bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Soil Water‐Soluble Organic Matter by Continuous Use of Corn Biochar Using Three‐Dimensional Fluorescence Spectra and Deep Learning
Authors: jin Liang , Wei Dan , Yin Dawei , Zou Guoyuan , Li Yan , Zhang Yitao , Ding JianLi , Wang Lei , Liang Lina , Sun Lei , Wang Wei , Shen Huibo , Wang Yuxian , Xu Junsheng
Published: March 2023

The purpose is to study the soil’s water‐soluble organic matter and improve the utilization rate of the soil layer. This exploration is based on the theories of three‐dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy, deep learning, and biochar. Chernozem in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, is taken as the research object. Three‐dimensional fluorescence spectra and a deep learning model are used to analyze the content of water‐soluble organic matter in the soil layer after continuous application of corn biochar for six years and to calculate different fluorescence indexes in the whole soil depth. Among them, the three‐dimensional fluorescence spectrum theory provides the detection standard for the application effect detection of biochar, the deep learning theory provides the technical support for this exploration, and the biochar theory provides the specific research direction. The results show that the application of corn biochar for six consecutive years significantly reduces the average content of water‐soluble organic matter in different soil layers. Among them, the highest average content of soil water‐soluble organic matter is “nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous” (NPK) and the lowest is “boron, carbon” (BC). Comparing the soil with BC alone, in the topsoil, the second section (330–380 nm/200–250 nm) with BC + NPK increases by 13.3%, the third section (380–550 nm/220–250 nm) increases by 8.4%, and the fourth section (250–380 nm/250–600 nm) increases by 50.1%. The combination of nitrogen (N) + BC has a positive effect of 20.7%, 12.2%, and 28.4% on sections I, II, and IV, respectively. In addition, in the topsoil, the combination of NPK + BC significantly increases the content of acid‐like substances compared with the application of BC alone. In the black soil, with or without fertilizer NPK, there is no significant difference in the level of fulvic acid‐like components. The prediction of soil water‐soluble organic matter after continuous application of corn biochar based on three‐dimensional fluorescence spectra and deep learning is carried out, which has reference significance for the rapid identification and early prediction of subsequent soil activity.
A Case Report of Bowel Perforation in a Gravid COVID-19 Patient
Authors: Guiritan A. T. , Cataluña J. G.
Published: March 2023

Background. Bowel perforation in a pregnant patient with COVID-19 infection is a rarely reported complication. With the uncovering of the different treatment modalities and complications of this disease, this case highlights diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas and limitations in a special population. Clinical Presentation. A 35-year-old female, Gravida 2 Para 1 at 31 weeks age of gestation (AOG) who underwent cesarean section for nonreassuring fetal status in 2019, was admitted for severe COVID-19 infection presenting with dyspnea. During her hospitalization, she developed progressive dyspnea from worsening of COVID-19 infection. Patient was eventually intubated and was given a total of two doses of tocilizumab, adequate antibiotic treatment, remdesivir, and dexamethasone. An emergency repeat cesarean section was performed due to maternal deterioration and poor variability of the fetus. She delivered to a live preterm baby girl, with an Apgar score of 1 and 7 on the 1st and 5th minute of life respectively. During the postoperative days, patient remained intubated and sedated. Increasing residuals were noted per nasogastric tube (NGT). Serial scout film of the abdomen (SFA) and medical management were performed. Upon weaning from sedation, patient complained of right lower quadrant pain. A whole abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast was requested which revealed large bowel obstruction. Patient was referred to surgery service. Upon assessment, abdomen was noted to be rigid with guarding during palpation. A scout film of the abdomen was requested and revealed extensive amount of pneumoperitoneum with scanty to absent colonic gas suggestive of bowel perforation. Patient underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy. Upon opening the peritoneum, free air was evacuated. Approximately 1.4 liters of fecaloid peritoneal fluid was suctioned and adhesive band was noted at the pelvic area. A 2 cm full thickness perforation at the cecum with 17 cm serosal tear from the cecum to ascending colon was noted. Bowel loops proximal to the perforation were dilated. Nasogastric tube was inserted for bowel decompression. Right hemicolectomy was performed. Specimen was sent for histopathology. Acute inflammatory cells infiltrating the blood vessels and possible microthrombi and beginning thrombus formation were noted in the subserosa. Patient eventually expired on the 14th hospital day from sepsis. Conclusion. This case highlights a rarely reported complication of COVID-19 infection. Confluence of factors that predisposed the patient include pregnancy, COVID-19 infection, use of tocilizumab, and recent surgery. High index of suspicion is vital in the management and improvement of outcomes.
Correlation of Soil Physiochemical Properties, Microorganism Numbers, and Bacterial Communities Following Unburned and Burned Sugarcane Harvest
Authors: Chungopast Sirinapa , Phankamolsil Napaporn , Thaymuang Wipawan , Phommuangkhuk Aunthicha , Karuna Suchada , Inboonchuay Tawatchai
Published: March 2023

