bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supplementary Table S2 from Collagen-Anchored Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-12 Safely Reprogram the Tumor Microenvironment in Canine Soft-Tissue Sarcomas
Authors: Stinson Jordan A. , Sheen Allison , Momin Noor , Hampel Jordan , Bernstein Rebecca , Kamerer Rebecca , Fadl-Alla Bahaa , Samuelson Jonathan , Fink Elizabeth , Fan Timothy M. , Wittrup K. Dane
Published: April 2023

Allometric scaling of IL-2 and IL-12 doses for canine dosing
Supplementary PLS from Randomized Trial of Tepotinib Plus Gefitinib Versus Chemotherapy in EGFR-Mutant NSCLC with EGFR Inhibitor Resistance Due to MET Amplification: INSIGHT Final Analysis
Authors: Liam Chong Kin , Ahmad Azura Rozila , Hsia Te-Chun , Zhou Jianying , Kim Dong-Wan , Soo Ross Andrew , Cheng Ying , Lu Shun , Shin Sang Won , Yang James Chih-Hsin , Zhang Yiping , Zhao Jun , Berghoff Karin , Bruns Rolf , Johne Andreas , Wu Yi-Long
Published: April 2023

Plain language summary
Supplementary Figure S5 from Collagen-Anchored Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-12 Safely Reprogram the Tumor Microenvironment in Canine Soft-Tissue Sarcomas
Authors: Stinson Jordan A. , Sheen Allison , Momin Noor , Hampel Jordan , Bernstein Rebecca , Kamerer Rebecca , Fadl-Alla Bahaa , Samuelson Jonathan , Fink Elizabeth , Fan Timothy M. , Wittrup K. Dane
Published: April 2023

PAX5 immunohistochemistry
Supplementary Figure S2 from Collagen-Anchored Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-12 Safely Reprogram the Tumor Microenvironment in Canine Soft-Tissue Sarcomas
Authors: Stinson Jordan A. , Sheen Allison , Momin Noor , Hampel Jordan , Bernstein Rebecca , Kamerer Rebecca , Fadl-Alla Bahaa , Samuelson Jonathan , Fink Elizabeth , Fan Timothy M. , Wittrup K. Dane
Published: April 2023

Collagen-binding ELISA comparison to prior mouse constructs
Supplementary Figure S1 from Collagen-Anchored Interleukin-2 and Interleukin-12 Safely Reprogram the Tumor Microenvironment in Canine Soft-Tissue Sarcomas
Authors: Stinson Jordan A. , Sheen Allison , Momin Noor , Hampel Jordan , Bernstein Rebecca , Kamerer Rebecca , Fadl-Alla Bahaa , Samuelson Jonathan , Fink Elizabeth , Fan Timothy M. , Wittrup K. Dane
Published: April 2023

Patient tumor images and cohorts
Data from Reallocating Cervical Cancer Preventive Service Spending from Low- to High-Value Clinical Scenarios
Authors: Rockwell Michelle S. , Armbruster Shannon D. , Capucao Jillian C. , Russell Kyle B. , Rockwell John A. , Perkins Karen E. , Huffstetler Alison N. , Mafi John N. , Fendrick A. Mark
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Timely follow-up care after an abnormal cervical cancer screening test result is critical to the prevention and early diagnosis of cervical cancer. The current inadequate and inequitable delivery of these potentially life-saving services is attributed to several factors, including patient out-of-pocket costs. Waiving of consumer cost-sharing for follow-up testing (e.g., colposcopy and related cervical services) is likely to improve access and uptake, especially among underserved populations. One approach to defray the incremental costs of providing more generous coverage for follow-up testing is reducing expenditures on “low-value” cervical cancer screening services. To explore the potential fiscal implications of a policy that redirects cervical cancer screening resources from potentially low- to high-value clinical scenarios, we analyzed 2019 claims from the Virginia All-Payer Claims Database to quantify (i) total spending on low-value cervical cancer screening and (ii) out-of-pocket costs associated with colposcopy and related cervical services among commercially insured Virginians. In a cohort of 1,806,921 female patients (ages 48.1 ± 24.8 years), 295,193 claims for cervical cancer screening were reported, 100,567 (34.0%) of which were determined to be low-value ($4,394,361 total; $4,172,777 for payers and $221,584 out-of-pocket [$2/patient]). Claims for 52,369 colposcopy and related cervical services were reported ($40,994,016 total; $33,457,518 for payers and $7,536,498 out-of-pocket [$144/patient]). These findings suggest that reallocating savings incurred from unnecessary spending to fund more generous coverage of necessary follow-up care is a feasible approach to enhancing cervical cancer prevention equity and outcomes.
Prevention Relevance:
Out-of-pocket fees are a barrier to follow-up care after an abnormal cervical cancer screening test. Among commercially insured Virginians, out-of-pocket costs for follow-up services averaged $144/patient; 34% of cervical cancer screenings were classified as low value. Reallocating low-value cervical cancer screening expenditures to enhance coverage for follow-up care can improve screening outcomes.
Regulation of Macrophage Cell Surface GAPDH Alters LL-37 Internalization and Downstream Effects in the Cell
Authors: Dhiman Asmita , Talukdar Sharmila , Chaubey Gaurav Kumar , Dilawari Rahul , Modanwal Radheshyam , Chaudhary Surbhi , Patidar Anil , Boradia Vishant Mahendra , Kumbhar Pradeep , Raje Chaaya Iyengar , Raje Manoj
Published: April 2023

