bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exostoma sentiyonoae, a new catfish (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from Nagaland, Northeastern, India
Authors: SHANGNINGAM BUNGDON , LIMATEMJEN
Published: May 2024

Exostoma sentiyonoae, a new species of glyptosternine catfish is described from the Dzuleke River, a tributary of the Barak River in Nagaland, northeastern India. This is the fourth species of Exostoma described from the Barak drainage. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by the adipose fin adnate to the upper procurrent caudal-fin rays, presence of tubercles on dorsal-fin spine, anterolateral surfaces of lip with parallel and rounded striae, slender head 7.7–13.1% SL, long dorsal-adipose distance 16.8–24.6% SL, small eye 5.1–8.8 % HL, and 41 vertebrae. Two species groups within the genus Exostoma are proposed; Group I, in which the adipose fin is confluent with the upper procurrent caudal-fin rays, and Group II in which adipose fin is separate from the upper procurrent caudal-fin rays.
1. The Book in a Nutshell
Authors: Clossey Luke
Published: May 2024

In a medieval Irish story, Conchobar mac Nessa was baptized with blood when his head exploded upon hearing of the crucifixion of Jesus. Attempting to make sense of these kinds of accounts, so alien to the modern sensibility, this book approaches the fifteenth century as the first in the Late Traditional World, a re-conceptualization of early modernity that seeks to understand the period in its own terms. The chapter briefly introduces the deep ken and the plain ken, two ways of looking at the world, before outlining the structure of the book overall.
7. Expansion of the Jesus Cult
Authors: Clossey Luke
Published: May 2024

The fifteenth century saw Christian expansion northward to the Lithuanians, Sámi, and Komi peoples, westward to the Caribbean and Brazil, and southward to central Africa, alongside a Muslim expansion eastward into maritime southeast Asia. Legally, the Christian expansion rested on an old debate about whether non-Christian leaders could hold dominion, the right to rule. The traditional argument held that all earthly rulers yielded their dominion to Jesus at his birth, which prohibited non-Christians from holding any authority. A medieval counterargument, renewed in this century by John Wycliffe and Paweł Włodkowic, turned to the plain ken: Dominion was not absolute, but depended on the ruler being in a state of grace, and so the Christian right to conquest was not an eternal truth but one contingent on human actions in time. A recurring theme in the Christian expansion was the importance of the cross as technology; many Indigenous peoples already made use of crosses, and were attracted by the possibility of an updated version.
14. Art and the Deep Ken
Authors: Clossey Luke
Published: May 2024

The first of three art chapters describes deep-ken approaches to the problem of representation: Deep-ken art is beautiful and proportioned, indifferent to plain-ken particularities, and richly (literally, with expensive material) coloured. The chapter looks in particular at consonances between symbol and referent, between exemplars of a tradition, between parts and the whole, between the expense of the pigments and the awesomeness of the subject, and between the depicted and the context of the art. The fifteenth-century is one of the great turning points in Western art history, celebrated as a shift towards images more three-dimensional, natural, and realistic—that is, closer to the plain-ken spacetime we generally perceive as natural and real. Rather than talking about a shift from abstract to real, we might consider a shift from a deep-ken realism to a plain-ken realism. Each style looks real if the viewer has the appropriate perspective. Indeed, in eastern Orthodox societies, Christians who had religious visions could and did use these “abstract” icons to identify their apparitions. Looking at Renaissance art as a shift between two kinds of realism, from the deep ken to the plain ken, makes it easier to dispel, or even reverse, triumphalist accounts of Renaissance art as progress.
3. The Correspondence with Eparchs
Authors: Khan Geoffrey
Published: May 2024

Twenty-five of the documents of the corpus constitute correspondence with the eparchs of the Nubian king. The eparchs were based in Qaṣr Ibrīm. A large proportion of these are letters sent to the eparch Uruwī (1–16). There are two letters sent by the eparch Uruwī (17–18), two letters sent to the eparch Īsū (19–20), and five letters sent to an unnamed eparch (21–25). One letter (26) is written to the deputy of the eparch Darmā and one to the secretary of the eparch Uruwī (27). The chapter describes what is known about the named eparchs and their correspondents. Many of the senders of letters were Muslim merchants belonging to the Banū al-Kanz. The content and structure of the letters are described. The letters mainly concern trade and gift exchange. The eparch exchanged slaves for commodities brought by the Muslim merchants.
9. Titles of Officials
Authors: Khan Geoffrey
Published: May 2024

This section presents the titles of officials who are mentioned in the documents. The various attestations of the titles are given and the functions of the officials bearing these titles are described.
Regulating Digital Piracy Consumption
Authors: Chen Jieteng , Gao Yuetao , Ke T. Tony
Published: May 2024

