bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Updates in the Management of Central and Peripheral Nervous System Tumors among Patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and Neurofibromatosis Type 2
Authors: Kotch Chelsea , Brosius Stephanie Nicole , De Raedt Thomas , Fisher Michael Jay
Published: February 2023

Background: Neurofibromatosis type 1 and neurofibromatosis type 2 are unrelated, distinct genetic disorders characterized by the development of central and peripheral nervous system tumors. Summary: Neurofibromatosis type 1 is the most common inherited tumor predisposition syndrome with a lifelong increased risk of benign and malignant tumor development, such as glioma and nerve sheath tumors. Neurofibromatosis type 2 classically presents with bilateral vestibular schwannoma, yet it is also associated with non-vestibular schwannoma, meningioma, and ependymoma. Historically, the number of effective therapies for neurofibromatosis-related neoplasms has been limited. Key Message: In the past decade, there have been significant advances in the development of precision-based therapies for NF-associated tumors with an increased emphasis on functional outcomes in addition to tumor response. Continued scientific discovery and advancement of targeted therapies for NF-associated neoplasms are necessary to continue to improve outcomes for patients with NF.
Antropología de los medios: entre los estudios de comunicación y los culturales. Pliegues, tensiones y desafíos
Authors: Calzado Mercedes , Irisarri Victoria
Published: February 2023

Este artículo revisa los cruces entre antropología y comunicación a partir de la perspectiva que acercó a ambas disciplinas: los estudios culturales, interesados por los medios de comunicación masivos, por la vida cotidiana de las personas y su vínculo con los medios, y también por la etnografía como abordaje teórico-metodológico. Este trabajo se estructura en tres momentos. Primero, se enfoca en cómo ingresa la antropología a los estudios de comunicación, luego revisa cómo la comunicación se repliega sobre la antropología desde la preocupación por la noción de cultura y la incorporación de la etnografía como método. Por último, en las conclusiones analiza las conexiones y desconexiones de las perspectivas de cara a los nuevos desafíos de la investigación de medios y da cuenta de las disputas generadas en torno del uso de la etnográfica como herramienta de investigación.
A regulação do esporte eletrônico no Brasil: análise do Projeto de Lei 383/17 na perspectiva da liberdade econômica
Authors: Coutinho Lucas Marques , Rodrigues Ricardo Schneider
Published: February 2023

O artigo analisa o impacto regulatório do Projeto de Lei do Senado nº 383/17, que trata da regulação do esporte eletrônico no Brasil, a partir da perspectiva da liberdade econômica. A metodologia utilizada na pesquisa foi a bibliográfica, obtendo dados para o desenvolvimento com base em livros e artigos. O trabalho aborda o emergente mercado dos jogos eletrônicos no Brasil e no mundo, identificando e diferenciando a regulação dos e-Sports em outros países. Também explora a doutrina brasileira alusiva aos ideais de livre-iniciativa e do livre mercado. Por fim, é analisado o PL nº 383/17 e é avaliada a pertinência de sua aprovação para o desenvolvimento desse mercado no país. A investigação demonstra que a regulação do esporte eletrônico no Brasil, vista a partir da perspectiva da liberdade econômica, não deve ocorrer de forma a limitar injustificadamente o desenvolvimento dessa atividade, sob pena de malferir o referido princípio, além de contrariar os ditames da a Declaração de Direitos de Liberdade Econômica (Lei nº 13.874/2019).
Gaudí e a arquitetura da psique
Authors: Daré Paula Serafim
Published: February 2023

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo compreender a história e o processo criativo de Antonio Gaudí, o arquiteto catalão, através de sua biografia e da análise de suas obras.   Sob o enfoque da psicologia analítica, o artigo analisou o processo inconsciente que envolve as criações do arquiteto artista, a execução de seus projetos e o seu caminho de individuação.
Tarifa Zero na mobilidade, imaginando a igualdade para uma utopia presente
Authors: Gregori Márcia Sandoval , Ruggiero Amanda Saba
Published: February 2023

O ensaio a seguir parte das inquietações sobre os tempos atuais, apontadas pelo antropólogo Francês Marc Augé, e sistematizadas em três eixos: a hegemonia do presente, em cuja face perversa estão o descrédito da política e da ciência; a ausência de sentido, resultante em consumo exacerbado como efeito da aceleração do cotidiano; e a imaginação, cujo esforço e utopia assentam-se em imaginar a humanidade a partir de existência que minimize as desigualdades, parafraseando o título de Augé. O texto propõe pensar estas três perspectivas em relação à mobilidade e especificamente à Tarifa Zero, ou passe livre, no Brasil. De um lado vivencia-se momento de mudanças políticas e polarizações nacionais, de outro, um cenário tensionado, entre direitos e manifestos e a tentativa de conter a democracia e os direitos civis por meios violentos. Sendo assim, torna-se cada vez mais urgente imaginar no presente.
Percutaneous Management of High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Carroll Brett J. , Larnard Emily A. , Pinto Duane S. , Giri Jay , Secemsky Eric A.
Published: February 2023