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), the major causative agent of tuberculosis, has evolved mechanisms to evade host defenses and persist within host cells. Host-directed therapies against infected cells are emerging as an effective option. Cationic host defense peptide LL-37 is known to internalize into cells and induce autophagy resulting in intracellular killing of M.tb. This peptide also regulates the immune system and interacts with the multifunctional protein glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) inside macrophages. Our investigations revealed that GAPDH moonlights as a mononuclear cell surface receptor that internalizes LL-37. We confirmed that the surface levels of purinergic receptor 7, the receptor previously reported for this peptide, remained unaltered on M.tb infected macrophages. Upon infection or cellular activation with IFNγ, surface recruited GAPDH bound to and internalized LL-37 into endocytic compartments via a lipid raft-dependent process. We also discovered a role for GAPDH in LL-37-mediated autophagy induction and clearance of intracellular pathogens. In infected macrophages wherein GAPDH had been knocked down, we observed an inhibition of LL-37-mediated autophagy which was rescued by GAPDH overexpression. This process was dependent on intracellular calcium and p38 MAPK pathways. Our findings reveal a previously unknown process by which macrophages internalize an antimicrobial peptide via cell surface GAPDH and suggest a moonlighting role of GAPDH in regulating cellular phenotypic responses of LL-37 resulting in reduction of M.tb burden.
Tamoxifen Treatment for Pubertal Gynecomastia: When to Start and How Long to Continue
Authors: Sabancı Elif , Pehlivantürk-Kızılkan Melis , Akgül Sinem , Derman Orhan , Kanbur Nuray
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Pubertal gynecomastia is a common clinical condition among male adolescents, and in most cases, it regresses spontaneously. However, tamoxifen treatment is recommended in selected cases. We aimed to evaluate the indications, safety, and efficacy of tamoxifen treatment in adolescents with pubertal gynecomastia. Methods: The data of 83 adolescents with pubertal gynecomastia who were treated with tamoxifen between 2006 and 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. The clinical and laboratory data, initial complaint, tamoxifen treatment indication, duration, and dose were recorded along with the treatment outcome. Results: The gynecomastia disc diameter’s monthly reduction rate was significantly higher in adolescents with an initial disc diameter ≥3 cm. The significant reduction of the disc started after the fourth month of tamoxifen treatment and continued to significantly reduce, extending to the sixth month. Conclusion: Tamoxifen treatment in pubertal gynecomastia was found to be effective and safe. One of the current indications for tamoxifen treatment is having a disc size ≥4 cm, and the recommended treatment duration is 4–6 months. However, this study suggests that treatment should be continued for at least 6 months to achieve the optimal effect. In addition, we recommend that the disc diameter threshold for starting tamoxifen needs to be ≥3 cm.
A conexão do Camboja de Ariane Mnouchkine e de Rithy Pahn: os caminhos da arte em tempos sombrios
Authors: Bodstein Erika
Published: April 2023

O trabalho coteja a peça A História Terrível porém Inacabada de Norodom Sihanouk, rei do Camboja, de Hélène Cixous, encenada por Ariane Mnouchkine em 1985, e A Imagem que Falta, de Rithy Panh (2013). O filme é narrado sob o ponto de vista de uma vítima da cruel ditadura Khmer Vermelho no Camboja (1975–1979), tema também presente na encenação francesa, e utiliza um recurso formal visto na obra do Théâtre du Soleil: bonecos inanimados que ganham vida. Nesse ínterim, foram investigadas no âmbito destas páginas a força das manifestações artísticas como forma de resistência em tempos sombrios, com olhar direcionado à busca de possíveis imbricações entre as obras analisadas e o contexto político atual, utilizando estudos de B. Picon-Vallin, G. Freixe, H. Cixous, I. Feldman, R. Panh, entre outros.
Escavações, evocações e invocações… ou como lidar com os buracos na terra batida
Authors: Lewinsohn Ana Caldas , Raquel Fernanda , Silva Renata de Lima , Machado Vinicius Torres
Published: April 2023

