bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From microbe to metaphor: virus-like problems in organizations
Authors: Sleesman Dustin J. , Cronin Cory E.
Published: July 2023

Despite the important role of problem-solving in organizations, our understanding of the fundamental nature of problems is limited. To generate insights and discussion on this topic, we introduce the metaphor of a “virus-like” problem, which is a special kind of problem that often escapes the awareness of organizational leaders. Virus-like problems differ from other problems in organizations because, just like actual viruses, they are hidden, their source is difficult to identify, and they can quickly spread to others. Integrating the public health and organizational psychology fields, we draw lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and how it was (mis) managed by public officials to offer a new perspective on problems in organizations and offer practical ideas for how leaders can address virus-like problems of their own.
MINIMALLY INVASIVE ENDOSURGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE OBSTRUCTIVE OBSTRUCTION OF THE COLON
Authors: Boyko V. V. , Groma V. G. , Moiseyenko A. S. , Moiseyenko Yu. A.
Published: July 2023

Summary. The aim of the study. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment of patients with acute obstructive obstruction of the large intestine with the predominant use of minimally invasive intervention of colorectal stenting.

Materials and methods. An analysis of the treatment of 218 patients with obturation of the large intestine was carried out. The average age of the patients was 68.5±7.9 years. The age of all patients ranged from 43 to 79 years.

Results and discussion. The result of the installation of colorectal stents was the restoration of intestinal patency in 51 (98.1 %) patients. Radical surgical interventions were performed on the patients after copying the phenomena of acute obstructive obstruction of the large intestine and compensation of cardiac pathology.

Conclusions. The use of colorectal stenting in the treatment of acute obstructive obstruction of the large intestine allows to achieve a reduction in postoperative mortality and the number of complications, as well as to significantly reduce the postoperative bed-day.
RESULTS OF SURGICAL TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ISCHEMIA OF THE LOWER EXTREMITIES. SHORT-TERM DATA
Authors: Shaprynskyi V. V.
Published: July 2023

Summary. The aim of the study. To analyze the results of surgical treatment of patients with chronic ischemia of the lower extremities after using modern types of surgical approaches and technologies in the short term.

Materials and methods. The results of surgical treatment of 420 patients were studied. Since 2019, 198 patients (the main group) have been treated using the updated ESVS international guidelines. Both groups of patients (the main group and the comparison group) were comparable in terms of sex, age, location of the lesion, and type of surgical intervention.

A total of 98 (23.3 %) patients were operated on by the open method, 243 (57.9 %) by the endovascular method, and 79 (18.8 %) by the hybrid method. We studied such indicators as: postoperative thrombosis, limb amputations, mortality, as well as repeated operations performed due to complications or unsatisfactory results of the primary operation.

Results and their discussion. The most recent results of surgical interventions revealed that the largest number of complications was found in the group of patients with multilevel occlusive-stenotic lesions of arteries, which correlates with the data of international studies. The direct effectiveness of endovascular interventions is higher than that of open revascularization and hybrid operations, and the trauma of miniinvasive endovascular techniques is significantly less compared to the methods of open reconstructive surgery.

When analyzing the short-term results of surgical interventions, it was found that the largest number of complications was found in the group of patients with multilevel occlusive-stenotic lesions of arteries. The short-term effectiveness of endovascular interventions is higher than that of open revascularizations and hybrid operations, but has a clear tendency to decrease, unlike open operations, the results of which have a clear tendency to improve.

Conclusions. The selected technologies and the selected tactics of surgical intervention allow to increase the efficiency of treatment of patients in the immediate postoperative period and reduce the number of postoperative complications in the main group from 10.5 % to 4.9 %, repeated operations from 9.72 % to 3.06 %, amputations from 5.4 % to 1.84 % and mortality from 3.89 % to 1.84 %.

In the postoperative period, in the short term, the number of postoperative complications decreased from 11.59 % to 3.84 %, reoperations from 11.11 % to 3.04 %, amputations from 4.83 % to 2.3 %, and mortality from 3, 38 % to 1.53 %.
Motivación y comunicación como elementos para generar conocimientos útiles en estudiantes universitarios
Authors: Flores Bonilla José Rafael
Published: July 2023

La motivación y la comunicación educativa son elementos que el docente del siglo XXI debe priorizar como estrategias didácticas para eliminar la comunicación y la enseñanza mecánica y tradicional; para transformarlas en habilidades motivadoras que atraigan la indagación, investigación y los proyectos de extensión y vinculación social. Con este ensayo se pretende reflexionar sobre las debilidades y fortalezas que los docentes universitarios tenemos al desarrollar una clase. La empatía, la experiencia y afecto del docente hacia sus estudiantes, y la participación activa en metodologías participativas dedicadas a la comunicación y a la motivación; pueden definir el éxito o fracaso de los estudiantes universitarios.
La construcción social del riesgo en laderas volcánicas. El caso del Chiquihuite en la Ciudad de México
Authors: Mungaray Lagarda Alma , Benavides Rosales Antonio , Marín Cambranis Rafael
Published: July 2023