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) leads to an abrupt increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and right ventricular afterload, and when significant enough, can result in hemodynamic instability. High-risk PE is a dire cardiovascular emergency and portends a poor prognosis. Traditional therapeutic options to rapidly reduce thrombus burden like systemic thrombolysis and surgical pulmonary endarterectomy have limitations, both with regards to appropriate candidates and efficacy, and have limited data demonstrating their benefit in high-risk PE. There are growing percutaneous treatment options for acute PE that include both localized thrombolysis and mechanical embolectomy. Data for such therapies with high-risk PE are currently limited. However, given the limitations, there is an opportunity to improve outcomes, with percutaneous treatments options offering new mechanisms for clot reduction with a possible improved safety profile compared with systemic thrombolysis. Additionally, mechanical circulatory support options allow for complementary treatment for patients with persistent instability, allowing for a bridge to more definitive treatment options. As more data develop, a shift toward a percutaneous approach with mechanical circulatory support may become a preferred option for the management of high-risk PE at tertiary care centers.
Body Position and Orthostatic Hypotension in Hypertensive Adults: Results from the Syst-Eur Trial
Authors: Grobman Ben , Turkson-Ocran Ruth-Alma N. , Staessen Jan A. , Yu Yu-Ling , Lipsitz Lewis A. , Mukamal Kenneth J. , Juraschek Stephen P.
Published: February 2023

Background:

We recently demonstrated that more intensive blood pressure (BP) treatment lowered risk of orthostatic hypotension (OH) measured with a seated-to-standing protocol. However, seated-to-standing OH assessments are less sensitive than supine-to-standing and could miss clinically relevant OH.

Objectives:

Using data from the Syst-Eur trial (Systolic Hypertension in Europe), we examined the effect of hypertension treatment on incidence of OH based on the difference in BP from 3 body positions.

Methods:

Syst-Eur was a multi-center, randomized trial that enrolled adults with isolated systolic hypertension to investigate whether active hypertension treatment could reduce cardiovascular events. Participants underwent BP measurement in supine, seated, and standing positions. Using differences in BP between the 3 body positions (seated minus supine, standing minus seated, and standing minus supine), we defined OH as a drop in systolic BP ≥20 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥10 mm Hg. We included measurements from baseline and follow-up visits.

Results:

Among 4695 participants (mean age, 70.2±6.7 years; 66.9% female) with 42 636 BP measurements, OH was present in 4.9% of measures with supine-to-seated, 7.9% with seated-to-standing, and 11.4% with supine-to-standing protocols, respectively. Compared with placebo, BP treatment did not increase OH with any set of maneuvers, OR, 0.79 (95% CI, 0.65–0.95) with seated-to standing, 1.03 (95% CI, 0.86–1.24) with supine-to-seated, and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.86–1.15) with supine-to-standing.

Conclusions:

Regardless of protocol, active hypertension treatment did not increase the risk of OH, reinforcing evidence that OH should not be viewed as a complication of hypertension treatment.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT02088450.
Inference and Learning for Generative Capsule Models
Authors: Nazabal Alfredo , Tsagkas Nikolaos , Williams Christopher K. I.
Published: February 2023

Capsule networks (see Hinton et al., 2018) aim to encode knowledge of and reason about the relationship between an object and its parts. In this letter, we specify a generative model for such data and derive a variational algorithm for inferring the transformation of each model object in a scene and the assignments of observed parts to the objects. We derive a learning algorithm for the object models, based on variational expectation maximization (Jordan et al., 1999). We also study an alternative inference algorithm based on the RANSAC method of Fischler and Bolles (1981). We apply these inference methods to data generated from multiple geometric objects like squares and triangles (“constellations”) and data from a parts-based model of faces. Recent work by Kosiorek et al. (2019) has used amortized inference via stacked capsule autoencoders to tackle this problem; our results show that we significantly outperform them where we can make comparisons (on the constellations data).
Heuristic Tree-Partition-Based Parallel Method for Biophysically Detailed Neuron Simulation
Authors: Zhang Yichen , Du Kai , Huang Tiejun
Published: February 2023

Biophysically detailed neuron simulation is a powerful tool to explore the mechanisms behind biological experiments and bridge the gap between various scales in neuroscience research. However, the extremely high computational complexity of detailed neuron simulation restricts the modeling and exploration of detailed network models. The bottleneck is solving the system of linear equations. To accelerate detailed simulation, we propose a heuristic tree-partition-based parallel method (HTP) to parallelize the computation of the Hines algorithm, the kernel for solving linear equations, and leverage the strong parallel capability of the graphic processing unit (GPU) to achieve further speedup. We formulate the problem of how to get a fine parallel process as a tree-partition problem. Next, we present a heuristic partition algorithm to obtain an effective partition to efficiently parallelize the equation-solving process in detailed simulation. With further optimization on GPU, our HTP method achieves 2.2 to 8.5 folds speedup compared to the state-of-the-art GPU method and 36 to 660 folds speedup compared to the typical Hines algorithm.
Unsupervised Learning of Temporal Abstractions With Slot-Based Transformers
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Anand , Irie Kazuki , Schmidhuber Jürgen , van Steenkiste Sjoerd
Published: February 2023