The effects on soil properties were studied following sugarcane burning during harvesting based on the analysis of soil properties and the number of microorganisms. The soil bacterial community structure was observed using metagenomics. It was found that burned sugarcane harvesting reduced the soil moisture and total nitrogen contents and decreased the numbers of bacterial fungi and actinomycetes. Furthermore, there were decreased numbers of nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria beneficial to plants. The Firmicutes phylum (46.79%) was found abundantly in the soil after burned sugarcane harvest. Paenibacillus (34.20%) and Bacillus (9.19%) were dominant at the genus level. On the other hand, in the soil after unburned sugarcane harvest, the diversity index was higher than that after burned sugarcane harvest. Actinobacteria (25.92%) dominated at the phylum level, and Candidatus koribacter, Gaiella, Pseudolabrys, and Sphingomonas dominated at the genus level in the unburned plots. Changing the bacterial community resulted in a change in correlation with soil properties. Therefore, the impacts from burned sugarcane harvesting should be realized, specifically that soil physiochemical and biological properties are degraded (except for some groups of bacteria) along with their functions in the soil.
Preclinical Efficacy of the Antibody–Drug Conjugate CLDN6–23-ADC for the Treatment of CLDN6-Positive Solid Tumors
Authors: McDermott Martina S.J. , O'Brien Neil A. , Hoffstrom Benjamin , Gong KeWei , Lu Ming , Zhang Jun , Luo Tong , Liang Min , Jia Weiping , Hong Jenny J. , Chau Kevin , Davenport Simon , Xie Bin , Press Michael F. , Panayiotou Richard , Handly-Santana Abram , Brugge Joan S. , Presta Leonard , Glaspy John , Slamon Dennis J.
Published: March 2023

Purpose:

Claudin-6 (CLDN6) is expressed at elevated levels in multiple human cancers including ovarian and endometrial malignancies, with little or no detectable expression in normal adult tissue. This expression profile makes CLDN6 an ideal target for development of a potential therapeutic antibody–drug conjugate (ADC). This study describes the generation and preclinical characterization of CLDN6–23-ADC, an ADC consisting of a humanized anti-CLDN6 monoclonal antibody coupled to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) via a cleavable linker.

Experimental Design:

A fully humanized anti-CLDN6 antibody was conjugated to MMAE resulting in the potential therapeutic ADC, CLDN6–23-ADC. The antitumor efficacy of CLDN6–23-ADC was assessed for antitumor efficacy in CLDN6-positive (CLDN6+) and -negative (CLDN6−) xenografts and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of human cancers.

Results:

CLDN6–23-ADC selectively binds to CLDN6, versus other CLDN family members, inhibits the proliferation of CLDN6+ cancer cells in vitro, and is rapidly internalized in CLDN6+ cells. Robust tumor regressions were observed in multiple CLDN6+ xenograft models and tumor inhibition led to markedly enhanced survival of CLDN6+ PDX tumors following treatment with CLDN6–23-ADC. IHC assessment of cancer tissue microarrays demonstrate elevated levels of CLDN6 in 29% of ovarian epithelial carcinomas. Approximately 45% of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas and 11% of endometrial carcinomas are positive for the target.

Conclusions:

We report the development of a novel ADC, CLDN6–23-ADC, that selectively targets CLDN6, a potential onco-fetal-antigen which is highly expressed in ovarian and endometrial cancers. CLDN6–23-ADC exhibits robust tumor regressions in mouse models of human ovarian and endometrial cancers and is currently undergoing phase I study.
Precision Cut Lung Slices as a Preclinical Model for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Chemoprevention
Authors: Sompel Kayla , Smith Alex J. , Hauer Caroline , Elango Alamelu P. , Clamby Eric T. , Keith Robert L. , Tennis Meredith A.
Published: March 2023

Lung cancer chemoprevention is critical to addressing cancer burden in high-risk populations. Chemoprevention clinical trials rely on data from preclinical models; however, in vivo studies have high financial, technical, and staffing requirements. Precision cut lung slices (PCLS) provide an ex vivo model that maintains the structure and function of native tissues. This model can be used for mechanistic investigations and drug screenings and reduces the number of animals and time required to test hypotheses compared with in vivo studies. We tested the use of PCLS for chemoprevention studies, demonstrating recapitulation of in vivo models. Treatment of PCLS with the PPARγ agonizing chemoprevention agent iloprost produced similar effects on gene expression and downstream signaling as in vivo models. This occurred in both wild-type tissue and Frizzled 9 knockout tissue, a transmembrane receptor required for iloprost's preventive activity. We explored new areas of iloprost mechanisms by measuring immune and inflammation markers in PCLS tissue and media, and immune cell presence with immunofluorescence. To demonstrate the potential for drug screening, we treated PCLS with additional lung cancer chemoprevention agents and confirmed activity markers in culture. PCLS offers an intermediate step for chemoprevention research between in vitro and in vivo models that can facilitate drug screening prior to in vivo studies and support mechanistic studies with more relevant tissue environments and functions than in vitro models.