El artículo presenta un análisis de la construcción social del riesgo de desastre por deslizamientos de laderas volcánicas, fenómeno común en las urbes latinoamericanas en décadas recientes, donde el crecimiento poblacional a menudo tiene lugar en las periferias de las ciudades, dada la proliferación de asentamientos humanos irregulares que ocupan un paisaje de escarpadas laderas, formadas por domos de antiguos volcanes extintos, conocidos coloquialmente como “cerros”, al haberse perdido en la memoria colectiva los topónimos ancestrales de estos relieves, que denotan sus cualidades morfológicas o ceremoniales. Tomando como caso de estudio el volcán “Cerro del Chiquihuite”, en la Sierra de Guadalupe, que delimita por el sector norte a la Ciudad de México, capital de la República Mexicana, se exploran las dimensiones históricas, culturales y espaciales que intervienen en la creación de vulnerabilidades, cuyo entendimiento forma parte de la gestión integral de riesgos y puede ayudar a prevenir o reducir los riesgos de desastre.  Se utiliza el método hermenéutico, sistemas de información geográfica y visitas de campo, así como un enfoque integral del patrimonio paisajístico, para mostrar cómo los modelos de desarrollo y los asentamientos irregulares   guardan una estrecha relación con la construcción de los riesgos.
Jejak Pulau (Penelusuran Kehidupan di Daratan Tersembunyi Bangko Tinggia)
Authors: Cahyadi  , Jusmirad  , Irfawandi  , Rempe  , Eni  , Ramadani  , Septiansyah  , Ilyas  , Almaida  , Bahri  , Hijriana  , D. Anggraeni  , Sarah  , Andinar  , Mannuntungi  , N. Anggraeni  , Khairinisa  , Musfira  , Khibran  , Shafwan  , Usamah  , Songkeng  , Arina  , Mu’min  , Nisa  , Fathurrahman  , Arsyi  , Hirwan  , Ahmad  , Afgan  , Yusuf  , Irmawati  , Djohar  , Abriadie  , Muh. Syukur  , Agustang Andy Dody Mayputra
Published: July 2023

Buku ini menceritakan tentang kehidupan masyarakat yang bermukim di sebuah kepulauan tepatnya Pulau Tanakeke, dusun Bangko Tinggia. Kehidupan masyarakat yang diceritakan dalam buku ini ditinjau dari aspek Sosial Budaya, aspek Lingkungan, aspek Ekonomi serta aspek Pendidikan. Selain itu, juga dijelaskan tentang kondisi masyarakat yang memprihatinkan terutama dari segi ekonomi dan pendidikan yang diakibatkan kurangnya perhatian pemerintah terhadap kondisi yang dialami oleh masyarakat dusun Bangko Tinggia.
Characteristics of the psychosocial adaptation of adolescents from the perspective of the state of health
Authors: Paladi Oxana , Cojocaru Viorica
Published: July 2023

The article presents some results of the research carried out on the subject of psychosocial adaptation of adolescents with physical disabilities. In this context, both the concept of psychosocial adaptation and the concept of disability are described. According to the research approach, psychometric instruments were used to identify the peculiarities of psychosocial adaptation of adolescents with physical disabilities. Moreover, for the study carried out, we considered it important to identify the relationship between the research variables such as general indices of psychosocial adaptation, hopelessness scale, affective problems, anxiety problems, somatic accusations, attention problems, oppositional behavior problems, conduct problems, the components of self-esteem and - the psychosocial factors related to the process of psychosocial adaptation of adolescents with physical disabilities. In this paper, we will only describe the relationship between the listed variables and the health status (with disability/without disability) of adolescents, but in general, the research carried out also refers to other factors: the environment of residence, the type of disability, the mode of studies
Preeclampsia como factor asociado al trastorno del espectro autista en pacientes de el instituto nacional de salud del niño en el año 2018
Authors:   , Chonati Asencios Pilar Elena
Published: July 2023

Objetivo: Determinar si la preeclampsia es un factor asociado al trastorno del espectro autista en pacientes del Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño en el año 2018. Métodos y materiales: La investigación es de tipo analítico, casos y controles, transversal, retrospectivo. La población fue de 11,444 pacientes atendidos en el servicio de Psiquiatría de el Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño, de los cuales la muestra fue de un total de 694 pacientes, siendo dividido en dos grupos, los cuales constan de 347 casos, siendo los pacientes con diagnostico de trastorno del espectro autista y 347 controles, siendo los pacientes no diagnosticados con trastorno del espectro autista. Resultados: Los resultados de la presente investigación determinaron que los factores asociados al desarrollo de el trastorno del espectro autista son los siguientes: antecedente materno de preeclampsia con p<0.05 y un OR: 8.160 (IC95%: 5.703-11.676), edad materna ≥35 años con p<0.05 y un OR: 1.482 (IC95%: 1.099-1.998) y al sexo al nacer masculino con un p<0.05 y un OR: 4.763 (IC95%: 3.416-6.641) ya que fueron estadísticamente significativos. Conclusiones: Los factores asociados al trastorno del espectro autista en pacientes de el Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño en el año 2018 fueron la preeclampsia, la edad materna ≥35 años y el sexo masculino.
Riesgos relacionados a atonía uterina en puérperas del servicio de gineco-obstetricia del hospital nacional dos de mayo entre el período 2014-2018, Lima
Authors:   , Ñiquen Salazar Gracia Sol Gianella
Published: July 2023