The discovery of reusable subroutines simplifies decision making and planning in complex reinforcement learning problems. Previous approaches propose to learn such temporal abstractions in an unsupervised fashion through observing state-action trajectories gathered from executing a policy. However, a current limitation is that they process each trajectory in an entirely sequential manner, which prevents them from revising earlier decisions about subroutine boundary points in light of new incoming information. In this work, we propose slot-based transformer for temporal abstraction (SloTTAr), a fully parallel approach that integrates sequence processing transformers with a slot attention module to discover subroutines in an unsupervised fashion while leveraging adaptive computation for learning about the number of such subroutines solely based on their empirical distribution. We demonstrate how SloTTAr is capable of outperforming strong baselines in terms of boundary point discovery, even for sequences containing variable amounts of subroutines, while being up to seven times faster to train on existing benchmarks.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Scienti! c Publications on Cultural-Historical Psychology from 2010 to 2020: Dynamics, Geography, and Key Ideas
Authors: Meshcheryakov Boris G. , Ponomareva Victoria V. , Shvedovskaya Anna A.
Published: February 2023

Background. ! is paper presents the results of a study into the breadth, dynamics, and diversity of the interdisciplinary branch of cultural-historical psychology. ! e scatter of thematic areas within the cultural-historical approach indicates the urgent need to continue a systematic and holistic analysis of research related to cultural-historical topics in the context of its various directions and research groups. Design. A bibliometric analysis of scienti" c publications indexed by the Web of Science CC was carried out for the 2010–2020 period . Our previous bibliographic study (Rubtsov et al., 2019) revealed that the number of publications on cultural-historical psychology and citations of them, has recently increased, although unevenly. Results. According to our results, the number of publications on cultural-historical psychology is growing unevenly; publications from Russia and the United States made up almost equal shares of the sample, and third place was taken by England, followed by Finland and Sweden. ! e top 10 journals fell into two subject areas: Psychology and Education and Educational Research. With regard to the geographical location of the publishing houses of the top 10 journals, the highest number was taken by England and Russia. ! e dominant areas of research were teacher education, university education, and learning activity. Conclusion. ! e most frequently used terms were Vygotsky, activity approach, CHAT, CHP, ZPD, and learning activity.
Baghdad in My Shadow (2019): a Political Thriller in a Multireligious Europe
Authors: Axelson Tomas
Published: February 2023

This article presents the Swiss-Iraqi director Samir Jamal Aldin and his thriller Baghdad in My Shadow (2019) and puts it into a context of the re-negotiation of identities in a culturally diverse Europe. The director’s intention is presented as a wish to deal with taboo issues related to gay rights, women’s emancipation, and religious fundamentalism within an Iraqi community in contemporary London.

The film is analysed with the help of (1) theories analysing tensions between liberal-secular and religious-fundamentalist standpoints, and (2) theories about film viewers’ engagement, amplifying audiences’ emotions and thoughts about complex societal issues.

The film could be said to advocate a standpoint of dynamic secularism promoting individual rights. The article argues, furthermore, that Samir as a Swiss-Iraqi filmmaker encourages thick viewing through his thriller format and invites the audience to a deeper emotional and intellectual understanding of liberal principles, honour culture, and hybrid identity positions in contemporary Europe.
A systematic review of factors associated with sustained smoking abstinence in people experiencing severe mental illness following participation in a smoking intervention
Authors: Davies Kimberley , Courtney Ryan J , Summersby-Mitchell Miranda , Morell Rachel , Briggs Nancy , Lappin Julia M
Published: February 2023

Objective:

People experiencing severe mental illness report higher rates of tobacco smoking than the general population, while rates of quitting and sustaining abstinence are considerably lower. This systematic review aimed to identify factors associated with sustained abstinence in people experiencing severe mental illness following a smoking intervention.

Method:

Searches were conducted in PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Embase, Emcare, CINAHL and Cochrane Library from the inception of the e-databases until June 2022. Selection criteria included randomised and non-randomised studies of smoking cessation interventions in which most of the participants were experiencing severe mental illness, and reported a follow-up of 3 months or longer. From an initial 1498 unique retrieved records, 26 references were included detailing 17 smoking cessation intervention studies and 3 relapse prevention intervention studies. Risk of bias was assessed using the RoB2 tool for randomised study designs and the ROBINS-I tool for non-randomised designs.

Results:

Participation in smoking interventions was associated with higher odds of abstinence in the medium-term, but not long-term follow-ups. There was insufficient evidence that any other factors impact sustained abstinence. Most studies were considered to have some risk of bias, largely due to insufficient availability of analysis plans.