Em um momento de crise radical ocasionada pela pandemia da covid-19, frente às muitas covas abertas para enterrar pessoas cujas mortes não podiam sequer serem ritualizadas, um grupo de quatro artistas-docentes, de distintas instituições, questionam-se sobre seus próprios buracos – os buracos da história, dos corpos, da matéria viva. A experiência em uma mesa de debate com contornos performáticos se desdobra neste artigo, que por meio de uma escrita coletiva e performativa, tem como matéria de investigação as artes da cena de nosso tempo, entre o paradoxo da presença e da ausência, marcadas tanto pelos impactos políticos quanto por sua capacidade de não perder o poder de magia, que lhe conectam a outros mundos.
Teatralidades e performatividades em contextos necropolíticos
Authors: Diéguez Ileana , Bulhões Marcos
Published: April 2023

Este texto explora estratégias representacionais desenvolvidas por artistas e pela sociedade civil para interpelar o excessivo uso do poder em regimes patriarcais como o cubano, especialmente a partir dos massivos protestos sociais de 11 de julho de 2021, antecedidos pelos movimentos San Isidro e 27N. Apostamos na potência dos corpos raivosos como resultado da  violência exercida sobre as pessoas em regimes de controle totalitário e práticas necropolíticas. A teatralidade do Estado pode ser utilizada para reforçar um sistema panóptico, que intenta subjugar toda forma de dissidência e resistência, do mesmo modo que desenvolve uma performatividade punitiva. Porém, esses mesmos dispositivos são utilizados em atos e gestos de subversão cívica que tornam visíveis a brutalidade dos poderes. Em um enfoque comparativo, são retomadas ações realizadas por artistas em outros contextos de extrema violência, como no México, para visibilizar as formas pelas quais os necropoderes se inscrevem nos corpos. Finalmente, se questionam as possíveis colaborações do silêncio diante dos necropoderes.
O marinheiro: Palavra e memória
Authors: Borges Pedro Henrique de Brito
Published: April 2023

Desenvolve-se uma análise literária do poema dramático O marinheiro, de Fernando Pessoa, escrito em 1913 e publicado em 1915, apresentando o imaginário criado pelo autor e uma reflexão sobre o teatro estático e o teatro simbolista, com base em Péter Szondi e Hans Thies Lehmann. Em seguida, a análise debruça-se, a partir das memórias das personagens do texto pessoano, na autorreflexividade do autor e nas vozes que fiam a personagem título, em uma articulação com “A reflexividade discursiva em O Marinheiro”, de Caio Gagliardi, que se dá tanto pelas palavras quanto pelo silêncio que toma corpo e preenche o espaço subjetivo. Por fim, a inconclusão sobre a vida e a morte do Marinheiro e seus próprios limites são apresentados, acenando com A parte do fogo, de Maurice Blanchot.
A necropolítica juvenil da pátria-mãe-hostil racista brasileira in cena
Authors: Freitas Régia Mabel da Silva
Published: April 2023

Este artigo descreve a violação do direito à vida de jovens negros pobres abordada no espetáculo Erê (2015), do Bando de Teatro Olodum — a mais antiga companhia de Teatro Negro de Salvador. Metodologicamente, optou-se pela pesquisa exploratório-descritivo de natureza qualitativa e a coleta de dados se deu a partir de depoimentos da companhia e revisão bibliográfica exclusivamente de teóricos negros. Os resultados apontaram que a necropolítica juvenil brasileira expressa a hostilidade da lógica racista que diuturna e desmedidamente extermina de maneira trivial e sem regras jovens negros pobres.
Colombianización: pornoterrorismo e mundos de morte na videoperformance de Nadia Granados
Authors: Oliveira Junior Ribamar José de
Published: April 2023

Neste artigo, reflito sobre extrativismo e estética a partir da performance Colombianización de Nadia Granados que estreou dia 3 julho de 2018 no México. Por meio das afetações com o cabaré multimídia da artista colombiana assistido no Tranzac Club em Toronto, Canadá, busco relações entre pornoterrorismo e necropolítica diante da violência nas artes da cena. Ao trazer o dispositivo drag king como paródia do masculino, a artista esgarça paisagens extrativas do tráfico de drogas na Colômbia pelos mundos de morte do capitalismo em seu estado gore. O corpo de Nadia Granados está presente, mas vale pensar sobre essa presença frente a que, a quem e com quem. Na performance, vejo um cabaré que permite a transformação de políticas performativas em experimentação, sobretudo, em um lugar de produção de novas subjetividades.
Diálogos de fé, devoção e escravidão africana no Rio de Janeiro setecentista
Authors: Silva Junior Carlos da
Published: April 2023

Resenha do livro: SOARES, Mariza de Carvalho (org.). Diálogos Makii de Francisco Alves de Souza: manuscrito de uma congregação católica de africanos Mina, 1786. São Paulo: Chão Editora, 2019. 238p.
Entre fatos diversos: literatura e trabalho nas cartas de Paulo Barreto e de Lima Barreto
Authors: Santos Poliana dos
Published: April 2023