Prevention Relevance:

PCLS could be a new model for premalignancy and chemoprevention research, and this work evaluates the model with tissue from prevention-relevant genetic and carcinogen exposed in vivo mouse models, in addition to evaluating chemoprevention agents.
Renal Lipoma-Like Angiomyolipoma of Tumour Thrombus Extending to the Confluence of Inferior Vena Cava with Right Atrium: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Zhuang Juntao , Wu Qikai , Yang Xiao , Cai Lingkai , Li Kai , Hua Hongjin , Bao Meiling , Yu Ruixi , Liu Peikun , Li Pengchao , Cao Qiang , Lu Qiang
Published: March 2023

Angiomyolipoma (AML) complicated with tumour thrombus extending to the confluence of inferior vena cava (IVC) with right atrium is rarely observed. We report a female AML patient admitted to our centre on January 21, 2020, with complication of tumour thrombus extending to the confluence of IVC with right atrium and had no sign of difficult breathing. She underwent whole-abdominal enhanced CT for abdominal pain and was diagnosed with a possible renal AML with tumour thrombus. Open radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy of vena cava were performed. Intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography indicated that the tumour thrombus has reached the confluence of IVC with right atrium. The operation took 255 min with an intraoperative haemorrhage of 800mL. The patient was discharged 7 days after surgery. Pathology revealed lipoma-like AML. Immunohistochemistry showed vimentin (+), EMA (−), HMB45 (+), S-100 (−), SMA (+), TFE-3 (−), melan A (+). After 2 years of follow-up, we found that the patient showed full recovery and had no recurrence. Therefore, lipoma-like AML should also be followed closely for recurrence and metastasis. When AML involves IVC tumour thrombus, open thrombectomy and radical nephrectomy are safe and effective methods.
Current Approach to Dysphagia: A Review Focusing on Esophageal Motility Disorders and Their Treatment
Authors: Mascarenhas André , Mendo Rui , O’Neill Catarina , Franco Ana Rita , Mendes Raquel , Simão Inês , Rodrigues José Pedro
Published: March 2023

Background: Dysphagia is a prevalent condition which may severely impact the patient’s quality of life. However, there are still lacking standardized therapeutic options for esophageal motility disorders. Summary: Dysphagia is defined as a subjective sensation of difficulty swallowing which can result from oropharyngeal or esophageal etiologies. Regarding esophageal dysphagia, after excluding structural causes and esophageal mucosal lesions, high-resolution manometry (HRM) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders. HRM has not only improved the sensitivity for detecting achalasia but has also expanded our understanding of spastic and hypomotility disorders of the esophageal body. The Chicago Classification v4.0 uses a hierarchical approach and provides a standardized diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders, allowing a tailored therapeutic approach. Dysphagia is often a long-term health problem that broadly impacts health and well-being and leads to physical and psychosocial disability, namely, malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia, as well as social isolation, depression, and anxiety. Apart from achalasia, most esophageal motility disorders tend to have a benign long-term course with symptoms of dysphagia and noncardiac chest pain that can improve significantly over time. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are self-assessment tools that capture the patients’ illness experience and help providers better understand symptoms from the patients’ perspective. Therefore, PROs have a critical role in providing patient-centered care. Key Messages: Motility disorders should be ruled out in the presence of nonobstructive esophageal dysphagia, and treatment options should be considered according to the severity of symptoms reported by the patient.
Lungenkarzinom-assoziierte maligne Ergüsse: Neue Therapie könnte mit Einzeldosis Bevacizumab etabliert werden
Authors: Stanzel Franz
Published: March 2023

The usage of bevacizumab for malignant pleural effusion (MPE) or malignant pericardial effusion (MPCE) has attracted increasing interest from researchers, but the precise ways of bevacizumab administration remain unknown. Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with MPE or MPCE were enrolled in the study and treated with a low dose of single bevacizumab (100 mg) intrapleurally or intrapericardially injected after the drainage of the effusions. The Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS), efficacy, and safety of drug administration were used as evaluation parameters in this study. The results indicated that lung cancer-related symptoms were significantly improved following treatment, compared with symptoms before the treatment (LCSS, score 494 ± 78 vs. score 377 ± 77, mean ± SD) (P < 0.001). Malignant effusions were well controlled, and the median time to progression (TTP) was 91 days and 111 days in MPE and MPCE, respectively. In addition, no severe side effects were observed, except in one patient with mild dizziness. In summary, the low dose of single bevacizumab (100 mg) with intrapleural or intrapericardial injection is effective and safe in the treatment of lung cancer-mediated malignant effusion, rapidly improving the malignant effusion-related symptoms and quality of life in patients with NSCLC.
Perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19 em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva no interior do Brasil
Authors: Rodrigues Mateus de Sousa , Guimarães Jáiron , Cerqueira Filho Renato Bispo de , Mota Júnior Américo Alves da , Moura José Carlos de , Moura Samuel Miranda de
Published: March 2023