Objetivo: Identificar los riesgos relacionados a atonía uterina en puérperas del servicio de Gineco - Obstetricia del Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo entre el período 2014- 2018, Lima. Materiales y Métodos: Es un estudio de tipo observacional, analítico, transversal, de caso y control, retrospectivo. La muestra con la que se contó fue de 100 puérperas que presentaron atonía uterina en el Hospital Nacional Dos de Mayo que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión, el muestreo fue no probabilístico. La información que se recopiló se transcribió a una ficha de recolección de datos para luego ser procesada mediante el programa IBM SPSS 0.25. Resultados: Los riesgos relacionados a atonía uterina fueron: clínicos, epidemiológico y obstétricos. Los riesgos clínicos relacionados fueron: el 6,3% la hipertensión arterial, el 3,3 % la obesidad, el 3,3% el hipertiroidismo y el 0,8% la diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Los riesgos epidemiológicos relacionados fueron: el 20,3 % el nivel de educación secundaria, el 16,5% la edad entre 18 y 24 años, y el 16,3 % estado civil convivientes. Los riesgos obstétricos fueron: el 20,5 % el parto eutócico, el 17% el parto precipitado, 10 %, el uso de oxitócicos, el 5,8% el trabajo de parto prolongado, el 5,3% la macrosomía fetal y el 1,8% la infección intra amniótica. Conclusiones: Los riesgos relacionados a atonía uterina fueron: clínicos, epidemiológicos y obstétricos. Destacando primero los riesgos obstétricos, seguido de los epidemiológicos y en menor porcentaje los riesgos clínicos.
Radish management and grazing effects on weed control and corn response
Authors: Nelson Kelly A. , Sandler Leah N. , Dhakal Dhruba , Erwin Zachary L. , Brake Derek , Singh Gurbir , Kaur Gurpreet
Published: July 2023

Planting cover crops (CCs) may improve soil health, protect from soil erosion, interrupt disease and pest cycles, minimize weed infestations, provide grazing opportunities, and increase commodity crop yields. In upstate Missouri, field research (2012 and 2013) evaluated the effect of tillage (reduced and no‐till), planting date (nonseeded, early, and late Sept.) of radish (Raphanus sativus L.), grazing (grazed and nongrazed radish) on winter annual weed control, and radish and corn (Zea mays L.) response. The experiment was a split–split plot design with grazed and nongrazed radish as the main plot, tillage as the subplot, and radish planting time as the sub‐subplot with four replicates. The results of this research during 2011–2012 were under extreme drought and 2012–2013 under flash drought conditions. Early planted radish produced greater tuber and foliage mass and reduced winter annual weed dry weights compared to late planting. Grazing in the autumn during dry years did not affect weed control and corn yield. The use of CCs during drought conditions can help alleviate forage shortages for livestock producers, but early planting of radish is critical for autumn grazing. Late‐planted radish treatments resulted in greater corn grain yield than the early planted radish and nonseeded control in 2013; however, there was no impact of planting date and tillage on corn yield in 2012. When planted early, weed control and winter‐kill characteristics of radish make it a favorable CC prior to corn, but radish growth was poor when planted following typical corn harvest dates in upstate Missouri.
Binary Bacillus subtilis protects the intestinal mucosa barrier and alleviates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
Authors: Liu Donglin , Chen Pengguo
Published: July 2023

Background

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by liver steatosis, inflammation, and even fibrosis. NASH is likely to develop into cirrhosis and liver cancer, the major causes of liver related deaths. We aimed to study the effect of probiotics on NASH via the gut‐liver axis.

Methods

Thirty male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into three groups. A control group of 10 rats was fed on a standard chow for 16 weeks. Twenty rats fed on a high‐fat diet for 8 weeks were separated to two groups: a model group (10 rats) fed on vehicle for 8 weeks and a treatment group (10 rats) supplemented with binary Bacillus subtilis for 8 weeks. Hepatic expression of IL‐6 and TNF‐ɑ and ileum expression of IL‐17 and occludin were measured.

Results

The high‐fat diet caused inflammation of the liver and ileum in rats. Binary Bacillus subtilis treatment reduces liver inflammation through the intestinal liver axis. Increased levels of IL‐6 and TNF‐α were detected in rats fed a high‐fat diet, which were reduced to lower levels after treatment with binary Bacillus subtilis. In rats on the high‐fat diet, elevated IL‐17 levels and decreased occludin levels were observed. Treatment with Bacillus subtilis reduced IL‐17 levels and restored the expression of occludin.