Conclusion:

Despite an abundance of studies investigating smoking cessation in smokers experiencing severe mental illness, there is limited knowledge on the factors associated with staying quit. The inclusion of people experiencing severe mental illness in large-scale randomised control trials, in which predictors of sustained abstinence are measured in the medium and long term are needed to address this important question.
Conflicted Afterlives: Managing Wehrmacht Fallen Soldiers in the Soviet Occupation Zone and GDR
Authors: Tradii Laura
Published: February 2023

In the last months of the Second World War, as the Red Army approached Berlin, the Wehrmacht suffered catastrophic losses, resulting in thousands of war graves on East German soil. In the aftermath of the war, the Soviet Occupation Zone (1945–9) and the German Democratic Republic (1949–90) committed to a socialist ‘politics of history’ which centred on the liberation of Germany by the Red Army, disowning the German fallen. This article, based on my PhD research and current British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship, outlines how the central authorities of the Soviet Occupation Zone and the GDR managed the thousands of German Wehrmacht war burials on East German territory. I focus, in particular, on how Wehrmacht war burials came to constitute political and ideological liabilities, prompting concerns about their appropriations by the German Lutheran Church and West Germany. In doing so, I uncover a little-known yet highly significant dimension of the transition between the Third Reich and the German Democratic Republic.
Blood alcohol concentration and road accidents: Underestimation due to time of the arrival to the emergency department (ED) or delay in blood sampling. A 4-Year Retrospective Study in Rome
Authors: Cittadini Francesca , De Giovanni Nadia , Aulino Giovanni , Lentini Gianluca , Vetrugno Giuseppe , Strano-Rossi Sabina , Covino Marcello
Published: February 2023

Alcohol is a significant public health issue, according to the World Health Organization. Our study aims to analyze the correlation between blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of drivers, their demographic features, and the possible underestimation of BACs due to the time elapsed between hospital admission and blood sampling. Methods: This study includes patients evaluated for BAC levels in the emergency department (ED) of Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS from January 2013 to December 2016. BAC levels were compared in patients involved in road crashes according to age group, sex, and time of the accident. The delays in blood sampling and BAC measurement in the ED were recorded for each patient. The time between the accident and access to the hospital in most cases was unknown. Results: A total of 398 patients were included in the analysis, 107 of them had BACs more than 0.05 g/L., and 86 of these individuals had BAC levels more than 0.5 g/L. Road accident patients had higher rates of positive BAC readings at night and on weekends. A significant delay in blood sampling for BAC determination was observed. Discussion: This study demonstrates a critical bias due to the arrival time at the ED and the delay in blood sampling that inevitably influences and underestimates the BAC, resulting in possible false negative results (BAC values below the cutoff). Zero tolerance or a retrospective BAC calculation could mitigate this bias. It is necessary to implement preventive strategies to reduce instances of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol.
Performers as emotional artisans: Crafting displays in theatre and workload
Authors: Kuric Stribor , Arenales Alba
Published: February 2023

In this article, we analyse the process of crafting emotional displays developed by performers in theatre work. The systematic approach to emotion regulation and management displayed in theatre provides a perfect lens for researching emotions in the workplace. This, in turn, provides the possibility of developing a toolkit to analyse a wide range of working experiences where emotions and bodily labour are an intrinsic part of the work. This research draws on a sample of 31 in-depth qualitative interviews with professional Spanish performers alongside ethnographic observations and interviews conducted in two theatre companies. We start by exploring the pathways and techniques adopted by performers to address emotional labour and emotional management in theatre work. Afterwards, focusing on the process of displaying emotions live on stage, we analyse the overlap between the performers’ own emotions and the emotions of the characters they portray, revisiting the limitations of the distinction between the notions of the ‘real’ and the ‘fake’ self in the workplace. Finally, we will turn our attention to the workload generated by emotional labour in theatre, trying to ascertain the main positive and negative outcomes for vocational performers with a working experience heavily focused on emotional labour while dealing with a context marked by precarity. We develop a better understanding of the constant desire to work despite the impossibility of making a living through the concept of emotional artisanship.
Ulceration by Nocardia Otitidiscaviarum: A case study
Authors: William Ashish , Kaur Ravinder , Rawat Deepti , Mendiratta Vibhu , Das Sudeshna
Published: February 2023

Nocardiosis is an acute, subacute or chronic infectious disease that occurs in cutaneous, pulmonary and disseminated forms. We present a case of Nocardiosis in a post-COVID-19 patient with cutaneous ulceration due to Nocardia otitidiscaviarum, managed with cotrimoxazole and linezolid. Early diagnosis and management proved crucial in preventing dissemination of the organism and improving the patient's outcome.
Adaptive PSO-tuned trajectory tracking controller for quadrotor aircraft based on Lyapunov approach
Authors: MA Abitha , Saleem Abdul
Published: February 2023

This research presents a nonlinear adaptive trajectory tracking controller for quadrotor unmanned aircraft. When external disturbances and model uncertainty are present, traditional control algorithms may not be able to provide enough control accuracy. An adaptive nonlinear controller is a remedy for this unsatisfactory performance caused by disturbances and parameter fluctuations. This work proposes a nonlinear adaptive controller based on the Lyapunov method. The technique used here for achieving the adaptive nonlinear control is to adaptively determine the optimal controller gain values. To fine-tune the controller gains, the proposed method suggests the use of either trial and error or the adaptive particle swarm optimization. Simulations with the MATLAB/Simulink software show that the proposed method works superior as compared to traditional control algorithms such as proportional–integral–derivative (PID) and sliding mode controllers even under the influence of parameter variations, external disturbances and communication noises.
Teaching Wife’s Language to the Children of International Marriage Couples in South Korea
Authors: Kim Soomin , Kim Doo-Sub
Published: February 2023