Objetivo: Descrever o perfil epidemiológico de pacientes admitidos por COVID-19 em unidade de terapia intensiva em hospital de uma cidade do interior nordestino. Métodos: Estudo observacional e retrospectivo a partir de dados do protocolo eletrônico do serviço dos pacientes com admissão entre 24 de abril de 2020 e 31 de dezembro de 2020. Foram avaliados dados referentes a sexo, faixa etária, convênio, necessidade de intubação orotraqueal e desfecho. Resultados: Um total de 118 pacientes foram incluídos no estudo. Homens foram mais acometidos do que mulheres. A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 65,35 anos, sendo a média de idade das mulheres (70,53 anos) maior que a média de idade dos homens (62,37 anos). Em relação à faixa etária, os idosos corresponderam a 66,11% dos pacientes. 48,31% dos pacientes necessitaram de intubação orotraqueal, destes 61,40% eram do sexo masculino, com desfecho para óbito em 75,44% dos pacientes intubados. Do total de pacientes do estudo, 40,68% evoluíram para óbito. Conclusão: Observou-se maior acometimento e letalidade em homens e em idosos. A quantidade de homens adultos admitidos foi o triplo da quantidade de mulheres adultas admitidas.
Roudinesco, Elisabeth. O eu soberano: Ensaio sobre as derivas identitárias. Tradução: Eliana Aguiar. 1ª Ed. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar, 2022.
Authors: Menezes Caroline Rodrigues
Published: March 2023

Publicado na França em março de 2021, Soi-même comme un roi: essai sur les dérives identitaires chega ao Brasil, traduzido para o português como “O eu soberano: ensaio sobre as derivas identitárias”, novo livro de Elisabeth Roudinesco. Eu que escrevo, quem sou? É pergunta que vem sendo lançada por algumas tendências pós-coloniais ou decoloniais também na literatura brasileira, negando a possibilidade de compreensão daquilo que não seja o Eu. Se partimos de tal questionamento, a leitura de Elisabeth Roudinesco, mulher branca francesa, torna-se, de partida, enviesada, marcada pelo colonialismo intrínseco aos europeus, impossibilitando férteis debates que poderiam surgir da leitura das 304 páginas em que discorre, com ampla base bibliográfica, sobre gênero, raça, pós-colonialidades, interseccionalidade e movimentos identitários de esquerda e direita.
O descompromisso da arte em "The Liar", de Henry James
Authors: Soranzo Thaís
Published: March 2023

Em consonância com as reivindicações de escritores ingleses do contexto finissecular, Henry James elabora, em “A Arte da Ficção” (1884), uma espécie de manifesto artístico em que confere à literatura uma autonomia estética que a desvincula de qualquer compromisso moral. Tais preceitos, por sua vez, não se restringiram ao projeto teórico do autor. A partir da criação de personagens-artistas, James estende essa discussão para o plano ficcional de modo a torná-la mais complexa. Com o objetivo de traçar paralelos entre a produção crítica e literária do autor, este artigo apresenta uma leitura de “The Liar” (1888), conto que mobiliza importantes aspectos do projeto estético de Henry James ao problematizar o estatuto da arte.
Transparência como indício de credibilidade em iniciativas de jornalismo independente — o caso Agência Pública
Authors: Patrício Edgard , Lima Raphaelle Christine Batista de
Published: March 2023

Confiança é o que sustenta a relação entre uma organização jornalística e sua audiência. A partir do conceito de credibilidade, analisamos como o discurso institucional de “transparência” corrobora com a construção de relações de confiança entre organizações de jornalismo independente e suas audiências. Observamos em textos institucionais da Agência Pública, de 2011 a 2019, distintos marcadores de credibilidade vinculados à transparência, ora específicos das iniciativas independentes, ora próximos das organizações jornalísticas do mainstream.
Justiça reprodutiva: um caminho para justiça social e equidade racial e de gênero
Authors: Lopes Fernanda
Published: March 2023

Este artigo não é investigativo, mas uma reflexão pessoal e subjetiva, usando referenciais de direitos humanos, acerca da justiça reprodutiva como conceito-potência em disputa, estratégia de intervenção social interseccional e, ao mesmo tempo, instrumento de promoção da justiça social e equidade racial e de gênero. Longe de ser conclusivo, apresenta a justiça reprodutiva como um campo de ativismo e uma convocação à mudança sistêmica nas discussões sobre trajetórias reprodutivas.
Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Team-Based Care for Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis and Simulation Study
Authors: Bryant Kelsey B. , Rao Aditi S. , Cohen Laura P. , Dandan Nadine , Kronish Ian M. , Barai Nikita , Fontil Valy , Zhang Yiyi , Moran Andrew E. , Bellows Brandon K.
Published: March 2023

Background:

Team-based care (TBC), a team of ≥2 healthcare professionals working collaboratively toward a shared clinical goal, is a recommended strategy to manage blood pressure (BP). However, the most effective and cost-effective TBC strategy is unknown.

Methods:

A meta-analysis of clinical trials in US adults (aged ≥20 years) with uncontrolled hypertension (≥140/90 mm Hg) was performed to estimate the systolic BP reduction for TBC strategies versus usual care at 12 months. TBC strategies were stratified by the inclusion of a nonphysician team member who could titrate antihypertensive medications. The validated BP Control Model-Cardiovascular Disease Policy Model was used to project the expected BP reductions out to 10 years and simulate cardiovascular disease events, direct healthcare costs, quality-adjusted life years, and cost-effectiveness of TBC with physician and nonphysician titration.