Conclusion

Binary Bacillus subtilis has a beneficial effect on liver inflammation and intestinal damage.
Isostructural Nanocluster Manipulation Reveals Pivotal Role of One Surface Atom in Click Chemistry
Authors: Dong Chunwei , Huang Ren‐Wu , Sagadevan Arunachalam , Yuan Peng , Gutiérrez‐Arzaluz Luis , Ghosh Atanu , Nematulloev Saidkhodzha , Alamer Badriah , Mohammed Omar F. , Hussain Irshad , Rueping Magnus , Bakr Osman M.
Published: July 2023

Elucidating single‐atom effects on the fundamental properties of nanoparticles is challenging because single‐atom modifications are typically accompanied by appreciable changes to the overall particle's structure. Herein, we report the synthesis of a [Cu58H20PET36(PPh3)4]2+ (Cu58; PET: phenylethanethiolate; PPh3: triphenylphosphine) nanocluster—an atomically precise nanoparticle—that can be transformed into the surface‐defective analog [Cu57H20PET36(PPh3)4]+ (Cu57). Both nanoclusters are virtually identical, with five concentric metal shells, save for one missing surface copper atom in Cu57. Remarkably, the loss of this single surface atom drastically alters the reactivity of the nanocluster. In contrast to Cu58, Cu57 shows promising activity for click chemistry, particularly photoinduced [3+2] azide‐alkyne cycloaddition (AAC), which is attributed to the active catalytic site in Cu57 after the removal of one surface copper atom. Our study not only presents a unique system for uncovering the effect of a single‐surface atom modification on nanoparticle properties but also showcases single‐atom surface modification as a powerful means for designing nanoparticle catalysts.
Recent Development in Urban Polyhydroxyalkanoates Biorefineries
Authors: Kaur Parneet , Bhola Shivam , Kumar Pradeep , Kumar Vinay , Kulshreshtha Saurabh , Sharma Anuj , Park SeoA , Choi Kwon‐Young
Published: July 2023

The widespread use of plastic items and their improper disposal harms not only physical environments but also human health globally. Therefore, a bioplastic or polymer that can completely vanish from the environment is the foremost priority. Bioplastic can be manufactured using raw materials from plants, animals, and microbes. Polyhydroxyalkaonates (PHAs) is a type of bioplastic which is naturally produced by microbes and importantly biodegradable as well as biocompostable. PHA production utilizing commercial sugars is an economically cost‐effective process. Due to urbanization and industrialization a huge amount of waste is generated around the world and its management is a major environmental issue. Urban wastes produced by wastewater treatment plant, agro/food‐processing industries, dairy industries, and even from household uses can be an economically sustainable feedstock for the synthesis of PHAs. The current status of bioplastic around the globe is summarized, and the urban waste potential as a feedstock for advances in PHA production technology is reviewed.
Moderate aortic stenosis in patients with myocardial infarction: A guilty bystander?
Authors: Caretta Giorgio , Menozzi Alberto
Published: July 2023

Key Points

The study shows that moderate aortic stenosis is associated with a twofold incidence of in‐hospital heart failure and is an independent predictor of mortality among patients presenting with myocardial infarction.

Patients with moderate aortic stenosis and recent myocardial infarction warrant a tight follow‐up and represent a peculiar population that may derive potential benefits from earlier valvular intervention.

Definitive conclusions about the causal role of moderate aortic stenosis in mortality among patients with recent myocardial infarction and unfavorable outcomes need future investigations.
It's time for an update—A perspective on fuel cell electrodes
Authors: Lee Andre Pin Chun , Lee ChungHyuk
Published: July 2023

Hydrogen fuel cell technology is gaining significant attention as a promising alternative for decarbonizing automotive vehicles. At the heart of hydrogen fuel cell technology is the electrode, composed of catalysts, supports, binders, and pores, which facilitates the half‐cell reactions and often governs the efficiency of fuel cells. Over the last decade, scientists have made great strides in discovering catalyst, support, and binder materials featuring unique nanostructures and compositions that significantly enhance the efficiency of those devices. While innovations must continue, we must not overlook how these materials are put together to form an electrode and how it impacts the overall efficiency. This perspective article discusses the urgent need for developing alternative electrodes for designing next generation hydrogen fuel cells.
Pd(II)/Lewis Acid Catalyzed Intramolecular Oxidative C−H Amination to Construct Carbazoles with Dioxygen
Authors: Jiang Hongwu , Li Kaiwen , Dong Shuangfeng , Chen Zhuqi , Yin Guochuan
Published: July 2023

Transition‐metal‐catalyzed oxidative C−H amination reactions are among the most attractive topics in organic synthesis to construct nitrogen‐containing motifs. The challenge is that most of these reactions employed stoichiometric oxidants to achieve satisfied catalytic efficiencies. Herein, we report a Pd(II)/LA‐catalyzed (LA: Lewis acid) oxidative C−H amination reaction of 2‐acetaminobiphenyls to construct carbazoles by using dioxygen balloon as the sole oxidant source, and the presence of LA sharply improved the catalytic efficiency of Pd(OAc)2. Remarkably, in certain cases, the deacetylation of the annulation product happened under standard conditions to afford free carbazoles as the final product. The H/D exchange studies confirmed the reversibility of C−H activation and also disclosed multiple C−H activation sites by using −NAc and −NTs as the directing groups. In addition, the palladacycle compound was identified through 1H NMR characterizations and proved to be the intermediate prior to the carbazole formation.
Morphological variation in the vomer of aquatic and terrestrial spelerpini salamanders
Authors: Darcy Hannah E. , Anderson Philip S. L.
Published: July 2023