This study examines the social factors and bilingual education for the children of international couples in South Korea. Previous studies identified two negative factors for bilingual education based on destination and immigrant characteristics: resistance from local spouses and the immigrants’ need for assimilation. We further develop the concept of global language status, which may moderate these effects. Using the 2015 Korean Multicultural Family Survey, we conduct regression analyses to test the two factors based on the origin country of immigrant wives. The findings show that the global language status is a meaningful factor that impacts the direction of the local resistance and assimilation effects. Korean husbands’ decision-making power on children’s education is significantly associated with a decrease in bilingual education. Korean language proficiency and citizenship as markers of assimilation also affect bilingual education, but they show a decrease for Chinese wives but an increase for Southeast Asian wives.
Men’s Marriage Trends in Asia: Changes and Continuities
Authors: Jones Gavin , Gu Xiaorong
Published: February 2023

Focusing on men’s negotiation of traditional norms and new gender dynamics amidst rapid social changes, the current study reveals nuanced trends and inter-regional heterogeneity in marriage behavior of men during the past decades in Asian societies. Since the 1970s, marriage age for men across Asia has risen and the slope of change is especially sharp in East Asia; while men in East and Southeast Asia increasingly remain single in their 30s and early 40s, earlier and almost universal marriage continues to dominate men’s nuptiality in South Asian societies. We contextualize these empirical patterns in the complex interplay of aggregate-level socioeconomic development, the changing labor market conditions (as reflected in a high level of job insecurity and informalization), shifting gender dynamics in educational attainment and labor market participation, and remaining legacies of traditional gender role expectations. This study offers compelling empirical evidence for further theorizing marriage and gender in Asia.
Cognitive Appraisal, Dispositional Coping, and Posttraumatic Growth among Patient–Caregiver Dyads Undergoing Hemodialysis
Authors: Wang Xiaoxu , Ding Lan , Fu Shenghui , Zhang Qing
Published: February 2023

The present study aims to investigate the mediating effect of dispositional coping on the relationship between cognitive appraisal (which includes areas of threat, challenge, harm/loss, and benign/irrelevant appraisals) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among patient–caregiver dyads undergoing hemodialysis. In total, 237 dyads of patients undergoing hemodialysis and their family caregivers were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Tianjin, China. Dyadic data were analyzed using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM). The final APIMeM model examining dyadic effects of challenge appraisal and dispositional coping on PTG demonstrated an excellent model fit. The challenge appraisal of family caregivers was directly associated with the PTG of patients undergoing hemodialysis. Dispositional coping mediated the pathways between challenge appraisal and PTG for both patients undergoing hemodialysis and family caregivers. By exploring the cognitive appraisal and dispositional coping of patient–caregiver dyads undergoing hemodialysis may help both partners foster PTG.
Examining trust, self-efficacy, and technology acceptance in the Philippines’ e-commerce sectors
Authors: Capistrano Erik Paolo , Gomez Mikaela Maria E. , Isleta Andrea Patricia M.
Published: February 2023

Despite intensified use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) supporting increased demand for online services, some entities are still unable to take full advantage of their benefits. This is mostly due to differing degrees of ICT adoption and of appreciation of what ICTs can do. This research, utilizing a UTAUT-based theoretical framework integrated with trust, self-efficacy, perceived risk, anxiety, and utilitarian and hedonic motivations, provides additional insights on the contextual differences that are present within e-commerce use. Analyzing data from 997 Philippine respondents across websites and mobile apps and across retail, banking, food services, and tourism booking organizations through structural equation modeling (SEM) yielded consistently favorable influences of self-efficacy and hedonic motivations, as well as interesting insights on the factors influencing attitudes and intentions towards using these e-commerce platforms. These results open several theoretical and practical implications and suggestions emphasizing a more directed, rather than blanket, approach in managing e-commerce technologies depending on the context.
Image quality assessment in low-dose COVID-19 chest CT examinations
Authors: Feghali Joelle A , Russo Roberta A , Mamou Adel , Lorentz Axel , Cantarinha Alfredo , Bellin Marie-France , Meyrignac Olivier
Published: February 2023

Background

Low-dose thoracic protocols were developed massively during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Purpose

To study the impact on image quality (IQ) and the diagnosis reliability of COVID-19 low-dose chest computed tomography (CT) protocols.

Material and Methods

COVID-19 low-dose protocols were implemented on third- and second-generation CT scanners considering two body mass index (BMI) subgroups (<25 kg/m2 and >25 kg/m2). Contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were compared with a Catphan phantom. Next, two radiologists retrospectively assessed IQ for 243 CT patients using a 5-point Linkert scale for general IQ and diagnostic criteria. Kappa score and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare IQ score and CTDIvol between radiologists, protocols, and scanner models.