Results:

Among 19 studies comprising 5993 participants, the 12-month systolic BP change versus usual care was −5.0 (95% CI, −7.9 to −2.2) mm Hg for TBC with physician titration and −10.5 (−16.2 to −4.8) mm Hg for TBC with nonphysician titration. Relative to usual care at 10 years, TBC with nonphysician titration was estimated to cost $95 (95% uncertainty interval, −$563 to $664) more per patient and gain 0.022 (0.003–0.042) quality-adjusted life years, costing $4400/quality-adjusted life year gained. TBC with physician titration was estimated to cost more and gain fewer quality-adjusted life years than TBC with nonphysician titration.

Conclusions:

TBC with nonphysician titration yields superior hypertension outcomes compared with other strategies and is a cost-effective way to reduce hypertension-related morbidity and mortality in the United States.
Building Community Consensus for Scientific Metadata with YAMZ
Authors: Greenberg Jane , McClellan Scott , Rauch Christopher , Zhao Xintong , Kelly Mat , An Yuan , Kunze John , Orenstein Rachel , Porter Claire , Meschke Vanessa , Toberer Eric
Published: March 2023

This paper reports on a demonstration of YAMZ (Yet Another Metadata Zoo) as a mechanism for building community consensus around metadata terms. The demonstration is motivated by the complexity of the metadata standards environment and the need for more user-friendly approaches for researchers to achieve vocabulary consensus. The paper reviews a series of metadata standardization challenges, explores crowdsourcing factors that offer possible solutions, and introduces the YAMZ system. A YAMZ demonstration is presented with members of the Toberer materials science laboratory at the Colorado School of Mines, where there is a need to confirm and maintain a shared understanding for the vocabulary supporting research documentation, data management, and their larger metadata infrastructure. The demonstration involves three key steps: 1) Sampling terms for the demonstration, 2) Engaging graduate student researchers in the demonstration, and 3) Reflecting on the demonstration. The results of these steps, including examples of the dialog provenance among lab members and voting, show the ease with YAMZ can facilitate building metadata vocabulary consensus. The conclusion discusses implications and highlights next steps.
Maturation of the Bandung Project with Lessons from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
Authors: Campbell Horace G.
Published: March 2023

January 2022 marked the rollout of the largest trading block in the world, the RCEP. It is the argument of the paper that this trading block emerged out of four periods of the Bandung Process that was launched in 1955 for the process of decolonization. In 1954, the Vietnamese army defeated the army of France and Dien Bien Phu. A year later, Vietnam was one of the founding members of the Bandung process. This was the project initiated by the formerly colonized states to form a global coalition to resist imperialism. Organizing to consolidate independence under the banner of the struggles for bread, freedom and justice, the Bandung movement anchored the nonaligned movement, the struggles in Palestine, the struggles against apartheid and the struggles for a New International Economic Order (NIEO). As a member of the 10 member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Vietnam has been at the forefront of opposing western economic and military domination of Asia. This resistance had matured in the formation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement which was signed in November 2020. RCEP brings together China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The paper traces four moments of the Bandung Process and brought to the fore the importance of the current historical conjuncture when Vietnamese diplomatic leadership within ASEAN facilitated this new trade deal. The combination of the intensified warfare, global health pandemics, crisis of global warming, the fragility of capital, the weaponization of trade and finance and instability generated by the US political system, along with systemic racism continues to point to the necessity for a new international monetary and financial system (IMFS). From the Bandung era, through the financial crises of capitalism, the societies of the South have been seeking new institutions and formations to break the stranglehold of western imperialism and white supremacy. The paper will highlight the possibilities offered by RECP in the context of the continued struggles for a New International Economic Order in opposition to the US project of the weaponization of trade and finance.
Towards Use of Capability, Opportunity and Motivation Model in Predicting Ugandan Citizens’ Behavior towards Engagement in Policy Formulation through E-participation
Authors: Nabafu Robinah , Moya Musa B. , Isoh Alain V. N. , Kituyi Geoffrey M. , Ngwa Oneurine
Published: March 2023

Though the government of Uganda has put in place a fully-fledged ministry of ICT and allowed citizens to electronically participate in policy formulation following article 37 of the constitution of Uganda, most citizens are still reluctant. This reluctance has led to limited participation and formulation of unrepresentative policies, loss of citizens’ trust in government, and defiance of formulated policies. This study’s focus was to apply the capability, opportunity, and motivation (COM-B) model to understand how citizens’ engagement behaviors toward policy formulation could be improved. The following hypotheses were tested: There is a significant influence of motivation and opportunity on capability; Capability mediates the relationship between motivation, opportunity, and engagement; and there is a significant influence of capability, opportunity, and motivation on engagement. A survey was used to collect data from 361 respondents in four regions in Uganda using a multistage and simple random sampling method. Collected data were analysed using SPSS and SEM. Study findings found a significant influence of Motivation and Opportunity on Capability; a significant direct influence of Opportunity and Capability on engagement; and a significant indirect influence of motivation on engagement through capability. Implying that Capability partially mediates the relationship between Opportunity and engagement but fully mediates the relationship between Motivation and engagement. However, Opportunity had the strongest influence on capability and engagement behaviors. This study’s contribution was in testing the applicability of the COM-B model in policy formulation in Uganda. The recommendation to policymakers is to increase opportunity since it has a stronger influence on both Capability and engagement behaviors.
Deep Learning Forecast Uncertainty for Precipitation over the Western United States
Authors: Hu Weiming , Ghazvinian Mohammadvaghef , Chapman William E. , Sengupta Agniv , Ralph Fred Martin , Delle Monache Luca
Published: March 2023