Regulators across the globe have imposed penalties on consumers for digital piracy consumption. Contrary to expectations, however, digital piracy consumption has continued to grow. The authors develop a simple model of competition between a copyright holder and a pirate firm to offer a plausible account for this observation as well as actionable guidelines for optimal regulation design. The core of this idea is to endogenize the pirate firm's strategic investment in antitracking technologies that help consumers evade a regulator's penalty. The authors find that as the penalty rises, piracy consumption can surprisingly increase after decreasing first; relatedly, the copyright holder and the society may suffer from tighter regulation. Depending on the cost of antitracking technologies of the pirate firm, the regulator optimally sets the penalty to operate in two different regimes. When the technology is available at a low cost, the regulator can achieve the goals of maximizing social welfare and minimizing piracy consumption simultaneously by setting a moderate penalty that maximizes consumers’ expected penalty and tolerates some level of piracy consumption. In contrast, when the technology is costly, the regulator should set a relatively high penalty to completely impede piracy supply. Additionally, the authors show that supply-side regulation does not substitute away demand-side regulation, and educating consumers about copyright protection may unintentionally lead to an increase in piracy consumption. Last, the authors identify complex nonmonotonic long-run effects of piracy consumption regulation on the copyright holder's incentives for content creation and copyright protection.
Research on regenerative braking control of electric vehicles based on game theory optimization
Authors: Li Chunyu , Zhang Lu , Lian Shiqiang , Liu Menglong
Published: May 2024

The energy-efficient, clean, and quiet attributes of electric vehicles offer solutions to conventional challenges related to resource scarcity and environmental pollution. Consequently, thorough research into harmonizing energy recuperation during braking, enhancing vehicle stability, and ensuring occupant comfort in electric vehicles is imperative for their effective advancement. The study introduces a regenerative braking control strategy for electric vehicles founded on game theory optimization to enhance braking performance and optimize braking energy utilization. Develop a regenerative braking control approach based on the dynamic model of an electric vehicle equipped with hub motors. Employing game theory, we establish participants, control variables, strategy sets, benefit functions, and constraints to optimize the coefficient K for regenerative braking. The efficacy and superiority of the control strategy model are validated through joint simulations using Matlab/Simulink and AVL Cruise. Research findings indicate: (1) Speed tracking error remains below 3% in both NEDC and CLTC-P simulations, underscoring the effectiveness of the dynamic model and control strategy devised in this study. (2) The energy recovery rate achieved by the game theory-based optimization strategy surpasses that of the Cruise self-contained strategy and fuzzy control strategy by 18.06% and 4.5% in the NEDC simulation, and by 13.48% and 3.85% in the CLTC-P simulation, respectively. The adhesion coefficient curves implemented on the front and rear axles, derived from the game theory optimization control strategy, closely approximate the ideal adhesion coefficient curve, leading to a substantial enhancement in the car's braking stability. The degree of jerk magnitude regulated by the game theory optimization strategy consistently falls within the ±3 m/s³ threshold, resulting in a considerable enhancement in the comfort of vehicle occupants. These outcomes underscore the efficacy of the game theory-based optimized control strategy in enhancing energy recovery, braking stability, and comfort throughout the braking process of the vehicle.
Impact of surfactant groups on the corrosion inhibition properties of superhydrophobic membranes on X80 steel
Authors: Zhang Jing , Qin Shihang , Wang Feng , Li Ruiling , Shi Yahong , Xu Youjie
Published: May 2024

Fe2O3/Fe3O4 composite films were successfully prepared on the surface of X80 steel through hydrothermal synthesis and annealing treatments. Subsequently, the oxidised films were modified using surfactants such as decanoic acid (DA), decyl silane triol (DS) and perfluorodecyl silane triol (FDS), resulting in the creation of three distinct films exhibiting superhydrophobic properties. The effects of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups of surfactants on the superhydrophobic films of X80 steel were analysed using electrochemical methods, surface analysis techniques and theoretical calculations. The results showed that all three superhydrophobic films exhibited excellent corrosion resistance, with the order being DA > FDS > DS after 72 h of immersion in acidic conditions (pH = 6, 60 °C). Theoretical calculations showed that the adsorption performance of carboxyl groups was superior to that of silyl alcohol bonds, whereas fluorination of hydrophobic groups helped to enhance the adsorption capacity of hydrophilic groups. This not only reveals the key role of surfactants in the preparation of superhydrophobic membranes but also provides a theoretical basis for the preparation of superhydrophobic membranes on carbon steel surfaces.
Cellular experimental study and mechanism of surface modification of 3D printed titanium materials to modulate the sealing and antimicrobial properties of oral implants
Authors: Huang Shuo , Guo Fang , Liu Ning , Hu Kaijin , Liu Changkui
Published: May 2024