Results

In vitro analysis of Catphan inserts showed in majority significantly decreased CNR for the low dose versus standard acquisition protocols on both CT scanners. However, in vivo, there was no impact on the diagnosis: sensitivity and specificity were ≥0.8 for all protocols and CT scanners. The third-generation scanner involved a significantly lower dose compared to the second-generation scanner (CTDIvol of 1.8 vs. 2.6 mGy for BMI <25 kg/m2 and 3.3 vs. 4.6 mGy for BMI >25 kg/m2). Still, the third-generation scanner showed a significantly higher IQ with the low-dose protocol compared to the second-generation scanner (30.9 vs. 28.1 for BMI <25 kg/m2 and 29.9 vs. 27.8 for BMI >25 kg/m2). Finally, the two radiologists had good global inter-reader agreement (kappa ≥0.6) for general IQ.

Conclusion

Low-dose protocols provided sufficient IQ independently of BMI subgroups and CT models without any impact on diagnosis reliability.
The enclaved body: Crises of personhood and the embodied geographies of urban gating
Authors: Waldman Devra , Ghertner D Asher
Published: February 2023

This essay analyzes embodied experiences of enclaving. It argues that by tracking revolutions in built form that gating enacts, urban geography has simultaneously tracked revolutions in urban subjectivity. It highlights three enclaved “body types” within existing literature: securitized bodies in fortressed cities, performative bodies in consumptive enclaves, and hygienic bodies in purified zones. It then offers three ethnographic scenes of gating related to new crises of personhood: metabolic illness, atmospheric breakdown, and resurgent ethno-nationalism. Attention to the psychic forces behind gating, it finally argues, can further show the gender, class, and ethnic underpinnings of what appear as generic architectural zones.
Intimate technologies: Towards a feminist perspective on geographies of technoscience
Authors: Schurr Carolin , Marquardt Nadine , Militz Elisabeth
Published: February 2023

Technologies are at the heart of geographic analysis. More-than-human geographies, actor-network theory, and new materialism have all called for attending to technological infrastructures and artefacts. This attention is directed mainly towards large-scale technologies. What often escapes geographies of technoscience are small, mundane, and unspectacular technologies. Bringing into conversation work from feminist technoscience and feminist geographies, we broaden the understanding of technology in geographies of technoscience by developing the concept of intimate technologies. By exploring three sites that lie at the centre of feminist technoscience – the home, the laboratory, and the clinic – we carve out the spatial politics of intimate technologies.
Serum Vitamin D Level Correlations With Tissue Vitamin D Level and Muscle Performance Before and After Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Rhee Sung-Min , Park Joo Hyun , Jeong Hyeon Jang , Kim Young Kyu , Lee Kyunghoon , Oh Joo Han
Published: February 2023

Background:

There is a lack of studies about serum and tissue vitamin D levels of the rotator cuff muscle on muscle power, fatty degeneration, and healing failure after rotator cuff repair (RCR). Furthermore, no studies have evaluated vitamin D receptor proteins in the rotator cuff that show a close association with serum vitamin D levels.

Purpose:

To evaluate the correlations between serum vitamin D and tissue vitamin D as well as perioperative variables of arthroscopic RCR.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

From March 2017 to October 2017, a total of 36 patients who underwent RCR were prospectively enrolled, and supraspinatus muscle tissue was obtained during surgery to analyze tissue vitamin D levels. Serum vitamin D levels were checked preoperatively and at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. Tissue vitamin D levels were assessed using liquid chromatography, and the vitamin D receptor was measured by western blotting. Isokinetic muscle performance test (IMPT; peak torque and torque deficiency compared with the opposite shoulder) results and fatty degeneration of the rotator cuff using the Goutallier classification were assessed preoperatively and at 1 year after surgery. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score and Constant score were collected at 2 years after surgery. Healing failure of the repaired rotator cuff was analyzed by magnetic resonance imaging at 1 year after surgery.

Results:

Overall, only three patients (8.3%) had serum vitamin D sufficiency (>20 ng/mL). Among 36 patients, 26 patients returned for their 1-year follow-up. Lower preoperative serum vitamin D levels resulted in lower serum vitamin D levels at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively (all P < .05). Lower preoperative and 1-year postoperative serum vitamin D levels resulted in more torque deficiency on the IMPT in abduction than higher preoperative and 1-year postoperative serum vitamin D levels (all P < .05). Tissue vitamin D levels had a strong correlation with preoperative serum vitamin D levels ( P = .001). Lower tissue vitamin D levels were associated with lower peak torque on the IMPT in abduction ( P = .043) and a tendency of lower peak torque on the IMPT in external rotation ( P = .077) at 1 year postoperatively. There was no correlation between tissue and serum vitamin D levels and functional outcomes, fatty degeneration, and healing failure after surgery (all P > .05). The vitamin D receptor showed no correlation with any variables (all P > .05).