Reliably quantifying uncertainty in precipitation forecasts remains a critical challenge. This work examines the application of a deep learning (DL) architecture, Unet, for postprocessing deterministic numerical weather predictions of precipitation to improve their skills and for deriving forecast uncertainty. Daily accumulated 0–4-day precipitation forecasts are generated from a 34-yr reforecast based on the West Weather Research and Forecasting (West-WRF) mesoscale model, developed by the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes. The Unet learns the distributional parameters associated with a censored, shifted gamma distribution. In addition, the DL framework is tested against state-of-the-art benchmark methods, including an analog ensemble, nonhomogeneous regression, and mixed-type meta-Gaussian distribution. These methods are evaluated over four years of data and the western United States. The Unet outperforms the benchmark methods at all lead times as measured by continuous ranked probability and Brier skill scores. The Unet also produces a reliable estimation of forecast uncertainty, as measured by binned spread–skill relationship diagrams. Additionally, the Unet has the best performance for extreme events (i.e., the 95th and 99th percentiles of the distribution) and for these cases, its performance improves as more training data are available.

Significance Statement

Accurate precipitation forecasts are critical for social and economic sectors. They also play an important role in our daily activity planning. The objective of this research is to investigate how to use a deep learning architecture to postprocess high-resolution (4 km) precipitation forecasts and generate accurate and reliable forecasts with quantified uncertainty. The proposed approach performs well with extreme cases and its performance improves as more data are available in training.
Laparoscopic Paraesophageal Hernia Repair With Nissen Fundoplication in a Patient With Ancient Schwannoma of the Gastroesophageal Junction
Authors: Enciso Benjamin M. , Stadsvold Brianna , Bolduc Aaron R. , Hilton Renee L.
Published: March 2023

Schwannomas are mostly benign tumors that originate from Schwann cells and are rarely seen in the gastrointestinal tract. Our patient is a 65-year-old female who was found to have a 1.5 cm lesion at the gastroesophageal junction, which was clipped and excised on endoscopy. Histologic examination demonstrated an ancient schwannoma. Two years afterward, she presented to our clinic for a large type III paraesophageal hernia. We took her to the operating room for a laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia repair and Nissen fundoplication. We performed an upper endoscopy during the case and found no recurrence of the ancient schwannoma. The case progressed well without complications. She was discharged on postoperative day 1 after tolerating a pureed diet and reported no issues in follow-up. In summary, we demonstrate a successful surgical outcome in a patient who had undergone resection of this rare tumor 2 years prior to her surgery.
Predictive Value of the Naples Prognostic Score for Acute Kidney Injury in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Karakoyun Suleyman , Cagdas Metin , Celik Aziz Inan , Bezgin Tahir , Tanboga Ibrahim H , Karagoz Ali , Cınar Tufan , Dogan Remziye , Saygi Mehmet , Oduncu Vecih
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this investigation was to investigate whether there was an association between the Naples prognostic score and the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The study comprised 2901 consecutive STEMI patients who had pPCI. For each patient, the Naples prognostic score was determined. To evaluate the predictive performance of the Naples score (which included either continuous and categorical variables), we developed a Nested model and a nested model combined with the Naples score. The Naples prognostic score was the most significant predictor of AKI occurrence after admission creatinine, age, and contrast volume. The continuous Naples prognostic score model provided the best prediction performance and discriminative ability. The C-index of the Nested and full models with continuous Naples prognostic score were significantly higher than that of the Nested model. The decision curve analysis found that the overall model had a higher full range of probability of clinical net benefit than the baseline model, with a 10% AKI likelihood. The present study found that the Naples prognostic score may be useful to predict the risk of AKI in STEMI patients undergoing pPCI.
Changing perspectives among pre-health undergraduates through a brief weight bias pedagogical intervention
Authors: Bolter Nicole D , Sosna Daria , Arauzo Megan , George Gretchen L
Published: March 2023

Background:

Weight stigma and bias are present in education, employment, and health care institutions, and have increased in recent years. College students in pre-health majors have been documented to hold weight biases, and interventions to mitigate these beliefs have had varying results.

Objectives:

This study’s purpose was to assess the impact of a pedagogical intervention regarding weight stigma outcomes among first-year students.

Method:

Three instructors of lower-division health and social science courses implemented a 3-module lecture series on weight stigma, the environmental sources of weight variability, and body appreciation. Participants ( N = 81; 48 from intervention (INT) classrooms, 33 from comparison [COM] classrooms) completed an end-of-semester survey regarding their anti-fat biases, fat phobia, and body appreciation, and a subset ( n = 13) participated in a semi-structured interview about their experiences.

