work considers the main directions for improving effective ways to protect information in the information exchange system when controlling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by building an optimal information transmission system under the influence of external influencing factors. The main aspects of the interaction of technical means of MGCS and UAV, which form the basis of the UAV control system, are presented. The prospects of increasing the possibilities of using UAVs through the use of combined groups, including UAVs and manned aircraft (MA) controlled by unified PNPU with an open architecture, are determined. It is shown that effective management of processes and flows in the infrastructure of unmanned vehicles presupposes the presence of information systems that ensure the detection of malicious software and information security of testing technology in the process of standardization and certification. An algorithm for the implementation of ISS certification is presented, which complements the access control system (ACS) with the capabilities to search for UA IES channels, identify their scenarios and eliminate them It is shown how useful some provisions of the theory can be used to improve the efficiency of information exchange systems. An algorithm for the synthesis of the unauthorized access detection system is given and recommendations for improving the noise immunity of radio control lines «mobile ground control station (MGCS)-UAV» in negative external influences (NEI). The expediency of developing a decision making mechanism is noted, according to which, in relation to the operating conditions of radio lines, their operability is assessed and the possibilities of their functioning with a given level of quality are determined. Based on the analysis of data on the operability of the entire complex of software and hardware controls and communications involved in the operation of MGCS and UAVs in NEI conditions, recommendations and proposals for improving the operability of radio lines in NEI conditions are formulated.
Confrontarse con el legado paterno: algunas consideraciones sobre “Aquella part de mi que adorava un feixista…” de Maria-Mercè Marçal y “Romance de la plata” de Christina Rosenvinge
Authors: Gregori Alfons
Published: June 2024

CONFRONTING WITH HER FATHER’S LEGACY: SEVERAL CONSIDERATIONS ON “AQUELLA PART DE MI QUE ADORAVA UN FEIXISTA...”, BY MARIA-MERCÈ MARÇAL, AND “RO¬MANCE DE LA PLATA”, BY CHRISTINA ROSENVINGE
The aim of this article is to analyse two texts belonging to confessional lyric: on the one hand, the song “Romance de la plata” from the album Un hombre rubio (2018) by Christina Rosenvinge, also collected as a poem in Debut (2019); on the other, an untitled poem by Maria-Mercè Marçal, whose first verse is “Aquella part de mi que adorava un feixista…,” present in the “Daddy” section of Desglaç (1989). I will focus on the motif of the father’s death and, in relation to this, on the claim to address past facts when it is too late to do so in person, having been the father fictionally projected as an authoritarian person and even a sympathizer of Francoism. Both texts demonstrate the ability of lyrical subjects – incarnated generically – to get involved in dialogue and negotiate both separations and connections with the Other, which in this case is the father figure. This involvement allows them to understand certain parental aspects without being subordinated to the authority or the seduction that they may have felt in earlier times. Thus, the sense of fictionalized female identity consists of a more diffuse idea of the limits of the self, assumed in relational and intersubjective terms. Finally, in “Romance de la plata” and its paratexts, Rosenvinge makes her own image prevail, while in “Aquella part de mi que adorava un feixista…” Marçal represents the deceased father through a plurality of images, escaping from his domain when he turns the lyrical subject and himself into children.
Lenguas en contacto
Authors: Boruc-Calvo Sandra
Published: June 2024

Desde hace más de tres décadas se ha observado un aumento en el número de extranjeros que deciden establecerse en Polonia, lo que a su vez ha llevado al incremento de familias binacionales, incluyendo las polaco españolas. Como resultado, cada vez hay más niños bilingües. Crecer entre dos idiomas produce, además de las interferencias intralingüísticas que también se presentan en los niños monolingües, fenómenos como interferencias interlingüísticas, mezcla y cambio de código, calcos lingüísticos entre otros desvíos lingüísticos. El objetivo de este estudio es categorizar y analizar cualitativamente estas discrepancias normativas en el habla de niños bilingües de 3 a 7 años, que son criados en familias polaco-españolas residentes en Polonia.
The identity reflection of code-switching in How to tame a wild tongue
Authors: Barboza Mariana Gomes
Published: June 2024

This work presents bibliographical research that analyzes code-switching in the chapter titled How to Tame a Wild Tongue from Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza. The study investigates the relationship between code-switching and the principle of identity reflection and explores the different types of code-switching used in the text. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, the research draws upon the theoretical perspectives of Poplack (1980) and Lo (2007). Moreover, data acquisition involved analyzing excerpts from the chapter and comparing them with the categories under study. The results suggest that Anzaldúa used code-switching to demonstrate her identity and connection to multiple languages. She used this technique to reflect her complex linguistic and cultural background.
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Original in English.
É bicho ou é gente? O uso da zoonímia nos nomes atribuídos à prostituta pelos sulistas segundo o Atlas Linguístico do Brasil
Authors: Mugartt Piccoli Júlia Vitória , De Souza Silva Costa Daniela
Published: June 2024