The vomer is an important tooth‐bearing cranial bone in the lungless salamanders (Caudata: Plethodontidae) that serves different functional roles in aquatic versus terrestrial feeding. Vomerine tooth rows that run parallel with the maxillary teeth are thought to help grasp prey while expelling water from the mouth, while posterior extensions of the tooth row may help terrestrial taxa bring prey down the throat. We hypothesize that these two general morphological types will correlate with the habitat (aquatic vs. terrestrial) of adult salamanders. Alternatively, variation in form may be due to taxonomic effects, such that closely related species will have similar vomer morphology regardless of adult habitat. To test this hypothesis, we examined vomer shape on a set of species of the morphologically diverse tribe Spelerpini, in which two of the five genera (Eurycea and Gyrinophilus) include both aquatic and terrestrial species. Data were collected using micro computed tomography (micro‐CT) scans from specimens from the Field Museum of Natural History and the Illinois Natural History Survey; additional data was obtained from public online repositories including Morphosource.org. Two‐dimensional geometric morphometric analyses were performed to capture shape variation of both the vomer and the vomerine tooth row. We found clear separation between aquatic and terrestrial taxa, with most of the variation due to differences in the vomerine tooth row. Differences ascribed to habitat use likely correspond to feeding behavior, and the functional role of the vomer in prey processing warrants further investigation in this species‐rich salamander family.
Mechanism and application of β‐adrenoceptor blockers in soft tissue wound healing
Authors: Jia Shasha , Wang Xueya , Wang Guowei , Wang Xiaojing
Published: July 2023

Soft tissue damage stimulates sympathetic nerves to release large amounts of catecholamine hormones which bind to β‐adrenergic receptors (β‐ARs) on the cell membrane surface. It activates the downstream effector molecules and impairs soft tissue wound healing. β‐blockers specifically inhibit β‐ARs activation in acute/chronic skin lesions and ulcerative hemangiomas. They also accelerate soft tissue wound healing by shortening the duration of inflammation, speeding keratinocyte migration and reepithelialization, promoting wound contraction and angiogenesis, and inhibiting bacterial virulence effects. In addition, β‐blockers shorten wound healing periods in patients with severe thermal damage by reducing the hypermetabolic response. While β‐blockers promote/inhibit corneal epithelial cell regeneration and restores limbal stem/progenitor cells function, it could well accelerate/delay corneal wound healing. Given these meaningful effects, a growing number of studies are focused on examining the efficacy and safety of β‐blockers in soft tissue wound repair, including acute and chronic wounds, severe thermal damage, ulcerated infantile hemangioma, corneal wounds, and other soft tissue disorders. However, an intensive investigation on their acting mechanisms is imperatively needed. The purpose of this article is to summerize the roles of β‐blockers in soft tissue wound healing and explore their clinical applications.
Commemorations and outreach: Shi‘i leaders of metro Detroit take on theCOVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Wellman Rose , Jaffal Islam
Published: July 2023

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus (COVID‐19) outbreak a global pandemic, spurring dramatic changes in public health policies, travel between countries, and (trans)national economies, as well as in religious and political institutions. In the United States, in particular, the pandemic provoked and revealed an increasingly fraught relationship between scientific, religious, and political sources of information and leadership—an American “crisis of authority” wherein many Americans distrusted scientific and medical establishments. This article explores how Shi‘i Muslim institutions and leaders of metro Detroit navigated these competing authorities, even as their communities faced entrenched societal inequities, including anti‐Muslim racism (Islamophobia). Through interviews with Shi‘i religious leaders in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, and Detroit, supplemented by digital and in‐person ethnographic research at five major Shi‘i mosques, we show how major Islamic centers and leaders argued for the efficacy, safety, religious value, and legality of COVID‐19 medical guidance and led extensive community outreach initiatives to help their struggling communities. Supported by religious scholars in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon, their guidance offered messages of hope and resilience, as well as an emphasis on the community preservation and selflessness (caring for others) exemplified by the Family of the Prophet. They also emphasized how religious and scientific knowledge intersect, as per the sacred texts of Islam (the Qur'an and hadiths). Their approach compels us to better understand how sources of religious authority can tether vulnerable communities to forms of (legitimate) knowledge in times of upheaval, divisive politics, and misinformation.
Patient Safety/Quality Improvement Primer, Part IV: How to Measure and Track Improvements
Authors: Stepan Katelyn O. , Lavin Jennifer M. , Mehta Vikas
Published: July 2023

Patient safety and quality improvement (PS/QI) has become an integral part of the health care system, and the ability to effectively use data to track, understand, and communicate performance is essential to designing and implementing quality initiatives, as well as assessing their impact. Though many otolaryngologists are proficient in the methodologies of traditional research pursuits, educational gaps remain in the foundational principles of PS/QI measurement strategies. Part IV of this PS/QI primer discusses the fundamentals of measurement design and data analysis methods specific to PS/QI. Consideration is given to the selection of appropriate measures when designing a PS/QI project, as well as the method and frequency for collecting these measures. In addition, this primer reviews key aspects of tracking and analyzing data, providing an overview of statistical process control methods while highlighting the construction and utility of run and control charts. Lastly, this article discusses strategies to successfully develop and execute PS/QI initiatives in a way that facilitates the ability to appropriately measure their effectiveness and sustainability.
Antitumor effect of luteolin proven by patient‐derived organoids of gastric cancer
Authors: Hao Xinyu , Zu Ming , Ning Jing , Zhou Xin , Gong Yueqing , Han Xiurui , Meng Qiao , Li Dong , Ding Shigang
Published: July 2023