Investigating the role of surface-modified 3D printed titanium implants in modulating oral soft tissue closure and antimicrobial properties. Eighteen 6-month-old healthy adult New Zealand White rabbits were selected as experimental animals, the left and right mandibular teeth of each experimental animal were randomly divided into two groups, and the bilateral first premolar teeth were extracted after general anesthesia, and one implant was implanted into each of the magnesium/zinc ionized surface-treated group (experimental group) and the surface-untreated group (control group), with a total of 36 implants, i.e., 18 implants for the experimental group and 18 implants for the control group. Bilateral mandibular samples from both groups were removed after 2 and 4 weeks of implantation to investigate the attachment and spreading of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) on the surface of the samples, their proliferative and migratory behaviors as well as the expression levels of related gene proteins (CoL-1 and TGF-β), and HE staining of the soft tissues of the samples and inflammatory cell counts. After 2 and 4 weeks of implantation, the experimental group’s HGFs adhesion and spreading were significantly better than that of the control group, the migration and proliferation of HGFs were significantly greater than that of the control group ( p < .05), and the expression of CoL-1 and TGF-β genes was significantly higher than that of the control group ( p < .05), and the inflammatory cell count was significantly smaller than that of the control group ( p < .05). Surface modification by magnesium and zinc ions enhances the sealing performance and antimicrobial performance of 3D printed titanium implants in oral soft tissues, with significant effects.
Adolescents’ Music Tastes in the Streaming Era: The Case of Belgium
Authors: Carbone Luca , Vandenbosch Laura
Published: May 2024

The sociological literature about music considers youth as a crucial period for the development of one’s music tastes and identity. Yet, scarce research has documented the taste profiles of adolescents and their composition in relation to identity characteristics, especially in the current streaming era. In this article, we integrate different strands of literature analyzing the role of music tastes in identity building to define and segment the composition of contemporary adolescents’ taste profiles. We employed data from a cross-sectional study among Belgian adolescents ( n = 533, Mage (SD) = 15.3 (1.6), 61.1% girls, 83.2% Western European) and used latent class analysis to derive their taste profiles. Multinomial logistic regression subsequently segmented the socio-cognitive, social, and digital characteristics of these profiles. Our findings contextualize adult taste profiles among adolescents and the streaming landscape, shedding light on cultural tastes as gendered technologies of self-presentation.
Comparison of Side-to-Side Difference in Posterior Tibial Slope in Knees With Acute Versus Chronic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficiency
Authors: Sevim Ömer Faruk , Ergün Selim , Şahin Ediz Suna , Eceviz Engin , Karahan Mustafa
Published: May 2024

Background:

The posterior tibial slope (PTS) is an important feature in knee joint biomechanics and indicates anterior-posterior knee stability. Increased PTS is a known risk factor for both primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and postreconstruction rerupture.

Purpose:

To investigate the effect of long-term exposure to ACL deficiency on the PTS and the sagittal anatomy of the proximal tibia.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A total of 44 patients (38 men, 6 women) with a history of knee injury and ACL rupture confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and physical examination were included in this study. Patients were divided into those with chronic ACL deficiency (group 1: injured ≥5 years prior; n = 22) and acute ACL deficiency (group 2: injured <1 year prior; n = 22). The medial and lateral tibial plateau PTS and anterior tibial translation were measured on monopodal weightbearing knee radiographs at 20° of flexion. The mechanical tibiofemoral angle (MTFA) and the medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) were measured using an orthoroentgenogram. The side-to-side difference between the affected and unaffected knees was also calculated for all measurements.

Results:

The mean duration of exposure to ACL deficiency was 7.6 years (range, 5-15 years) in group 1 and 4.4 months (range, 1-11 months) in group 2. Regarding the side-to-side differences in angular measurements, a higher medial PTS (affected vs unaffected: 12.4° vs 10.1°; P = .007), higher lateral PTS (11° vs 8.9°; P = .011), and increased varus alignment on both the MTFA (4.3° vs 2.4°; P = .036) and the MPTA (84.9° vs 86.3°; P = .033) were found in group 1, while no significant differences in angular measurements were found in group 2. Compared with group 2, patients in group 1 had a significantly higher side-to-side difference in the medial PTS (2.3° vs 0.1°; P = .0001), lateral PTS (2.1° vs 0.4°; P = .0001), and MPTA (1.4° vs 0.1°; P = .002).

Conclusion:

This study showed that the affected knees of patients with chronic ACL deficiency (≥5 years) had higher medial and lateral PTS compared with the unaffected contralateral knees. Therefore, when planning ACL reconstruction for patients with a history of long-term ACL deficiency, it is crucial to measure the preoperative PTS accurately.
Feeling climate injustice: Affective climate violence, greenhouse gaslighting and the whiteness of climate anxiety
Authors: Verlie Blanche
Published: May 2024