Conclusion:

Lower preoperative serum vitamin D levels had a strong correlation with lower tissue vitamin D levels and lower serum vitamin D levels at 1 year after surgery. Furthermore, the patients with lower serum vitamin D levels showed more weakness of muscle power perioperatively. The results of this study emphasized the association between vitamin D levels and rotator cuff muscle power.
Crosstalk between miR-146a and pro-inflammatory cytokines in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: El-Akhras Basima A , Talaat Roba M , El-Masry Samir A , Bassyouni Iman H , El-Sayed Ibrahim H , Ali Yasser BM
Published: February 2023

microRNA-146a (miR-146a) plays an essential role in immune anomalies and organ injury of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by regulating the disease’s inflammation and complications. Here, we analyzed the expression of miR-146a in SLE and a panel of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, and TNF-α). Association between all measured parameters and the disease’s clinical manifestation and response to treatment was monitored. Our study populations were 113 SLE patients and 104 healthy volunteers. miR-146a expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was measured by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). The content of the plasma cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, and TNF-α) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared with healthy controls, miR-146a expression was significantly increased ( p < 0.05) in lupus patients. The analysis of the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) of miR-146a showed 91% sensitivity and 70% specificity. IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 cytokines were significantly increased ( p < 0.001), while IL-8 and TNF-α were significantly decreased ( p < 0.001) in SLE patients against controls. The expression of miR-146a and TNF-α was upregulated considerably in SLE patients with severe disease activity. miR-146a expression was positively correlated with IL-6. Our results pointed to the elevation of miR-146a as a trade marker of SLE patients. Reduction of IL-8 and TNF-α in combination with an elevation of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 might refer to miR-146a’s dual effect in controlling inflammation in lupus. Although we shed some light on the role of miR-146a in SLE, further study is recommended to improve our results.
Palliative and Supportive Care in the Philippines: Systems, Barriers, and Steps Forward
Authors: Ho Frances Dominique V , De Luna Deogracias V , Cubarrubias Deanna Lis Pauline F , Ong Erika P , Abello Rizal Michael R , Ansay Marie Francesca M , Taliño Marianne Katharina V , Robredo Janine Patricia G , Eala Michelle Ann B , Dee Edward Christopher
Published: February 2023

Although integral to alleviating serious health-related suffering, global palliative care remains systemically and culturally inaccessible to many patients living in low- and middle-income countries. In the Philippines, a lower-middle income country in Southeast Asia of over 110 million people, up to 75% of patients with cancer suffer from inadequate pain relief. We reviewed factors that preclude access to basic palliative care services in the Philippines. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched thoroughly; search terms included but were not limited to “palliative care,” “supportive care,” “end-of-life care,” and “Philippines.” We found that a limited palliative care workforce, high out-of-pocket healthcare costs, and low opioid availability all hinder access to palliative care in the archipelago. Religious fatalism, strong family-orientedness, and physician reluctance to refer to palliative care providers represent contributory sociocultural factors. Efforts to improve palliative care accessibility in the country must address health systems barriers while encouraging clinicians to discuss end-of-life options in a timely manner that integrates patients’ unique individual, familial, and spiritual values. Research is needed to elucidate how Filipinos—and other global populations—view end-of-life, and how palliative care strategies can be individualised accordingly.
Evolution of Clinical Phenotypes of COVID-19 Patients During Intensive Care Treatment: An Unsupervised Machine Learning Analysis
Authors: Siepel Sander , Dam Tariq A. , Fleuren Lucas M. , Girbes Armand R.J. , Hoogendoorn Mark , Thoral Patrick J. , Elbers Paul W.G. , Bennis Frank C. ,   On behalf of the Dutch ICU Data Sharing Collaborators
Published: February 2023

Background

Identification of clinical phenotypes in critically ill COVID-19 patients could improve understanding of the disease heterogeneity and enable prognostic and predictive enrichment. However, previous attempts did not take into account temporal dynamics with high granularity. By including the dimension of time, we aim to gain further insights into the heterogeneity of COVID-19.

Methods

We used granular data from 3202 adult COVID patients in the Dutch Data Warehouse that were admitted to one of 25 Dutch ICUs between February 2020 and March 2021. Parameters including demographics, clinical observations, medications, laboratory values, vital signs, and data from life support devices were selected. Twenty-one datasets were created that each covered 24 h of ICU data for each day of ICU treatment. Clinical phenotypes in each dataset were identified by performing cluster analyses. Both evolution of the clinical phenotypes over time and patient allocation to these clusters over time were tracked.

Results

The final patient cohort consisted of 2438 COVID-19 patients with a ICU mortality outcome. Forty-one parameters were chosen for cluster analysis. On admission, both a mild and a severe clinical phenotype were found. After day 4, the severe phenotype split into an intermediate and a severe phenotype for 11 consecutive days. Heterogeneity between phenotypes appears to be driven by inflammation and dead space ventilation. During the 21-day period, only 8.2% and 4.6% of patients in the initial mild and severe clusters remained assigned to the same phenotype respectively. The clinical phenotype half-life was between 5 and 6 days for the mild and severe phenotypes, and about 3 days for the medium severe phenotype.