Mesmo que popularmente conhecida como a profissão mais antiga do mundo, a prostituição é, ainda nos dias de hoje, um assunto tabu e carregado de preconceito. Essa realidade se reflete também no léxico, uma vez que Sapir (1969) afirmava que o léxico reflete o ambiente físico e social dos falantes. Nesse sentido, este artigo apresenta resultados do Plano de Trabalho de Iniciação Científica (PIBIC) que analisou, sob os pontos de vista diatópico e léxico-semântico, dados geolinguísticos do Atlas Linguístico do Brasil, estudando respostas para a pergunta 142 do Questionário Semântico Lexical, área semântica Convívio e comportamento social, que investiga “como se chama a mulher que se vende para qualquer homem” (COMITÊ NACIONAL DO PROJETO ALIB, 2001, p. 32), documentadas na Região Sul do Brasil. Nesse universo, destacaram-se lexias que tinham relação com designativos de animais (8 em um total de 51), de maneira que o trabalho se ocupou, para além dos estudos em Dialetologia e Geolinguística (CARDOSO, 2010), também do construto teórico da Zoonímia de Alinei (1997), buscando compreender a polissemia dos nomes nos falares da população sulista do Brasil, representada pelas lexias: galinha, piranha, cadela, mariposa, vaca, cachorra, jaguara e perua. As análises confirmaram a relação intrínseca entre língua e sociedade, ao desvelarem tabus a partir dos zoônimos utilizados para nomear a prostituta, ratificando a importância dos estudos geolinguísticos para o conhecimento da norma lexical em uso por uma comunidade e mostrando, enfim, que estudar variação linguística é entrar em um mundo pluridimensional, social e constantemente em movimento.
“Carioca fala bi[s]coito?”: um estudo de avaliação sobre as variantes alveolar e pós-alveolar na comunidade de fala do Rio de Janeiro
Authors: De Melo Marcelo Alexandre Lopes , De Mello Rodrigues Renata
Published: June 2024

Estudos de produção mostram que, independentemente da idade, do sexo, da escolaridade e da classe social, a coda (s) é majoritariamente realizada na variedade carioca como fricativa pós-alveolar, ocorrendo as outras variantes (fricativa alveolar, fricativa velar/glotal e ausência da coda) em percentuais bastante reduzidos. Esta pesquisa observa a avaliação social das variantes alveolar e pós-alveolar da coda (s) na comunidade de fala do Rio de Janeiro, partindo da hipótese de que a variante alveolar da coda (s) poderia ser avaliada pelos cariocas como prestigiada, não sendo relacionado qualquer grau de estigma ou prestígio à realização da fricativa pós-alveolar. Para tanto, um experimento de avaliação, usando a técnica de matched guise, foi aplicado em 43 jovens universitários da comunidade de fala do Rio de Janeiro. Relativamente à variante pós-alveolar, os resultados seguiram a tendência já apontada por Melo (2017, 2022), isto é, de que a esta variante não são atribuídos nem prestígio e tampouco estigma. Relativamente à variante alveolar, observou-se que os participantes atribuíram certo grau de prestígio a essa variante, sendo o número de itens – dois por sentença – decisivo para a atribuição deste prestígio. Argumenta-se que o prestígio atribuído à variante alveolar possa estar relacionado à avaliação do falar carioca tanto por falantes de outras variedades como pelos próprios cariocas, motivo pelo qual seria mais bem avaliada em contexto de maior monitoramento. Espera-se que estudos futuros com outros grupos sociais possam avançar na análise dos significados sociais das variantes da coda (s), sobretudo no que diz respeito à frequência das variantes.
Brasil-Portugal: variação e mudança nas designações do pão nosso de cada dia
Authors: Rebelo Helena
Published: June 2024