Luteolin (Lut) has been shown to inhibit gastric cancer (GC); however, its efficacy compared to other clinical drugs has not been examined in human samples. This study aimed to elucidate the antitumor activity of Lut in GC patient‐derived organoids (PDOs). PDOs were established from GC cancer tissues, and the characterization of tissues and PDOs was performed using whole‐exome sequencing. Drug sensitivity tests were performed by treating PDOs with Lut, norcantharidin (NCTD), and carboplatin (CP). RNA sequencing of PDOs was performed to elucidate the antitumor mechanism of Lut, which was further verified in three GC cell lines. Eleven PDOs were successfully constructed, and were highly consistent with the pathophysiology and genetic changes in the corresponding tumors. The IC50s of Lut, NCTD, and CP of PDOs were 27.19, 23.9, and 37.87 μM, respectively. Lut treatment upregulated FOXO3, DUSP1, and CDKN1A expression and downregulated IL1R1 and FGFR4 expression in GC cell lines, which was consistent with the results of PDOs. We demonstrate that Lut exerted stronger antitumor effects than CP, but a similar effect to that of NCTD, which was obtained in an in vitro PDO system. Additionally, Lut exerted varying degrees of antitumor effects against the PDOs, thereby indicating that PDO may be a useful preclinical drug screening tool for personalized treatment.
Artificial Dendritic Cells: A New Era of Promising Antitumor Immunotherapy
Authors: Mateus Daniela , Sebastião Ana I. , Frasco Manuela F. , Carrascal Mylène A. , Falcão Amílcar , Gomes Célia M. , Neves Bruno , Sales Maria G. F. , Cruz Maria T.
Published: July 2023

The accelerated development of antitumor immunotherapies in recent years has brought immunomodulation into the spotlight. These include immunotherapeutic treatments with dendritic cell (DC)‐based vaccines which can elicit tumor‐specific immune responses and prolong survival. However, this personalized treatment has several drawbacks, including being costly, labor‐intensive, and time consuming. This has sparked interest in producing artificial dendritic cells (aDCs) to open up the possibility of standardized “off‐the‐shelf” protocols and circumvent the cumbersome and expensive personalized medicine. aDCs take advantage of materials that can be designed and tailored for specific clinical applications. Here, an overview of the immunobiology underlying antigen presentation by DCs is provided in an attempt to select the key features to be mimicked and/or improved through the development of aDCs. The inherent properties of aDCs that greatly impact their performance in vivo and, consequently, the fate of the triggered immune response are also outlined.
First‐Row Transition Metals for Catalyzing Oxygen Redox
Authors: Wang Hengwei , Pei Yu , Wang Keliang , Zuo Yayu , Wei Manhui , Xiong Jianyin , Zhang Pengfei , Chen Zhuo , Shang Nuo , Zhong Daiyuan , Pei Pucheng
Published: July 2023

Rechargeable zinc–air batteries are widely recognized as a highly promising technology for energy conversion and storage, offering a cost‐effective and viable alternative to commercial lithium‐ion batteries due to their unique advantages. However, the practical application and commercialization of zinc–air batteries are hindered by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Recently, extensive research has focused on the potential of first‐row transition metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) as promising alternatives to noble metals in bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalysts, leveraging their high‐efficiency electrocatalytic activity and excellent durability. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the recent advancements in the mechanisms of ORR/OER, the performance of bifunctional electrocatalysts, and the preparation strategies employed for electrocatalysts based on first‐row transition metals in alkaline media for zinc–air batteries. The paper concludes by proposing several challenges and highlighting emerging research trends for the future development of bifunctional electrocatalysts based on first‐row transition metals.
Redox‐Functionalized Semiconductor Interfaces for Photoelectrochemical Separations
Authors: Cho Ki‐Hyun , Chen Raylin , Elbert Johannes , Su Xiao
Published: July 2023

Redox‐mediated electrosorption is a promising platform for selective electrochemical (EC) separations, due to its molecular selectivity, high uptake, and tunability for target ions. However, the electrical energy required is mainly generated by non‐renewable energy sources, which limits its sustainability and overall impact to decarbonization. Here, a redox‐mediated photoelectrochemical (PEC) separation process using polyvinyl ferrocene functionalized TiO2nanorod electrodes is proposed, which integrates direct solar energy as a driver for the selective electrosorption. The photoelectrochemically‐driven oxidation and reduction with both homogeneous and heterogeneous ferrocene‐systems is investigated to establish the underlying mechanism. The PEC system can separate heavy metal oxyanions at lower voltages or even without electrical energy. At 0.3 V versus SCE, a 124 mg g−1uptake for Mo is achieved, which is comparable to the performance of EC cells at 0.75 V versus SCE. Thus, PEC systems not only can generate energy for spontaneous redox‐separations, but also can reduce electrical energy consumption by 51.4% compared to EC cells for separation processes when coupled with an external electrical energy.
Spatial proteomics landscape and immune signature analysis of renal sample of lupus nephritis based on laser-captured microsection
Authors: Zheng Fengping , Tang Donge , Li Shanshan , Luo Zhifeng , Song Yueqi , Huang Yinxin , Gan Qing , Liu Hanyong , Zhang Xinzhou , Liu Dongzhou , Wang Qingwen , Xiong Zuying , Dai Yong
Published: July 2023

Objective

We aimed to reveal a spatial proteomic and immune signature of kidney function regions in lupus nephritis (LN).