This paper explores the process of feeling climate injustice. It aims to situate climate distress as an issue of justice, in order to generate more politically accountable and empowering responses. It firstly situates climate anxiety, solastalgia and climate disaster trauma as symptoms of affective climate violence, where harm that could have been prevented was instead consciously and systematically exacerbated by fossil fuelled political regimes. It articulates witnessing as a practice of affective climate justice, an approach that would recognise climate distress as violence, and offer support, apology and redress for this violence, including through seeking to prevent future climate change. However, the second section outlines how, in perverse efforts to maintain fossil fuel interests, climate distress is often further amplified through practices of greenhouse gaslighting – denying, deriding and dismissing people's experiences of harm. Greenhouse gaslighting is outlined as a patriarchal practice of emotional abuse that is enabled by and seeks to perpetuate white-colonial-extractivism. Thirdly, the paper argues that even within progressive circles, current efforts to witness climate distress potentially fail to enact affective climate justice due to discourses that centre whiteness and privilege, rather than recognising and responding to the different and unequal forms of affective climate violence experienced by diverse peoples.
The Landscape of Health Technology for Equity Deserving Groups in Rural Communities: A Systematic Review
Authors: Burton Lindsay , Milad Fathi , Janke Robert , Rush Kathy L
Published: May 2024

Background

Equity-deserving groups face well-known health disparities that are exacerbated by rural residence. Health technologies have shown promise in reducing disparities among these groups, but there has been no comprehensive evidence synthesis of outcomes.

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the patient, healthcare, and economic outcomes of health technology applications with rural living equity-deserving groups.

Research Design

The databases searched included Medline and Embase. Articles were assessed for bias using the McGill mixed methods appraisal tool.

Analysis

Data were synthesized narratively using a convergent integrated approach for qualitative and quantitative findings.

Results

This evidence synthesis includes papers ( n = 21) that reported on health technologies targeting rural equity-deserving groups. Overall, patient outcomes - knowledge, self-efficacy, weight loss, and clinical indicators - improved. Healthcare access improved with greater convenience, flexibility, time and travel savings, though travel was still occasionally necessary. All studies reported satisfaction with health technologies. Technology challenges reported related to connectivity and infrastructure issues influencing appointment quality and modality options. While some studies reported additional costs, overall, studies indicated cost savings for patients.

Conclusions

There is a paucity of research on health technologies targeting rural equity-deserving groups, and the available research has primarily focused on women. While current evidence was primarily of high quality, research is needed inclusive of equity-deserving groups and interventions co-designed with users that integrate culturally sensitive approaches. Review registered with Prospero ID = CRD42021285994.
PMS2 amplification contributes brain metastasis from lung cancer
Authors: Chen Jianing , Hu Congli , Yang Hainan , Wang Li , Chu Xiangling , Yu Xin , Zhang Shiji , Li Xuefei , Zhao Chao , Cheng Lei , Hong Weiping , Liu Da , Wen Lei , Su Chunxia
Published: May 2024

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma metastasizing to the brain results in a notable increase in patient mortality. The high incidence and its impact on survival presents a critical unmet need to develop an improved understanding of its mechanisms.

Methods

To identify genes that drive brain metastasis of tumor cells, we collected cerebrospinal fluid samples and paired plasma samples from 114 lung adenocarcinoma patients with brain metastasis and performed 168 panel-targeted gene sequencing. We examined the biological behavior of PMS2 (PMS1 Homolog 2)-amplified lung cancer cell lines through wound healing assays and migration assays. In vivo imaging techniques are used to detect fluorescent signals that colonize the mouse brain. RNA sequencing was used to compare differentially expressed genes between PMS2 amplification and wild-type lung cancer cell lines.

Results

We discovered that PMS2 amplification was a plausible candidate driver of brain metastasis. Via in vivo and in vitro assays, we validated that PMS2 amplified PC-9 and LLC lung cancer cells had strong migration and invasion capabilities.

The functional pathway of PMS2 amplification of lung cancer cells is mainly enriched in thiamine, butanoate, glutathione metabolism.

Conclusion

Tumor cells elevated expression of PMS2 possess the capacity to augment the metastatic potential of lung cancer and establish colonies within the brain through metabolism pathways.
Dataset including whole blood gene expression profiles and matched leukocyte counts with utility for benchmarking cellular deconvolution pipelines
Authors: O’Connell Grant C.
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Cellular deconvolution is a valuable computational process that can infer the cellular composition of heterogeneous tissue samples from bulk RNA-sequencing data. Benchmark testing is a crucial step in the development and evaluation of new cellular deconvolution algorithms, and also plays a key role in the process of building and optimizing deconvolution pipelines for specific experimental applications. However, few in vivo benchmarking datasets exist, particularly for whole blood, which is the single most profiled human tissue. Here, we describe a unique dataset containing whole blood gene expression profiles and matched circulating leukocyte counts from a large cohort of human donors with utility for benchmarking cellular deconvolution pipelines.