Desenvolve-se uma reflexão sobre as inter-relações existentes entre língua, sociedade e cultura, a partir das designações hiponímicas do hiperónimo “pão” no Brasil e em Portugal, de um ponto de vista comparativo, tendo em conta a variação e a mudança linguísticas, com base em dados recentes. O propósito deste artigo é observar ocorrências do campo semântico, ou melhor, do paradigma de “pão” nos dois países, por meio de usos linguísticos das comunidades. A fim de agregar dados para comparar, recorre-se a motores de busca na Internet, a estudos sobre designações e a dicionários publicados, dos dois lados do Atlântico, de língua portuguesa. Hoje, no mundo digital, estão disponíveis múltiplos conteúdos pertinentes com materiais e informações acessíveis. Que dados linguísticos, sociais e culturais fornecem estas fontes de informação brasileiras e portuguesas sobre o lexema “pão”? Que compostos, sinónimos e associações apresentam? Como surgem definidos? Que designações brasileiras e portuguesas prevalecem em estudos existentes? Que tipos de “pão” são referidos nos conteúdos digitais como sendo brasileiros e/ ou portugueses? Que variação e mudança linguísticas se assinalam tanto no Brasil como em Portugal para um termo como “pão” num mesmo paradigma, especialmente para construções como “pão x” e “pão de y”? Todas as questões motivadoras da investigação se podem reduzir a uma: Que nomes convergentes e divergentes existem para o “pão” no Brasil e em Portugal, além do próprio lexema “pão”?
Maria Teresa Tedesco e Lurdes Moutinho entrevistam Márcia Machado Vieira, Professora Drª. de Linguística da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
Authors: Vieira Márcia Machado , Tedesco Maria Teresa , Moutinho Lurdes
Published: June 2024

Nossa entrevistada é a Professora Márcia Machado Vieira, Professora de Linguística da UFRJ, uma sociolinguista em movimento, de coração e de alma, desde a Iniciação Científica no curso de graduação da UFRJ. De coração, porque valoriza a diversidade linguística, tendo sido movida por ela! De alma, porque, mesmo em espaços em que, juram alguns, não há variação linguística, ela percebe variação. Márcia Machado Vieira desafia o leitor, ao longo desta entrevista, a entender a que espaços se refere. Com todo o seu entusiasmo, afirma que “movência é um traço pessoal! Transversalidade científica é um traço que percebo nos meus rumos em ciência e no fato de que, para alguns, não sou tão facilmente categorizável.” Maleabilidade e dinamicidade são palavras-chave em Sociolinguística e no seu fazer científico.
IMPROVED TEMPERATURE STABILITY IN SEDIMENTATION TANK WITH VEGETATION CANOPY
Authors: Marsono Bowo Djoko , Mangkoedihardjo Sarwoko
Published: June 2024

Naturally the water temperature is correlated with the density and viscosity. Changes in temperature due to sunlight affect processes in water treatment such as sedimentation and coagulation. The detrimental effect is the presence of density currents on the surface during the day, thereby reducing the efficiency of particle sedimentation. Vegetation Canopy can be applied in sedimentation tanks to cope with changes in temperature on the surface of the water mass. This method can be implemented by planting trees around the tank in addition to fabric fiberglass. Tall trees and canopies with large leaves will cover the surface area of ​​the sedimentation tank so that changes in water temperature due to sunlight can be reduced. To apply this technique, submerged orifices and a net above the water surface are used at the outlet channel of the sedimentation basin.
KAJIAN KEHILANGAN AIR PERUMDA DELTA TIRTA PADA DMA SHOJI LAND CABANG PORONG
Authors: Hasna Salsabila , Purnomo Alfan
Published: June 2024

Kehilangan air  batas maksimum berdasarkan Peraturan Menteri Pekerjaan Umum dan Perumahan Rakyat Republik Indonesia No 27/PRT/M/2016 yaitu sebesar 20 %, sedangkan Perusahaan Umum Daerah Delta Tirta, kehilangan air melebihi batas maksimum 32%. Dilakukan kajian terhadap Distric Meter Area (DMA) Shoji Land Cabang Porong dengan persen kehilangan air sebesar 56% di Bulan Juli 2023. Tujuan dari penelitian ini yakni menghitung nilai kerugian finasial akibat kehilangan air dan merancang solusi perbaikan berdasarkan penyebab terjadinya kehilangan air berdasarkan neraca air. pada hasil penelitian didapatkan hasil persen kehilangan air bulan Oktober sebesar 51% dengan persen kehilangan air fisik sebesar 31,4% dan 19,4% untuk kehilangan air non-fisik. Hasil rata rata kerugian finansial akibat kehilangan air bulan Agustus-Oktober sebesar Rp. 31.897.659/bulan. Sehingga, diperlukannya desian berdasarkan penyebab kehilangan air, yaitu kebocoran air, ketidakakurasian meter zoning, dan ketidakakurasian meter sambungan rumah. Oleh karena itu, strategi penggantian dan tera ulang meter air serta perbaikan pipa diimplementasikan untuk mengatasi masalah ini berdasarkan data neraca air bulan Oktober.
Is locum life for me?
Authors: Mellen Darcey
Published: June 2024

Darcey Mellen asks the important questions about locum nursing.
Elevating your skills
Authors: Salazar Ronie
Published: June 2024

Ronie Salazar details the role of educational videos in enhancing dental nursing skills.
Bridging the Gap
Authors: Garrity Courtney
Published: June 2024

Courtney Garrity discusses her dental nursing journey
A new perspective
Authors: Garlo Nina
Published: June 2024

Nina Garlo describes how oral health is the cornerstone of our general health.
Learning through observation
Authors: Wake Charlotte
Published: June 2024

Charlotte Wake emphasises the importance of observational learning for a dental nurse.