Este artigo pretende refletir, a partir das cartas de Lima Barreto e de Paulo Barreto, como se opera a relação entre a literatura e o mundo do trabalho, nas primeiras décadas do século XX. Por meio da heterogeneidade das epístolas, se busca entender como o processo da criação ficcional, no contexto de sua produção e circulação, se realiza na tensão entre a arte e o mercado. Balizada na história cultural e na escrita íntima, este estudo procura igualmente mostrar como a correspondência se torna um instrumento necessário para o artista construir uma imagem de si, bem como uma ferramenta mediadora para fazer negócios e para a publicização dos textos literários. Assim, se intenta contribuir para o aprofundamento da obra desses dois escritores, expondo a complexidade do processo histórico de produção e divulgação de seus livros.
Activated Coagulation FXII: A Unique Target for In Vivo Molecular Imaging
Authors: Walsh Aidan P.G. , Yu Eefang , McFadyen James D. , Bongcaron Viktoria , Moon Mitchell J. , Huang Angela , Arthur Jane F. , Muir Ineke L. , Rayzman Veronika , Panousis Con , Wang Xiaowei , Peter Karlheinz
Published: April 2023

Background:

Current clinical imaging of thromboembolic diseases often relies on indirect detection of thrombi, which may delay diagnosis and ultimately the institution of beneficial, potentially lifesaving treatment. Therefore, the development of targeting tools that facilitate the rapid, specific, and direct imaging of thrombi using molecular imaging is highly sought after. One potential molecular target is FXIIa (factor XIIa), which initiates the intrinsic coagulation pathway but also activates the kallikrein-kinin system, thereby initiating coagulation and inflammatory/immune responses. As FXII (factor XII) is dispensable for normal hemostasis, its activated form (FXIIa) represents an ideal molecular target for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, the latter combining diagnosis/identification of thrombi and effective antithrombotic therapy.

Methods:

We conjugated an FXIIa-specific antibody, 3F7, to a near-infrared (NIR) fluorophore and demonstrated binding to FeCl
3
-induced carotid thrombosis with 3-dimensional fluorescence emission computed tomography/computed tomography and 2-dimensional fluorescence imaging. We further demonstrated ex vivo imaging of thromboplastin-induced pulmonary embolism and detection of FXIIa in human thrombi produced in vitro.

Results:

We demonstrated imaging of carotid thrombosis by fluorescence emission computed tomography/computed tomography and measured a significant fold increase in signal between healthy and control vessels from mice injected with 3F7-NIR compared with mice injected with nontargeted probe (
P
=0.002) ex vivo. In a model of pulmonary embolism, we measured increased NIR signal in lungs from mice injected with 3F7-NIR compared with mice injected with nontargeted probe (
P
=0.0008) and healthy lungs from mice injected with 3F7-NIR (
P
=0.021).

Conclusions:

Overall, we demonstrate that FXIIa targeting is highly suitable for the specific detection of venous and arterial thrombi. This approach will allow direct, specific, and early imaging of thrombosis in preclinical imaging modalities and may facilitate monitoring of antithrombotic treatment in vivo.
Exploring Location-Based AR Narrative Design for Historic Site
Authors: Zhao Yuchen , Pettijohn Brandy J. , Wang Amanda Y. , Keehn Daniel P. , Dai Angela , Dang Joy , Murray Janet H.
Published: April 2023

The Pickrick Protests is a project exploring the use of Augmented Reality (AR) to recreate a sequence of Civil Rights--era incidents that occurred at the Pickrick restaurant, in Atlanta, over a period of 8 months in 1964–1965. This project gives a connected and chronological narrative of the historic events to form a cohesive experience, with AR projections of computer graphic depictions of the 1960s buildings, and events on the site where they happened. The objective of this project is to make the history of the Civil Rights Movement visible by privileging the perspective of the African Americans who fought for equality. This paper focuses on introducing the narrative design for this location-based AR application (Bowman et al., 1998). We will discuss our approach to creating a meaningful narrative within the technical affordances and environmental constraints of the AR medium and the specific location. The design challenges posed by this project were how to merge the virtual content with the existing, albeit changed, physical space; how to recenter the story on the activists rather than on the segregationist restaurant owner who went on to become a governor of Georgia; and how to direct attention in AR in order to allow interactors to follow a multiepisode narrative, and to focus on the nonviolent activists rather than the aggressive segregationists.
A historical approach to describing the complex behaviour of a large species of carnivorous shark — Case study No. 1: the scalloped hammerhead, Sphyrna lewini
Authors: Klimley Abbott Peter
Published: April 2023