Data description

To produce this dataset, venous whole blood was sampled from 138 total donors recruited at an academic medical center. Genome-wide expression profiling was subsequently performed via next-generation RNA sequencing, and white blood cell differentials were collected in parallel using flow cytometry. The resultant final dataset contains donor-level expression data for over 45,000 protein coding and non-protein coding genes, as well as matched neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, and eosinophil counts.
Primary health care professionals’ experiences with caring for patients with advanced Huntington’s disease: a qualitative study
Authors: van Walsem Marleen R. , Howe Emilie I. , Andelic Nada , Frich Jan C.
Published: May 2024

Background

Huntington’s disease (HD) has substantial impact on patients and carers’ lives. Managing patients in the advanced phase of HD may be challenging to primary health care professionals. The aim of this study is to elicit health care professionals’ experiences of managing the challenges with patients with advanced HD in primary health care.

Methods

We did a qualitative study, collecting data from four focus group interviews with 22 primary health care professionals who had experience with caring for patients with HD in Norway. The data were analysed using a qualitative content analysis method, systematic text condensation.

Results

We found that health care professionals who care for patients with HD in primary health care experience challenges related to patients’ behaviour, family members and caregivers, professionals’ individual competency, and the organizational context. They conveyed that successful care and management of patients with advanced HD was dependent on individuals’ competency and “everyday tactics”, well-functioning teams, and leadership and organizational support.

Conclusion

In addition to individual competencies, including being personally suitable for the job, well-functioning primary care teams, and organization support and training is important for health care professionals’ ability to manage patients with advanced HD in primary health care.
Analysis of factors influencing vascular calcification in peritoneal dialysis patients and their impact on long-term prognosis
Authors: Cao Qianying , Shi Yanan , Liu Xiaohui , Yang Fan , Li Xiangnan , Li Zhongxin
Published: May 2024

Background

This study aims to investigate the influencing factors of vascular calcification in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and its relationship with long-term prognosis.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included chronic kidney disease patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis at the Peritoneal Dialysis Center of Beijing Luhu Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2019 to March 2019. Demographic and clinical laboratory data, including serum sclerostin (SOST), calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), serum albumin (ALB), and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels, were collected. Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) was assessed using abdominal lateral X-ray examination to determine the occurrence of vascular calcification, and patients were divided into the AAC group and Non-AAC group based on the results.

Results

A total of 91 patients were included in the study. The AAC group consisted of 46 patients, while the Non-AAC group consisted of 45 patients. The AAC group had significantly older patients compared to the non-AAC group (P < 0.001) and longer dialysis time (P = 0.004). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that risk factors for vascular calcification in PD patients included dialysis time, diabetes, hypertension, and SOST. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that the AAC group had a significantly higher mortality rate than the non-AAC group (χ2 = 35.993,P < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that dialysis time, diabetes and AAC were risk factors for all-cause mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Conclusion

Longer dialysis time, comorbid diabetes, comorbid hypertension, and SOST are risk factors for vascular calcification in PD patients. Additionally, AAC, longer dialysis time, and comorbid diabetes are associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.
The value of cardiopulmonary comorbidity in patients with acute large vessel occlusion stroke undergoing endovascular thrombectomy: a retrospective, observational cohort study
Authors: Wang Jiarui , Cui Yongqiang , Kong Xiangkai , Du Bin , Lin Tian , Zhang Xiaoyun , Lu Dongxu , Liu Li , Du Juan
Published: May 2024

Background

Chronic lung and heart diseases are more likely to lead an intensive end point after stroke onset. We aimed to investigate characteristics and outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in patients with acute large vessel occlusion stroke (ALVOS) and identify the role of comorbid chronic cardiopulmonary diseases in ALVOS pathogenesis.

Methods

In this single-center retrospective study, 191 consecutive patients who underwent EVT due to large vessel occlusion stroke in neurological intensive care unit were included. The chronic cardiopulmonary comorbidities and several conventional stroke risk factors were assessed. The primary efficacy outcome was functional independence (defined as a mRS of 0 to 2) at day 90. The primary safety outcomes were death within 90 days and the occurrence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage(sICH). Univariate analysis was applied to evaluate the relationship between factors and clinical outcomes, and logistic regression model were developed to predict the prognosis of ALVOS.

Results

Endovascular therapy in ALVOS patients with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases, as compared with those without comorbidity, was associated with an unfavorable shift in the NHISS 24 h after EVT [8(4,15.25) versus 12(7.5,18.5), P = 0.005] and the lower percentage of patients who were functionally independent at 90 days, defined as a score on the modified Rankin scale of 0 to 2 (51.6% versus 25.4%, P = 0.000). There was no significant between-group difference in the frequency of mortality (12.1% versus 14.9%, P = 0.580) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (13.7% versus 19.4%, P = 0.302) or of serious adverse events. Moreover, a prediction model showed that existence of cardiopulmonary comorbidities (OR = 0.456, 95%CI 0.209 to 0.992, P = 0.048) was independently associated with functional independence at day 90.