Aim

For dental nurses to have a better understanding of the role of observation in education.

Objectives

To understand the advantages and disadvantages of observational teaching. To offer practical advice for observational teaching. To better understand the value of feedback after observation. This article meets GDC development outcomes B, C, D.
Imaging findings of breast leukaemia: a case series
Authors: Li Dandan , Xin Yuwei , Zhu Jiaan
Published: June 2024

Aims/Background Breast leukaemia (BL) is a rare breast malignancy that is treated differently from other malignant conditions. However, it is easily confused with other conditions; therefore, how to accurately diagnose is crucial. We retrospectively analysed the imaging findings of 13 patients to provide a diagnostic reference.

Methods From January 2015 to April 2023, 13 patients with BL confirmed by biopsy who underwent imaging in Peking University People’s hospital were retrospectively analysed. The imaging findings obtained via ultrasound (US), mammography (MMG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) were analysed, and the detection rates of these methods for diagnosing BL were compared.

Results Twenty-nine lesions were detected in the 13 patients. These patients presented with palpable masses or breast swelling several months after treatment for leukaemia, mainly involving the bilateral breasts. Ultrasonography was performed for 13 patients, and all lesions were detected. Most of the identified masses were hypoechoic and had indistinct boundaries, irregular shapes, no enhancement of the posterior echo, and no abundant blood flow. MMG was performed for five patients, revealing breast masses, architectural distortion, and no abnormalities. MRI was performed for four patients, and all lesions were detected; most of the lesions were hypointense on T1-weighted imaging and hyperintense on T2-weighted imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging, with a decreased apparent diffusion coefficient and inhomogeneous enhancement. The enhancement curves were mostly inflow patterns. PET/CT was performed for four patients; two patients had hypermetabolism, and the other two had no obvious radioactive uptake.

Conclusion Compared to MMG and PET/CT, US and MRI have higher detection rates. Furthermore, compared to MRI, US is inexpensive, convenient and efficient; therefore, it should be the first choice for diagnosing BL.
Evaluating Infection Control Measures for Reusable Instruments in Dental Practice
Authors: Lee Na-Young , Kim Han-Na
Published: June 2024

Objective: The study aims to investigate the use of dental instruments without sterilization and to evaluate the status of infection control in domestic dental clinics. Methods: A total of 357 participants were enrolled, from April to May 2020, after surveying 20 dental institutions. We assessed all the instruments used during treatment, particularly those which were reused without sterilization. In cases where specific instruments were not listed, respondents marked ‘etc.’ and provided details. The frequency of infection control practices, including hand washing, wearing masks and gloves, surface disinfection, and instrument sterilization, was analyzed. Results: Reusable instruments without sterilization included the 3-way syringe, scaler, handpiece, inject syringe, bur, paper holder, and other endodontic tools. Notably, the 3-way syringe, injection syringe, handpiece, and paper holder were reused in over 50% of cases. Gloves and masks were worn 95–100% of the times during oral examinations, while handwashing rates were 25–30% pre-treatment and over 80% post-treatment. Handpieces were used in endodontic treatments and extractions, being sterilized 50–60% of the times. Conclusions: This study revealed insufficient infection control measures in dental institutions. Addressing this issue requires ongoing education, proper training of dental professionals, and essential financial support for effective measures.
An updated checklist of the checkered beetles (Coleoptera: Cleridae) of Peru
Authors: JUÁREZ-NOÉ GINO , GONZÁLEZ-CORONADO UZBEKIA
Published: June 2024

Using mainly data from bibliographic records and revision of some specimens deposited in institutions and private collections, an updated checklist of the checkered beetles (Coleoptera: Cleridae) of Peru is presented. The updated checklist includes 9 subfamilies, 40 genera and 163 species-group taxa. The subfamily Clerinae Latreille, 1802 and Peloniinae Opitz, 2010 and the genera Enoclerus Gahan, 1910 and Cregya LeConte, 1861 are most species-rich, while 36 species are known only from Peru. Each species listed includes its current name, synonyms, and regional/provincial distribution data. Additionally, photographs for some species are provided.
Recognizing and addressing the challenges of gastrointestinal tuberculosis
Authors: Kudu Emre , Danış Faruk
Published: June 2024