A historical example, case study No. 1, is given illustrating the complexity of interactions between sharks in their natural environment. Scalloped hammerhead sharks, Sphyrna lewini, form polarized schools at offshore islands and seamounts. Females perform a display while inside a school to force smaller individuals to the periphery. The Corkscrew consists of a rapid burst of swimming into a tight looping trajectory, with the shark rotating its torso almost 360° on its longitudinal axis. This conveys a shark’s intent to contact the recipient with a Hit. This is competition for a position at the centre of the school. Males dash into the schools, directing emphatic tail beats to one side with a Torso Thrust, propelling the shark‘s anterior torso laterally, to pair with a dominant female. The pair then moves outside the school to copulate in midwater with the male biting the female’s body and inserting his clasper within her uterus.
From Ashʿarism to waḥda muṭlaqa in Andalusī Sufism: A Survey of Historical Sources on the Shūdhiyya
Authors: Bellver José
Published: April 2023

The Shūdhiyya is a Sufi strand that flourished in the south-east region of al-Andalus, particularly in the area of Murcia, in the late 6th/12th century until the second half of the 7th/13th century. It thus extended from the second half of the Almohad period to the early Naṣrid period. The Shūdhiyya is named after the enigmatic figure, al-Shūdhī (fl. 6th/12th c.), a Sufi saint linked to Tlemcen. Nevertheless, the two main figures of the Shūdhiyya were the theologians and Sufis, Ibn al-Marʾa (d. 611/1214) and Ibn Aḥlā (d. 645/1247). Faced with the advance of Christian forces in the region of Murcia, Shūdhīs relocated to the nascent kingdom of Granada and to the central Islamicate world where, as followers of Ibn Sabʿīn (d. 669/1270), they were known as the Sabʿīniyya. The Shūdhiyya flourished in al-Andalus at roughly the same time that Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638/1240) lived in al-Andalus. And, like Ibn ʿArabī, the Shūdhiyya ultimately came to be known for espousing the unity of existence although in a more radical, absolute way. Even though intellectual Sufism in al-Andalus is mostly associated with Ibn ʿArabī, his actual influence on his contemporaries in al-Andalus was rather scarce as he emigrated in his thirties to the East where he wrote his main works. However, in the field of intellectual Sufism, the Shūdhiyya was far more influential in al-Andalus than Ibn ʿArabī. Nevertheless, since the main representatives of the Andalusī Shūdhiyya did not relocate to the East, their works were not widely disseminated across the eastern and central Islamicate world and, consequently, except for Ibn al-Marʾa, most of their works are not known to be extant. Thus, the main witnesses are biographical and polemical literature. Despite the historical and intellectual relevance of the Shūdhiyya for the social, political and intellectual history of al-Andalus, only Massignon has devoted some attention to this Sufi strand. In this article the available sources on the Shūdhiyya in al-Andalus are surveyed and contextualized.
The Politics of Curating Japonisme
Authors: Ma Scott
Published: April 2023

This article studies the Paris exposition Japonismes 2018, organized by the Japanese government to introduce the European public to the profundity of Japanese culture. It examines the organizational deliberations leading up to the exposition; the curation of individual exhibits held within its ambit; and the cultural politics of ‘Japan expositions’ that began with Japonismes and continue to this day. It argues that the organizers and exhibits in Japonismes make political use of the trope of a timeless, mystical, and animistic Japanese sense of beauty that supposedly unites prehistoric pottery and contemporary comics and animation. This Japanese aesthetic vision claims to provide an alternative to Western norms, thereby promising to resolve contemporary problems, such as anthropocentrism, by influencing Western aesthetics as it had in the late nineteenth century. Japonismes exemplifies how Japanese soft power diplomacy can employ Western tropes about Japan, such as Japonisme, for its economic and nation-branding efforts.
A systematic revision of the Shovel-nosed Salamander (Plethodontidae: Desmognathus marmoratus), with re-description of the related D. aureatus and D. intermedius
Authors: PYRON R. ALEXANDER , BEAMER DAVID A.
Published: April 2023