Conclusions

Patients typically do not remain in the same cluster throughout intensive care treatment. This may have important implications for prognostic or predictive enrichment. Prominent dissimilarities between clinical phenotypes are predominantly driven by inflammation and dead space ventilation.
Chitosan/Xanthan/Hydroxyapatite-graphene oxide porous scaffold associated with mesenchymal stem cells for dentin-pulp complex regeneration
Authors: Souza Alana PC , Neves José G , Navarro da Rocha Daniel , Lopes Camila C , Moraes Ângela M , Correr-Sobrinho Lourenço , Correr Américo Bortolazzo
Published: February 2023

The aim of this paper was to synthesize and characterize polymeric scaffolds of Chitosan/Xanthan/Hydroxyapatite-Graphene Oxide nanocomposite associated with mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative dentistry application. The chitosan-xanthan gum (CX) complex was associated with Hydroxyapatite-Graphene Oxide (HA-GO) nanocomposite with different Graphene Oxides (GO) concentration (0.5 wt%; 1.0 wt%; 1.5 wt%). The scaffolds characterizations were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle. The mechanical properties were assessed by compressive strength. The in vitro bioactivity and the in vitro cytotoxicity test (MTT test) were analyzed as well. The data was submitted to the Normality and Homogeneity tests. In vitro Indirect Cytotoxicity assay data was statistically analyzed by ANOVA two-way, followed by Tukey’s test (α = 0.05). Compressive strength and contact angle data were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s test (α = 0.05). XRD showed the presence of Hydroxyapatite (HA) peaks in the structures CXHA, CXHAGO 0.5%,1.0% and 1.5%. FT-IR showed amino and carboxylic bands characteristic of CX. Raman spectroscopy analysis evidenced a high quality of the GO. In the TGA it was observed the mass loss associated with the CX degradation by depolymerization. SEM analysis showed pores in the scaffolds, in addition to HA incorporated and adhered to the polymer. Contact angle test showed that scaffolds have a hydrophilic characteristic, with the CX group the highest contact angle and CXHA the lowest ( p < 0.05). 1.0 wt% GO significantly increased the compressive strength compared to other compositions. In the bioactivity test, the apatite crystals precipitation on the scaffold surface was observed. MTT test showed high cell viability in CXHAGO 1.0% and CXHAGO 1.5% scaffold. CXHAGO scaffolds are promising for regenerative dentistry application because they have morphological characteristics, mechanical and biological properties favorable for the regeneration process.
Towards a better Comprehension and Management of Pain and Psychological Distress in Parkinson’s: The Role of Catastrophizing
Authors: Zimmers Sylvia , Robieux Léonore , Bungener Catherine
Published: February 2023

Objectives

Pain is very prevalent in Parkinson’s and challenging to manage. As many people with Parkinson’s (PwP) with pain suffer from anxious and depressive symptoms, we examined the role of catastrophizing in mediating the relationship between pain and psychological distress for this population.

Methods

169 international PwP completed an online survey with socio-demographic and medical data. Participants completed psychometric tests to assess their pain (King’s Parkinson’s Disease Pain Questionnaire, McGill Pain Questionnaire and Brief Pain Inventory), psychological distress (Beck Depression Inventory and Parkinson Anxiety Scale), pain coping strategies (Coping Strategies Questionnaire) and pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale).

Results

Depending on the tool used, 82.8% to 95.2% of participants reported pain. 23.5 % and 67.5% of participants showed respectively significant levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Psychological distress was significantly correlated with the quality of pain (both sensory and affective dimensions). Statistical models highlighted the mediating role of catastrophizing in the relationship between psychological distress and pain in Parkinson’s.

Conclusion

These findings offer new perspectives toward understanding the underlying mechanisms of pain in Parkinson’s and for effective therapeutic intervention goals to facilitate adaptation to pain symptoms in Parkinson’s.
Principal–teacher relationships: Dimensionality and measurement invariance of a measure for primary and secondary school teachers
Authors: Zee Marjolein , Roorda Debora L. , Hanna Fadie
Published: February 2023

This study explored the dimensionality and measurement invariance of a multidimensional measure for evaluating teachers’ perceptions of the quality of their relationships with principals at the dyadic level. Participants were 630 teachers (85.9% female) from 220 primary and 204 secondary schools across the Netherlands. Teachers completed the 10-item Principal–Teacher Relationship Scale (PTRS) for their principals. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) provided evidence for a two-factor model, including a relational Closeness and Conflict dimension. Additionally, multigroup CFA results indicated strong invariance of the PTRS across school type, teacher gender, and teaching experience. Last, secondary school teachers and highly experienced teachers reported lower levels of Closeness and higher levels of Conflict in the relationship with their principal compared to primary school teachers and colleagues with less experience. Accordingly, the PTRS can be considered a valid and reliable measure that adds to the methodological repertoire of educational leadership research by focusing on both positive and negative aspects of dyadic principal–teacher relationships.
From designing for needs to meaning: Towards a social semiotic model of innovation in entrepreneurship education
Authors: Lin Jing , Chen Shukun
Published: February 2023

The current entrepreneurial pedagogy focuses on enhancing students’ ability in discovering opportunities based on an understanding of users’ needs. This study challenges this dominant pedagogy by proposing a method to help students generate innovative ideas and create entrepreneurial opportunities by transforming the existing product’s meanings, or through a meanings design process, instead of only trying to understand users’ needs. The paper draws on social semiotic theories and theoretically proposes that, by transforming three product meanings (i.e., presentational, orientational and organizational), students are able to design a novel product and thus identify an entrepreneurial opportunity. A brief case study along with some students’ design projects are provided to illustrate how to use this method in teaching. This study is intended to provide entrepreneurship educators with a fresh tool to nurture students’ ability in identifying innovative opportunities and to immerse them in a more creative learning process while shaping their entrepreneurial mindset.