In this editorial, we comment on the article by Ali et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Clinical Cases . This case report shed light on a particularly rare manifestation of this disease-primary gastrointestinal tuberculosis (GTB) presenting as gastric outlet obstruction. GTB presents diagnostic challenges due to its nonspecific symptoms and lack of highly accurate diagnostic algorithms. This editorial synthesizes epidemiological data, risk factors, pathogenesis, clinical presentations, diagnostic methods, and therapies to raise awareness about GTB. GTB constitutes 1%-3% of all tuberculosis cases globally, with 6%-38% of patients also having pulmonary tuberculosis. Pathogenesis involves various modes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex entry into the gastrointestinal system, with the terminal ileum and ileocecal valve commonly affected. Clinical presentation varies, often resembling other intra-abdominal pathologies, necessitating a high index of suspicion. Diagnostic tools include a combination of biochemical, microbiological, radiological, and endoscopic assessments. Anti-tubercular medication remains the cornerstone of treatment, supplemented by surgical intervention in severe cases. Multidisciplinary management involving gastroenterologists, surgeons, pulmonologists, and infectious disease specialists is crucial for optimal outcomes. Despite advancements, timely diagnosis and management challenges persist, underscoring the need for continued research and collaboration in addressing primary GTB.
Intensive care unit-acquired weakness – preventive, and therapeutic aspects; future directions and special focus on lung transplantation
Authors: Sunder Thirugnanasambandan
Published: June 2024

In this editorial, comments are made on an interesting article in the recent issue of the World Journal of Clinical Cases by Wang and Long. The authors describe the use of neural network model to identify risk factors for the development of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness. This condition has now become common with an increasing number of patients treated in ICUs and continues to be a source of morbidity and mortality. Despite identification of certain risk factors and corrective measures thereof, lacunae still exist in our understanding of this clinical entity. Numerous possible pathogenetic mechanisms at a molecular level have been described and these continue to be increasing. The amount of retrievable data for analysis from the ICU patients for study can be huge and enormous. Machine learning techniques to identify patterns in vast amounts of data are well known and may well provide pointers to bridge the knowledge gap in this condition. This editorial discusses the current knowledge of the condition including pathogenesis, diagnosis, risk factors, preventive measures, and therapy. Furthermore, it looks specifically at ICU acquired weakness in recipients of lung transplantation, because – unlike other solid organ transplants- muscular strength plays a vital role in the preservation and survival of the transplanted lung. Lungs differ from other solid organ transplants in that the proper function of the allograft is dependent on muscle function. Muscular weakness especially diaphragmatic weakness may lead to prolonged ventilation which has deleterious effects on the transplanted lung – ranging from ventilator associated pneumonia to bronchial anastomotic complications due to prolonged positive pressure on the anastomosis.
Avoiding misdiagnosis of multilocular thymic cysts as malignant tumors on computer tomography
Authors: Zhang Yu-Hong , Liu Yan-Miao , Shen Kai-Li , Wu Jing-Jing , Tang Fu-Shan
Published: June 2024

This editorial provides insights from a case report by Sun et al published in the World Journal of Clinical Cases . The case report focuses on a case where a multilocular thymic cyst (MTC) was misdiagnosed as a thymic tumor, resulting in an unnecessary surgical procedure. Both MTCs and thymic tumors are rare conditions that heavily rely on radiological imaging for accurate diagnosis. However, the similarity in their imaging presentations can lead to misinterpretation, resulting in unnecessary surgical procedures. Due to the ongoing lack of comprehensive knowledge about MTCs and thymic tumors, we offer a summary of diagnostic techniques documented in recent literature and examine potential causes of misdiagnosis. When computer tomography (CT) values surpass 20 Hounsfield units and display comparable morphology, there is a risk of misdiagnosing MTCs as thymic tumors. Employing various differential diagnostic methods like biopsy, molecular biology, multi-slice CT, CT functional imaging, positron emission tomography/CT molecular functional imaging, magnetic resonance imaging and radiomics, proves advantageous in reducing clinical misdiagnosis. A deeper understanding of these conditions requires increased attention and exploration by healthcare providers. Moreover, the continued advancement and utilization of various diagnostic methods are expected to enhance precise diagnoses, provide appropriate treatment options, and improve the quality of life for patients with thymic tumors and MTCs in the future.