Shovel-nosed Salamanders, Desmognathus marmoratus (Moore, 1899), were long thought to represent a single species from the southern Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, ranging from northeastern Georgia to extreme southwestern Virginia. These populations have a highly derived ecomorphology, being fully aquatic with a specialized flattened and elongated phenotype adapted to rocky riffle zones in fast-flowing, high-gradient mountain streams. Because of this, they were originally described in a separate genus, Leurognathus Moore, 1899. Four additional species or subspecies were described from 1928–1956 based on regional geographic variation in phenotype before being synonymized with L. marmoratus in 1962, which was reassigned to Desmognathus in 1996. Molecular analyses subsequently revealed four distinct candidate lineages in two distantly related clades, which were recently re-delimited into three species. These are D. aureatus (Martof, 1956) from northeastern Georgia, D. intermedius (Pope, 1928) from western North Carolina, and D. marmoratus from northwestern North Carolina. We provide a systematic revision of these taxa, which do not represent a natural group but instead exhibit convergent phenotypes across multiple species, potentially driven by ancient episodes of adaptive introgression between ancestral lineages. Our recent fieldwork revealed an astonishingly disjunct and morphologically distinct population of D. marmoratus in the New River Gorge of West Virginia, which were previously confused with D. kanawha Pyron and Beamer, 2022. This locality is ~120 airline km away from the nearest populations of D. marmoratus in Virginia. No Shovel-nosed Salamanders have ever been found in the New River drainage during our extensive previous explorations or credibly reported in museum specimens or the literature. Additional cryptic populations of these taxa may remain.
HARMONIZATION TO EXCEPTIONALISM
Authors: Ramachandran Veena
Published: April 2023

The article engages in a critical reading of the political pattern of Sino-Sri Lankan bilateral engagement. China offers an alternate global order for Sri Lanka by underscoring political discourses like “harmonious world” and “building a community with a shared destiny or future for mankind.” Through these discourses, China attempts to present a “fair and equitable” international system to small states such as Sri Lanka to mobilize them against the universalization of the liberal order. This is part of China's goal to challenge the universalization of liberal values to indicate the Chinese economic and political model as aspirational for developing countries. However, it culminates as the “hegemony of harmony,” as China dictates the terms to protect its national interests, dissimulating cultural relativism and exceptionalism as the foundation of the Chinese-led global order. This article employs historical and descriptive analysis to explain the political nature of Sino-Sri Lankan engagement, elucidating China's specific strategies to harmonize Sri Lanka.
In-motion initial alignment method using Cayley–Kalman filter on special orthogonal group
Authors: Pei Fujun , Zhang Hengming , Li Siyuan
Published: April 2023

Aiming at the in-motion initial alignment problem of strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS), this paper proposed a precise direct in-motion alignment method based on attitude matrix representation and Cayley–Kalman filter on the special orthogonal group. There are two innovations in this paper. First, as an element of the special orthogonal group [Formula: see text], the error attitude matrix is used to construct an in-motion alignment model, and it is transformed into the vector space to represent the attitude error state. The error matrix was used as a state to decrease the influence of the state-dependent problem. Second, this method uses the Cayley transform to replace the Taylor expansion to derive the update equation, which is a no approximation mapping relation to assure accuracy when deriving the filtering algorithm. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the proposed alignment method has advantages over the existing methods in alignment accuracy and alignment time and performs well in the in-motion alignment process of SINS.
Impact of Fintech Adoption on Select Macroeconomic Variables in India: An ARDL Approach
Authors: Sethi Poonam , Manocha Rinku
Published: April 2023

Fintech adoption (technology-enabled finance) has not only supplemented the existing physical financial setups for India but has also stretched its wings towards providing the financial services to those who had limited or no access to physical banking (and other financial institutions). Moreover, COVID-19-based restrictions have further strengthened the Fintech adoption among suppliers, regulators and consumers of financial services which in turn has benefited the economy at large. The present study is an attempt to empirically evaluate the impact of Fintech adoption on India’s select macro-economic variables. The macro-economic variables, namely economic growth; income per individual; official exchange rate as a proxy of financial stability vis-à-vis world at large; and labour participation were examined. An index was formed via principal component analysis to capture Fintech adoption over the period 2001–2020 and ARDL framework was employed to examine the results. The results indicate that Fintech adoption has supported India’s economic growth, income per capita and also official exchange rate. Intense regulatory measures towards technical-efficient financial structures might have contributed towards such results. However, the results indicate that the growth in digital financial medium is leading to a reduction in jobs in India.
Efficient adsorption of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons by electrospun hydrophobic PTFE-NiO composite nanofiber filter mats
Authors: Mazhar Syeda Irsa , Ali Attarad , Tilly Trevor B. , Khan Muhammad Hassaan , Wu Chang-Yu
Published: April 2023

Aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons (AAHs) are comprised of a variety of gaseous chemicals that may affect human and environmental health. To remove AAHs from air, polytetrafluoroethylene-nickel oxide (PTFE-NiO) composite nanofiber filter mats (NFMs) were synthesized and characterized for their ability to effectively adsorb AAHs. The NiO-nanoparticle-doped mats were fabricated by green electrospinning of PTFE and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) mixtures added with nickel (II) nitrate hexahydrate in the spinning solution followed by surface heat treatment. FE-SEM FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, sessile drop and Jar methods were applied as characterization techniques. The diameter of the electrospun nanofibers without NiO dopant ranged from 0.34 ± 21.61 to 0.23 ± 10.12 µm, whereas a reduction in diameter of NiO-doped nanofibers was obtained, ranging between pristine to 0.25 ± 24.12 µm and 0.12 ± 85.75 µm with heat treatment. 6% (by weight) NiO-doped PTFE composite NFMs exhibited a high water-contact angle of 120 ± 2.20 degrees; the high hydrophobicity value aided self-cleansing property of NFMs for practical applications. UV adsorption capability for heat-treated PTFE-NiO NFMs was evaluated for three AAHs, and the results showed that 6 wt% NiO adsorbed 1.41, 0.67, and 0.73 µg/mg of toluene, formaldehyde and acetone, respectively. These findings reveal the potential applicability of the prepared filter mats for capturing various AAHs from polluted air.
Steroidal saponin profiles and their key genes for synthesis and regulation in Asparagus officinalis L. by joint analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics
Authors: Cheng Qin , Zeng Liangqin , Wen Hao , Brown Sylvia E. , Wu He , Li Xingyu , Lin Chun , Liu Zhengjie , Mao Zichao
Published: April 2023

Background

Asparagus officinalis L. is a worldwide cultivated vegetable enrichened in both nutrient and steroidal saponins with multiple pharmacological activities. The upstream biosynthetic pathway of steroidal saponins (USSP) for cholesterol (CHOL) synthesis has been studied, while the downstream pathway of steroidal saponins (DSSP) starting from cholesterol and its regulation in asparagus remains unknown.

Results

Metabolomics, Illumina RNAseq, and PacBio IsoSeq strategies were applied to different organs of both cultivated green and purple asparagus to detect the steroidal metabolite profiles & contents and to screen their key genes for biosynthesis and regulation. The results showed that there is a total of 427 compounds, among which 18 steroids were detected with fluctuated concentrations in roots, spears and flowering twigs of two garden asparagus cultivars. The key genes of DSSP include; steroid-16-hydroxylase (S16H), steroid-22-hydroxylase (S22H) and steroid-22-oxidase-16-hydroxylase (S22O-16H), steroid-26-hydroxylase (S26H), steroid-3-β-glycosyltransferase (S3βGT) and furostanol glycoside 26-O-beta-glucosidases (F26GHs) which were correlated with the contents of major steroidal saponins were screened, and the transcriptional factors (TFs) co-expressing with the resulted from synthetic key genes, including zinc fingers (ZFs), MYBs and WRKYs family genes were also screened.

Conclusions

Based on the detected steroidal chemical structures, profiles and contents which correlated to the expressions of screened synthetic and TFs genes, the full steroidal saponin synthetic pathway (SSP) of asparagus, including its key regulation networks was proposed for the first time.
Role of tear vasoactive intestinal peptide on dry eyes after laser keratorefractive surgery
Authors: Kang Yang , Hu Qi , Li Xue , Guo Zidan , Wu Qiong , Zhang Hong
Published: April 2023

Background

To explore the changes in vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) concentration in tears post laser-assisted sub-epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) surgeries and related factors, possible association between postoperative dry eye symptoms and VIP concentration in tears, and factors influencing dry eye symptoms after different periods post LASEK and FS-LASIK surgeries.

Methods

In this prospective, non-randomized, longitudinal cohort study, 23 and 22 subjects were recruited and underwent LASEK and FS-LASIK, respectively. After conducting an intact ophthalmic examination and collecting relevant surgical data, all subjects were examined for VIP concentration in their tears using ELISAs, tear-film breakup time, ocular staining and ocular surface disease index questionnaire before surgery and 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month post-surgery.

Results

Tear VIP concentration increased significantly after both LASEK and FS-LASIK, with the highest concentration observed 1 week post-surgery (P ≤ 0.05). Tear VIP concentration correlated negatively with corneal ablation depth (AD). The extent of dry eyes was related to the operation method employed and postoperative recovery period. In FS-LASIK and LASEK subjects, dry eyes were mainly affected by the basic ocular surface status before surgery, and VIP concentration. Furthermore, in LASEK subjects, dry eyes were negatively correlated with AD.

Conclusion

VIP was stimulated and mobilized as an emergency protection post-refractive surgery and a trauma model affected by AD. It can indirectly indicate the inevitable relationship between postoperative dry eye and nerve injury. Elevated post-surgery tear VIP relieves dry eye symptoms, showing its neuroimmune role in regulating adverse injury stimulation. The present study provides a solution to the pathogenesis of postoperative dry eyes.

Trial registration

The trial registration number: 2021JS22. Date of registration: 10 May 2021.
Autophagy-prominent cell clusters among human lens epithelial cells: integrated single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis
Authors: Liu Jiasheng , Zhu Mengchao , Xu Yitong , Zhang Mengdi , Sun Haisen , Wang Yaqi , Yang Qingwen , Li Jin
Published: April 2023

Background

Autophagy is an important process that maintains the quality of intracellular proteins and organelles. There is extensive evidence that autophagy has an important role in the lens. Human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) play a key role in the internal homeostasis of the lens. HLEC subtypes have been identified, but autophagy-prominent cell clusters among HLECs have not been characterized.