Conclusions

EVT was safe in ALVOS patients with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases, whereas the unfavorable outcomes were achieved in such patients. Moreover, cardiopulmonary comorbidity had certain clinical predictive value for worse stroke prognosis.
Comprehensive analysis of T-cell regulatory factors and tumor immune microenvironment in stomach adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wang Shuchang , Zhang Weifeng , Wu Xinrui , Zhu Zhu , Chen Yuanbiao , Liu Wangrui , Xu Junnfei , Chen Li , Zhuang Chun
Published: May 2024

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors worldwide and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. However, the specific biomarkers used to predict the postoperative prognosis of patients with gastric cancer remain unknown. Recent research has shown that the tumor microenvironment (TME) has an increasingly positive effect on anti-tumor activity. This study aims to build signatures to study the effect of certain genes on gastric cancer.

Methods

Expression profiles of 37 T cell-related genes and their TME characteristics were comprehensively analyzed. A risk signature was constructed and validated based on the screened T cell-related genes, and the roles of hub genes in GC were experimentally validated.

Results

A novel T cell-related gene signature was constructed based on CD5, ABCA8, SERPINE2, ESM1, SERPINA5, and NMU. The high-risk group indicated lower overall survival (OS), poorer immune efficacy, and higher drug resistance, with SERPINE2 promoting GC cell proliferation, according to experiments. SERPINE2 and CXCL12 were significantly correlated, indicating poor OS via the Youjiang cohort.

Conclusions

This study identified T cell-related genes in patients with stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) for prognosis estimation and proposed potential immunotherapeutic targets for STAD.
Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based treatment beyond progression with prior immunotherapy in patients with driver-gene negative advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Wang Min , Jing Xuquan , Chen Feihu , Lu Shuangqing , Sun Yulan
Published: May 2024

Background

No definite conclusion has yet to be reached for immunotherapy beyond progression(IBP) of first-line immunotherapy as the second-line treatment for advanced NSCLC patients with negative driver genes. Therefore a retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of IBP in this population and investigated whether the cycles best response and progressive mode of first-line immunotherapy could affect the results.

Patients and methods

The clinical data of patients with advanced NSCLC whose response was evaluated as progressive disease (PD) after receiving a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors as first-line therapy were retrospectively collected and the patients were assigned to the IBP and non-IBP groups. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated between the two groups. The survival effects of cycles best response and progressive mode of first-line immunotherapy were also evaluated.

Results

Between January 2019 and January 2022, a total of 121 patients was evaluated as PD after first-line immunotherapy in our institution; 53 (43.8%) patients were included in the IBP group and 68 (56.2%) patients were included in the non-IBP group. The OS and PFS were no significantly different between the two groups in whole population. Further analysis revealed the OS was prolonged with the prolongation of first-line medication cycle. The median OS was 15.4m (15.4 vs 10.8 p=0.047) 16.1m (16.1 vs 10.8 p=0.039), 16.3m (16.3 vs 10.9 p=0.029) for patients with ≥4, ≥6, ≥8 cycles in first-line immunotherapy, respectively. The advantages of OS and PFS were also seen in the subgroup of PR (best response) and oligo progression of first-line immunotherapy.

Conclusions

The clinical outcomes of IBP were similar to those of non-IBP in patients with PD after first-line immnuotherapy in advanced NSCLC. But more cycles, PR as best response and oligo progression in first-line was benefit.
Observation of structural and vascular features of retina and choroid in myopia using ultra-widefield SS-OCTA
Authors: Si Yuanyuan , Pang Kunpeng , Song Yanling , Zhang Xia , Yang Hongling , Cui Yan
Published: May 2024

Background

To find the relationship between the changes of retinal and choriodal structure/ vascular densities (VD) and the myopia progress.

Methods

126 eyes of 126 age-matched young participants were divided into three groups: Emmetropia and Low Myopia (EaLM) (33 eyes), Moderate Myopia (MM) (39 eyes), and High Myopia (HM) (54 eyes). Fundus images measuring 12 × 12 mm were captured using ultra-widefield swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Each image was uniformly divided into nine regions: supra-temporal (ST), temporal (T), infra-temporal (IT), superior (S), central macular area (C), inferior (I), supra-nasal (SN), nasal (N), and infra-nasal (IN). Various structural parameters, including inner retina thickness (IRT), outer retina thickness (ORT), and choroid thickness (CT), were assessed, and the VD of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), choriocapillaries (CC), and choroid vessels (ChdV) were quantified.

Results

CT in upper fundus exhibited a significant reduction from EaLM to MM. Additionally, ORT (ST, S. SN, C, N, IT, I, IN), CT (ST, S, SN, T, C, N, IT, I, IN) and VDs of SCP (ST, S, C, I, IN), DCP (ST, S, T, C, I) and ChdV (T, N, I, IN) were statistically diminished in EaLM compared to HM. Furthermore, IRT (N), ORT (N, IN), CT (S, SN, T, C, IT, I) and VDs of SCP (I, IN) and DCP (I) exhibited significant decreases as MM progressed towards HM. Intriguingly, there was a notable increase in the VD of CC (ST, S, T, C, N) as myopia progressed from MM to HM.