Results:

Results revealed no outcome differences between the treatment versus comparison groups, although self-reported body mass index (BMI) was a significant covariate ( p = .008). A significant correlation emerged between BMI and fear of fat scores for COM ( r = .52, p < .01) but not for INT students ( r = .28, p > .05), suggesting the intervention may have impacted how students form their anti-fat biases in relation to their BMI. Qualitative findings yielded five themes – connected course material with personal experiences; learned about weight stigma; shifted perspective on weight stigma; recognised application of weight stigma; material to future career; and valued learning about weight stigma – that provided insight into how the intervention positively affected students.

Conclusion:

Informed by the findings from this study, future interventions should take a more immersive pedagogical approach.
‘Everybody needs to be on board’: Individual and organisational youth worker experiences of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy training and implementation in a multi-cultural Singaporean context
Authors: Ho Luke , Goh Timothy , Kwan Jin Yao , Lim Joan , Khor Joanna
Published: March 2023

Despite growing knowledge of intervention outcomes associated with Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, practitioner-centred processes of training and implementation, especially involving social workers of the same organisation in a non-Western, Asian setting, remain research gaps. Over 1 year, using in-depth qualitative interviews with Singaporean youth workers to understand individual and organisational experiences of training and implementation, findings indicated that, chronologically and cumulatively, the combination of a formative training experience, individual implementation, and organisational and team experiences led to personal and professional development. This study has implications for youth workers to better understand the therapy individually and organisationally, thereby improving its long-term impact.
Strength distributions of laminated FeNi-based metal amorphous nanocomposite ribbons
Authors: Schneider Kyle P , McHenry Michael E , de Boer Maarten P
Published: March 2023

Metal Amorphous Nanocomposite (MANC) materials offer low losses at high magnetic switching frequency, enabling high power density motors with increased rotational speed. While MANCs have high strength, they are brittle. The use of motor components such as a rotor consisting of brittle material presents a reliability concern. Here, a promising MANC alloy is subjected to tensile tests and failure is observed with high-speed photography. A method is developed to prepare tensile specimens of laminated MANC and epoxy layers, simulating the stacking of an epoxy-impregnated tape-wound core. Tensile tests are conducted for single layer ribbon and for five- and ten-layer stacks of laminated material with thin layers of thermosetting epoxy. Failure distributions are shown to have increasing Weibull modulus with increasing layer count. The composite MANC material system is modeled using chain-of-bundles models. Using a k-failure model, we show that single ribbon strength distribution data can be used to predict well the failure distribution of laminated stacks. The agreement occurs when the assumed ineffective length, over which load is recovered in a failed layer, is comparable to the observed interlaminar separation length.
Effects of the modification of bacterial cellulose as a template for the in situ enzyme-catalyzed polymerization of catechol
Authors: Shim Euijin , Silva Carla , Cavaco-Paulo Artur , Kim Hye Rim
Published: March 2023

In this study, we investigated the effects of the modification of bacterial cellulose used as a template on the in situ polymerization of catechol by laccase. The bacterial cellulose was modified by sulfonation and the entrapment of carboxymethyl cellulose. The catechol polymerization was optimized at a pH of 5.5, catechol concentration of 50 mM, and synthesis time of 24 h. After the in situ polymerization, conductive and colored bacterial cellulose composites were obtained. The bacterial cellulose composites containing oligomers/polymers were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and color strength measurements, and the conductivity of the bacterial cellulose composites was evaluated using a four-probe method. The results revealed that the modification of bacterial cellulose as a template for catechol oxidation resulted in the production of fibers with enhanced coloration and conductive properties owing to the presence of the enzymatically-obtained polymers. The results suggest the promising potential of both sulfonated bacterial cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose-bacterial cellulose as templates for the formation of other functional polymers and composite materials.
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY DYNAMICS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Authors: Asongu Simplice A. , Odhiambo Nicholas M.
Published: March 2023

The potential for information technology penetration in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is very high compared to other regions. Unfortunately, productivity levels in the area are also deficient. This study investigates the importance of information technology in influencing the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on total factor productivity (TFP) dynamics. The focus is on 25 countries in SSA. Information technology is measured with mobile phone and internet penetration, while the engaged TFP productivity dynamics are TFP, real TFP, welfare TFP, and real welfare TFP. The empirical evidence is based on the Generalized Method of Moments. The findings show that except regressions about real TFP growth for which the estimations do not pass post-estimation diagnostic tests, it is apparent that information technology modulates FDI to positively influence TFP dynamics (i.e., TFP, welfare TFP, and welfare real TFP). Policy and theoretical implications are discussed.
A framework for the implementation of consultation-liaison psychiatry from the characteristics of psychosomatic consultations at a general hospital in China
Authors: Xue Zou , Yanwen Liu , Wenwen Zhang , Mei Li , Huihui Jing , Hongbin Lu , Ying Wang , Ning Liu , Le Han , Xueyang Han , Yitong Hou , Mingxiao Ma
Published: March 2023

Objective

To describe the characteristics of a consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) service at a general hospital in China, compare the literature on CLP in other hospitals in China and abroad, and identify reasons for the differences.