Material and methods

The laser capture microdissection (LCM) was used to isolate the glomerulus, tubules, and interstitial of the kidney from paraffin samples. The data-independent acquisition (DIA) method was used to collect proteomics data. The bioinformatic analysis was performed.

Results

A total of 49,658 peptides and 4056 proteins were quantitated. Our results first showed that a high proportion of activated NK cells, naive B cells, and neutrophils in the glomerulus, activated NK cells in interstitial, and resting NK cells were accumulated in tubules in LN. The immune-related function analysis of differential expression proteins in different regions indicated that the glomerulus and interstitial were major sites of immune disturbance and regulation connected with immune response activation. Furthermore, we identified 7, 8, and 9 hub genes in LN’s glomerulus, renal interstitial, and tubules. These hub genes were significantly correlated with the infiltration of immune cell subsets. We screened out ALB, CTSB, LCN2, A2M, CDC42, VIM, LTF, and CD14, which show higher performance as candidate biomarkers after correlation analysis with clinical indexes. The function within three regions of the kidney was analyzed. The differential expression proteins (DEGs) between interstitial and glomerulus were significantly enriched in the immune-related biological processes, and myeloid leukocyte-mediated immunity and cellular response to hormone stimulus. The DEGs between tubules and glomerulus were significantly enriched in cell activation and leukocyte-mediated immunity. While the DEGs between tubules and interstitial were enriched in response to lipid, antigen processing, and presentation of peptide antigen response to oxygen-containing compound, the results indicated a different function within kidney regions.

Conclusions

Collectively, we revealed spatial proteomics and immune signature of LN kidney regions by combined using LCM and DIA.
Association between depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality in Chilean adult population: prospective results from two national health surveys
Authors: Luna Eliazar , Pikhart Hynek , Peasey Anne
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Depression is a prevalent disorder with effects beyond mental health. A positive association with mortality has been mostly reported, however, evidence comes from a few high-income countries. This study aims to assess the association between depressive symptoms and all-cause mortality in the Chilean population and assess a potential secular effect in this association.

Methods

This prospective study used data from the Chilean National Health Survey (CNHS). Data from 3151 and 3749 participants from the 2003 and 2010 CNHS, respectively, were linked to mortality register data. Cox survival analysis was performed. The main exposure was depressive symptoms, measured with CIDI-SF (cut-off ≥ 5), and the outcome all-cause mortality. The study period was limited to 8.5 years to allow for the same length of follow-up.

Results

10% and 8.5% of participants from the 2003 and 2010 cohort died during the follow-up. Adjusting for age and sex, those with depressive symptoms had 1.58 (95% CI 1.18–2.13) and 1.65 (95% CI 1.14–2.12) times the risk to die than those without symptoms in the 2003 and 2010 cohort, respectively. In models adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural variables and comorbidities, participants with depressive symptoms had 1.42 (95% CI 1.05–1.92) and 1.46 (95% CI 1.07–− 1.99) times the risk to die compared to those without symptoms in the 2003 and 2010 cohort, respectively.

Conclusion

Chilean adults with depressive symptoms are at higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to those without symptoms. The effect size was similar regardless of the economic development of the country.
No man is an island: trust, trustworthiness, and social networks among refugees in Germany
Authors: El-Bialy Nora , Aranda Elisa Fraile , Nicklisch Andreas , Saleh Lamis , Voigt Stefan
Published: July 2023

We analyze possible links between both trust and trustworthiness among Syrian refugees in Germany in relation to two different forms of social networking: bonding networks, which include only other Syrians, and bridging networks, which include people from the host country. Our results show that Syrians who engage in bonding networks show higher levels of trust and (un)conditional trustworthiness when interacting with a Syrian compared to a German participant. In turn, for refugees engaged in bridging networks, the positive discrimination refugees display towards their own peers decreases regarding trust and conditional trustworthiness and vanishes regarding unconditional trustworthiness. Newly arrived Syrian refugees tend to engage in bonding networks, whereas the length of stay and having a private home coincide with more bridging networks.
Bayesian log-linear beta-negative binomial integer-valued Garch model
Authors: Chu Yuanqi , Yu Keming
Published: July 2023

When dealing with time series with outlying and atypical data, a commonly used approach is to develop models based on heavy-tailed distributions. The literature coping with continuous-valued time series with extreme observations is well explored. However, current literature on modelling integer-valued time series data with heavy-tailedness is less considered. The state of the art research on this topic is presented by Gorgi (J R Stat Soc Ser B (Stat Methodol) 82:1325–1347, 2020) very recently, which introduced a linear Beta-negative binomial integer-valued generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (BNB-INGARCH) model. However, such proposed process allows for positive correlation only. This paper develops a log-linear version of the BNB-INGARCH model, which accommodates both negative and positive serial correlations. Moreover, we adopt Bayesian inference for better quantifying the uncertainty of unknown parameters. Due to the high computational demand, we resort to adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling schemes for parameter estimations and inferences. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated via a simulation study and empirical applications.
Signal Communication and Modular Theory
Authors: Longo Roberto
Published: July 2023