Conclusion

Significant changes in retinal and choroid structure and vascular density occur as moderate myopia advances to high myopia. Efforts to curb myopia progression to this stage are essential, as the failure to do so may lead to the development of corresponding retinopathy.
Determinants of depressive and alcohol use disorders among female sex workers in Ethiopia: evidence from a national bio-behavioral survey, 2020
Authors: Yimam Jemal Ayalew , Luslseged Sileshi , Tura Jaleta Bulti , Bedassa Birra Bejiga , Wariso Feyiso Bati , Rameto Mohammed Ahmed , Abdella Saro
Published: May 2024

Background

Female sex workers (FSWs) face an elevated risk of developing mental health disorders and alcohol use disorders (AUD), which in turn increase their vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other negative outcomes. To effectively address both of these health issues, it is crucial to understand the shared key determinants underlying these illnesses, which is a substantial knowledge gap in Ethiopia and elsewhere in the world. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the common key determinants of depression and AUD among FSWs in Ethiopia using a bivariate multivariable ordinal logistic model.

Methods

We analyzed cross-sectional biobehavioral data collected in 2020 from 16 cities and major towns in Ethiopia using the respondent-driven sampling (RDS) technique, which involved a total of 6,085 FSWs. FSWs who had lived at the study sites for at least a month before the study period were deemed eligible for recruitment. Major depressive disorder (DD) and AUD were screened using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) and alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT), respectively. We used descriptive statistics to summarize study population characteristics and bivariate multivariable ordinal logistic regression (BMOLR) to identify common determinants of DD and AUD combined and their nonnormal correlation.

Results

Among 6085 FSWs screened for DD and AUD, 13.5% and 4.0% have met the criteria for moderate and severe depressive disorder, respectively, and 20.3% and 34.7% have met the AUDIT criteria for harmful or hazardous behavior and alcohol dependence, respectively. FSW with experience of inconsistent condom use, condom failure, violence, mobility, use of any drugs, non-paying partners, abortion, and selling sex for more than five years were associated with an increase in the severity of both disorders. A high average income from selling sex and the number of paying partners reduced the severity of depression and increased the level of alcohol dependence. Being HIV positive and ever having anal sex were associated only with an increase in depression.

Conclusion

Major DD and AUD are prevalent among FSWs in Ethiopia. The findings revealed that common key determinants, which exacerbated the severity of both disorders, were also risk factors for HIV and other STIs. Consequently, integrated STI strategies are essential in the screening, referral, and treatment of depression and AUD. Intervention packages should encompass determinants of depression and AUD, including condom utilization, drug use, mobility between towns, abortion, violence, and counseling services. Additionally, strategies to ensure economic security should be incorporated.
Developing an mHealth program to improve HIV care continuum outcomes among young Black gay and bisexual men
Authors: Plant Aaron , Sparks Paul , Creech Deborah Neffa , Morgan Ta’Jalik , Klausner Jeffrey D. , Rietmeijer Cornelis , Montoya Jorge A.
Published: May 2024

Background

Young Black gay and bisexual men (YBGBM) in the United States face significant disparities in HIV care outcomes. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have shown promise with improving outcomes for YBGBM across the HIV care continuum.

Methods

We developed an mHealth application using human-centered design (HCD) from 2019–2021 in collaboration with YBGBM living with HIV and with HIV service providers. Our HCD process began with six focus groups with 50 YBGBM and interviews with 12 providers. These insights were used to inform rapid prototyping, which involved iterative testing and refining of program features and content, with 31 YBGBM and 12 providers. We then collected user feedback via an online survey with 200 YBGBM nationwide and usability testing of a functional prototype with 21 YBGBM.

Results

Focus groups and interviews illuminated challenges faced by YBGBM living with HIV, including coping with an HIV diagnosis, stigma, need for social support, and a dearth of suitable information sources. YBGBM desired a holistic approach that could meet the needs of those newly diagnosed as well as those who have been living with HIV for many years. Program preferences included video-based content where users could learn from peers and experts, a range of topics, a community of people living with HIV, and tools to support their health and well-being. Providers expressed enthusiasm for an mHealth program to improve HIV care outcomes and help them serve clients. Rapid prototyping resulted in a list of content topics, resources, video characteristics, community features, and mHealth tools to support adherence, retention, goal setting, and laboratory results tracking, as well as tools to help organization staff to support clients. Online survey and usability testing confirmed the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of the content, tools, and features.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the potential of a video-based mHealth program to address the unique needs of YBGBM living with HIV, offering support and comprehensive information through a user-friendly interface and videos of peers living with HIV and of experts. The HCD approach allowed for continuous improvements to the concept to maximize cultural appropriateness, utility, and potential effectiveness for both YBGBM and HIV service organizations.
A qualitative study on diverse experiences of medication safety among foreign-born persons living in Sweden
Authors: Hultin Lisa , Pöder Ulrika , Hedström Mariann , Ekman Anna , Hjelm Katarina
Published: May 2024

Background

The ongoing global migration has led to multicultural societies, with many migrants who do not speak the official language in the host country. This could contribute to communication problems with staff in healthcare and a risk to patient safety. Research on patient safety in medication use in migrants is an under-researched area. The aim was to explore diverse foreign-born people’s experiences and perceptions of self-management of medication and determine if home-based practice patterns have implications on medication safety, and what factors may support safe medication use.