Methods

The medical records of all inpatients who received liaison consultations in the first year of the establishment of Xi’an International Medical Center Hospital were reviewed. Demographic data, specific department, number of consultations, reasons for consultation, outcome of consultation, and follow-up information on patients was collected.

Results

A total of 630 patients were enrolled during the first year of the hospital’s opening, of which 45.2% were male and 54.8% were female. A total of 89.2% of non-psychiatric departments requested a psychosomatic consultation. The percentage of middle-aged and elderly patients was 75.6%, of whom 61.6% were aged 45 to 74 years. The internal medicine department requested the highest number of consultations (48.2%), including those from respiratory medicine (12.1%), neurology (12.1%), gastroenterology (12.1%), and cardiology (12.1%). Among surgical patients, orthopedic patients (6.5%) comprised the majority of consults. The main reasons for requesting a psychosomatic consultation were depressive symptoms (139 cases, 22.8%), anxiety symptoms (137 cases, 22.5%), sleep problems (111 cases, 18.2%), and hallucinations, delusions, or behavioral problems (68 cases, 11.2%), accounting for a total of 74.6% of consultations (455/630).

Conclusion

A significant gap exists between the level of CLP services in China and developed regions in Europe and the United States, mainly due to low psychiatric consultation rates and poor quality CLP services.
Does Local Government Competition Reduce Environmental Governance Performance? The Role of Public Value Conflict and Media Sentiment
Authors: Guan Bin
Published: March 2023

With the increasing attention paid to environmental protection and sustainable development in various countries worldwide, the relationship between local government competition and environmental governance has become more subtle and complex. This paper provides new insight into their relationship based on public value theory and media sentiment perspective. Utilizing panel data from 2012 to 2019 in 216 cities in China, this study integrated Data Envelopment Analysis, Conflicting Attitudes Model, Computer-Aided Text Analysis, and machine learning-based sentiment analysis, as well as nonlinear mediation model to empirically test the relationships among local governments’ competition pressure, public value conflict, media sentiments, and environmental governance performance. The study found that: (1) Competition pressure and environmental governance performance exist in a “U-curved” relationship. (2) The core mechanism of the above relationship lies in the mediating role of public value conflict. Within a specific range, the public value conflict faced by local governments increases as competition pressure increases. This conflict would push local governments into a dilemma and induce them to commit misconduct. However, when competition pressure exceeds this range, the public value conflict faced by local governments will be weakened, leading environmental governance performance to rebound. (3) Negative media sentiments significantly alleviate the negative impact of public value conflict on environmental governance performance. This study helps researchers and policymakers recognize government competition’s influence on environmental governance from a public value perspective, with further exploration and confirmation of the moderating role of media sentiments. It also provides theoretical and policy enlightenment for rethinking the behavior logic of local government and solving the dilemma of local government environmental governance.
Opposites But Similar? Technocracy and Populism in Contemporary European Democracies
Authors: Scanni Francesco Maria
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics of two political phenomena: populism and technocracy. Often seen as opposites, the two factors are linked by some elements: both are described by their proponents as remedies to the legitimacy crisis that modern representative democracies are going through; both tend to define certain practices and principles of constitutional democracy that are insufficient to ensure effective governance of society; both see as their main remedy a restriction of the classical functions of representation and of the institutions of mediation (parties and parliament among all). Nevertheless, the two phenomena seem to follow the dynamics of opposite extremes: in the phases when the democratic order is increasingly identified with technocracy, the populist democratic eschatology gains confidence on the basis of the promise to return to citizens the power stolen from them by non-elective institutions. We will attempt to identify some key features that unite the two phenomena and we will highlight the differences in principle, the possible relationships as part of a more general democratic vulnus and the different types of impact they have on democracy and its principles.
Legislating Phonics: Settled Science or Political Polemics?
Authors: Reinking David , Hruby George G. , Risko Victoria J.
Published: March 2023

In this commentary, we identify a phonics-first ideology and its polemical distortions of research and science to promote legislation that constrains and diminishes the teaching of reading. We affirm our own, and a majority of reading professionals’, commitment to teaching phonics. However, we argue that phonics instruction is more effective when embedded in a more comprehensive program of literacy instruction that accommodates students’ individual needs and multiple approaches to teaching phonics—a view supported by substantial research. After summarizing the politicization of phonics in the United States, we critique a legislated training course for teachers in Tennessee as representative of how a phonics-first ideology is expressed polemically for political purposes. We contrast it with a more collaboratively developed, balanced, nonlegislative approach in the previous governor’s administration. Specifically, the training course (a) makes an unfounded claim that there is a national reading crisis that can be traced to insufficient or inappropriate phonics instruction; (b) distorts, misrepresents, or omits relevant research findings and recommendations, most prominently from the report of the National Reading Panel; (c) inaccurately suggests that “balanced literacy instruction” is “whole language” instruction in disguise; and (d) wrongly claims that its views of phonics are based on a settled science of reading.