We propose a conceptual frame to interpret the prolate differential operator, which appears in Communication Theory, as an entropy operator; indeed, we write its expectation values as a sum of terms, each subject to an entropy reading by an embedding suggested by Quantum Field Theory. This adds meaning to the classical work by Slepian et al. on the problem of simultaneously concentrating a function and its Fourier transform, in particular to the “lucky accident” that the truncated Fourier transform commutes with the prolate operator. The key is the notion of entropy of a vector of a complex Hilbert space with respect to a real linear subspace, recently introduced by the author by means of the Tomita-Takesaki modular theory of von Neumann algebras. We consider a generalization of the prolate operator to the higher dimensional case and show that it admits a natural extension commuting with the truncated Fourier transform; this partly generalizes the one-dimensional result by Connes to the effect that there exists a natural selfadjoint extension to the full line commuting with the truncated Fourier transform.
Scalable manufacturing of gene-modified human mesenchymal stromal cells with microcarriers in spinner flasks
Authors: Couto Pedro Silva , Stibbs Dale J. , Rotondi Marco C. , Takeuchi Yasuhiro , Rafiq Qasim A.
Published: July 2023

Due to their immunomodulatory properties and in vitro differentiation ability, human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) have been investigated in more than 1000 clinical trials over the last decade. Multiple studies that have explored the development of gene-modified hMSC-based products are now reaching early stages of clinical trial programmes. From an engineering perspective, the challenge lies in developing manufacturing methods capable of producing sufficient doses of ex vivo gene-modified hMSCs for clinical applications. This work demonstrates, for the first time, a scalable manufacturing process using a microcarrier-bioreactor system for the expansion of gene-modified hMSCs. Upon isolation, umbilical cord tissue mesenchymal stromal cells (UCT-hMSCs) were transduced using a lentiviral vector (LV) with green fluorescent protein (GFP) or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transgenes. The cells were then seeded in 100 mL spinner flasks using Spherecol microcarriers and expanded for seven days. After six days in culture, both non-transduced and transduced cell populations attained comparable maximum cell concentrations (≈1.8 × 105 cell/mL). Analysis of the culture supernatant identified that glucose was fully depleted after day five across the cell populations. Lactate concentrations observed throughout the culture reached a maximum of 7.5 mM on day seven. Immunophenotype analysis revealed that the transduction followed by an expansion step was not responsible for the downregulation of the cell surface receptors used to identify hMSCs. The levels of CD73, CD90, and CD105 expressing cells were above 90% for the non-transduced and transduced cells. In addition, the expression of negative markers (CD11b, CD19, CD34, CD45, and HLA-DR) was also shown to be below 5%, which is aligned with the criteria established for hMSCs by the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT). This work provides a foundation for the scalable manufacturing of gene-modified hMSCs which will overcome a significant translational and commercial bottleneck.

Key points

• hMSCs were successfully transduced by lentiviral vectors carrying two different transgenes: GFP and VEGF

• Transduced hMSCs were successfully expanded on microcarriers using spinner flasks during a period of 7 days

• The genetic modification step did not cause any detrimental impact on the hMSC immunophenotype characteristics
The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score indicates an increased risk of anastomotic leakage after anterior resection for rectal cancer
Authors: Golshani Parisa , Park Jennifer , Häggström Jenny , Segelman Josefin , Matthiessen Peter , Lydrup Marie-Louise , Rutegård Martin ,   on behalf of the RectoLeak study group, Gerdin Anders , Sjöström Olle , Staffan Maria , Jangmalm Staffan , Royson Hanna , Tsimogiannis Konstantinos , Anderin Kajsa , Nygren Jonas , Hurtig Jennie
Published: July 2023

Background

Preoperative inflammation might cause and also be a marker for anastomotic leakage after anterior resection for rectal cancer. Available biomarker indices such as the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) or the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) may be clinically useful for leakage assessment.

Methods

Patients who underwent anterior resection for rectal cancer during 2014–2018 from a multicentre retrospective cohort were included. Data from the Swedish Colorectal Cancer registry and chart review at each hospital were collected. In a subset of patients, preoperative laboratory assessments were available, constituting the exposures mGPS and CAR. Anastomotic leakage within 12 months was the outcome. Causally oriented analyses were conducted with adjustment for confounding, as well as predictive models.

Results

A total of 418 patients were eligible for analysis. Most patients had mGPS = 0 (84.7%), while mGPS = 1 (10.8%) and mGPS = 2 (4.5%) were less common. mGPS = 2 (OR: 4.11; 95% CI: 1.69–10.03) seemed to confer anastomotic leakage, while this was not seen for mGPS = 1 (OR 1.09; 95% CI: 0.53–2.25). A cut off point of CAR > 0.36 might be indicative of leakage (OR 2.25; 95% CI: 1.21–4.19). Predictive modelling using mGPS rendered an area-under-the-curve of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.67–0.79) at most.

Discussion

Preoperative inflammation seems to be involved in the development of anastomotic leakage after anterior resection for cancer. Inclusion into prediction models did not result in accurate leakage prediction, but high degrees of systemic inflammation might still be important in clinical decision-making.