Methods

A qualitative explorative study, with individual semi-structured interviews and participant observations in the patients’ home. Qualitative content analysis was applied.

Results

A purposeful sample of 15 foreign-born persons identified by healthcare staff as having language difficulties in Swedish that may pose a safety risk in connection with medication use at home, was selected. Three categories were identified. The first category showed respondents being dependent on another person, having experiences of not receiving information about their medications due to language barriers, having difficulties getting access to the healthcare centre and feeling distrusted/misunderstood. The second category showed respondents being independent and self-motivated Although they struggled, they managed to get access/contact with the healthcare centre themselves and felt understood/listened to by the staff. The last category concerned factors that facilitating medication use; such as having a medication list in the respondents’ own language and offering a choice of language on the answering machine at the healthcare centre. Although they knew it was impossible to get an interpreter at the pharmacy, they felt safe knowing there was always a solution for receiving understandable information.

Conclusion

The findings highlighted that language barriers can complicate the communication between migrants and the healthcare, which can affect the medication safety. Understanding of this group is essential to improve the cooperation between patients and staff, leading to culturally congruent care. This knowledge should be used in healthcare to understand the gap in communication to increase patient safety. Further research from other angles, e.g. pharmacy/healthcare staff and relatives is needed to identify and evaluate facilitation to improve the outcome of the intended medication treatment.
Working from home during COVID-19: boundary management tactics and energy resources management strategies reported by public service employees in a qualitative study
Authors: Seinsche Laura , Schubin Kristina , Neumann Jana , Pfaff Holger
Published: May 2024

Background

Increased working from home has imposed new challenges on public service employees, while also granting opportunities for job crafting. Grounding on the Job Demands-Resources model and Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources theory this exploratory research aims to investigate the work-nonwork balance of employees one and a half years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the research focus lies on employees’ job crafting strategies to optimize their working from home experience concerning boundary management and energy resource management.

Methods

Twelve semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with public service employees from different sectors in Germany. The experiences were content analyzed using the software MaxQDA and inductive and deductive categories were derived.

Results

Boundary management comprised different strategies such as communicative (e.g., negotiating work time), physical (e.g., going to the garden), temporal (e.g., logging off in between the work day) and behavioral (e.g., prioritizing tasks) strategies. The job crafting strategies regarding energy management included preventing exhaustion (e.g. taking breaks), healthy cooking and energy management in case of sickness (e.g. deciding on sick leave).

Conclusions

This qualitative case study enriches research on job crafting by offering insights on boundary tactics and energy resources management strategies for remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results point out different starting points for employees and decision makers, how a work-nonwork balance, energy management and thus employees’ wellbeing may be increased when working from home in the future.

Trial registration

The study design and methodology were approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Cologne and the study was prospectively registered (Ref No. 21-1417_1).
Management of renal sinus angiomyolipoma: modified robotic nephron-sparing surgery in a single center
Authors: Zhang Yan , Zhang Zongbiao , Li Fan , Guan Wei
Published: May 2024

Background

Renal sinus angiomyolipoma (RSAML) is a rare and typically complex renal tumor. The objective is to present our single-center experience with a modified technique of robotic nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) for treating RSAML.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 15 patients with RSAMLs who were treated with robotic NSS at the Department of Urology of Tongji hospital, ranging from November 2018 to September 2022. Renal vessels and ureter were dissected. The outer part of RSAML was resected. The rest of tumor was removed by bluntly grasp, curettage and suction. Absorbable gelatin sponges were filled in the renal sinus. The preoperative parameters, operative measures and postoperative outcomes were all collected. Follow-up was performed by ultrasonography and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Results

Robotic NSS was successfully performed in all the patients, without any conversion to open surgery or nephrectomy. The mean operation time was 134.13 ± 40.56 min. The mean warm ischemia time was 25.73 ± 3.28 min. The median estimated blood loss was 100 [50, 270] ml and 1 patient required blood transfusion. The mean drainage duration was 5.77 ± 1.98 days. The median postoperative hospital stay was 6.90 [5.80, 8.70] days. Two patients experienced postoperative urinary tract infection (Clavien-Dindo Grade II). During the median follow-up of 25.53 ± 15.28 months, patients received 91.18% renal function preservation. No local recurrence occurred in all the patients.

Conclusions

Robotic NSS for RSAML is a complicated procedure that demands technical expertise and a well-designed strategy is critical in the operation. Treating RSAML with modified robotic NSS is safe, effective and feasible.