Purpose

To explore the existence of autophagy-prominent cell clusters in HLECs.

Methods

Three donated lenses (HLECs from two whole lenses and HLECs from one lens without the anterior central 6-mm zone) were used for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). AUCell and AddModuleScore analysis were used to identify potential autophagy-prominent cell clusters. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to confirm the results.

Results

High-quality transcripts from 18,120 cells were acquired by scRNA-seq of the two intact lenses. Unsupervised clustering classified the cells into four clusters. AUCell and AddModuleScore analysis revealed cluster 1 is autophagy-prominent. scRNA-seq analysis of HLECs from the lens capsule lacking the central zone confirmed the cluster 1 HLECs was located in the central capsule zone. The TEM result showed that greater autophagy activity was observed in the HLECs in central capsule zone, which further supported the above conclusions based on scRNA-seq analysis that autophagy was prominent in the central zone where the cluster 1 HLECs located.

Conclusions

We identified an autophagy-prominent cell cluster among HLECs and revealed that it was localized in the central zone of the lens capsule. Our findings will aid investigations of autophagy in HLECs and provide insights to guide related research.
The mediating effect of body appreciation between muscle dysmorphia and bulimia nervosa among Lebanese adolescents
Authors: Rahme Deema , Dabbous Mariam , Malaeb Diana , Hallit Souheil , Obeid Sahar
Published: April 2023

Background

Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is a common psychological disorder present in Lebanese adolescents. Several disorders can be present concomitantly with MD such as bulimia nervosa and exercise addiction. This study aims to explore the mediating effect of body appreciation between Muscle dysmorphia and bulimia nervosa, and to validate the exercise addiction inventory scale in Lebanese adolescents.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional designed study, conducted between August-September 2022, and enrolling 403 adolescents currently residing in Lebanon (15 to 18 years old), from all Lebanese governorates (Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North, South, and Bekaa). Our sample was chosen using the snowball technique, a soft copy of the questionnaire was created using google forms software, and an online approach was conceived to proceed with the data collection.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 16.63 ± 1.46 years with 57.3% females. The factor analysis for the Exercise Addiction Inventory suggested one factor, which explained 62.58% of the common variance. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed an adequate fit to the model with satisfactory Maximum Likelihood Chi-Square/Degrees of Freedom (χ2/df), SRMR, CFI, TLI, and AVE. The mediation analysis showed that the direct relation between bulimia and MD was not significant after eliminating the effect of body appreciation (r = .12, p < .001). However, body appreciation was significantly associated with bulimia nervosa (r=-1.06, p < .001) and MD (r=-.28, p < .001).

Conclusion

Body appreciation was found to be a mediator between muscle dysmorphia and bulimia nervosa and thus it is the main factor leading to both disorders. Therefore, body appreciation should be addressed in the evaluation and management of Muscle Dysmorphia.
Effects of high-heeled shoes on lower extremity biomechanics and balance in females: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zeng Ziwei , Liu Yue , Hu Xiaoyue , Li Pan , Wang Lin
Published: April 2023

Background

High-heeled shoes (HHS) are widely worn by women in daily life. Limited quantitative studies have been conducted to investigate the biomechanical performance between wearing HHS and wearing flat shoes or barefoot. This study aimed to compare spatiotemporal parameters, kinematics, kinetics and muscle function during walking and balance between wearing HHS and flat shoes or barefoot.

Methods

According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, PubMed Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, CINAHL Complete and Web of Science databases were searched from the earliest record to December 2021. A modified quality index was applied to evaluate the risk of bias, and effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals were calculated as the standardized mean differences (SMD). Potential publication bias was evaluated graphically using funnel plot and the robustness of the overall results was assessed using sensitivity analyses.

Results

Eighty-one studies (n = 1501 participants) were included in this study. The reduced area of support requires the body to establish a safer and more stable gait pattern by changing gait characteristics when walking in HHS compared with walking in flats shoes or barefoot. Walking in HHS has a slight effect on hip kinematics, with biomechanical changes and adaptations concentrated in the knee and foot–ankle complex. Females wearing HHS performed greater ground reaction forces earlier, accompanied by an anterior shift in plantar pressure compared with those wearing flat shoes/barefoot. Furthermore, large effect sizes indicate that wearing HHS resulted in poor static and dynamic balance.

Conclusion

Spatiotemporal, kinematic, kinetic and balance variables are affected by wearing HHS. The effect of specific heel heights on women’s biomechanics would benefit from further research.
Revisional bariatric surgery after adjustable gastric band: a multicenter Polish Revision Obesity Surgery Study (PROSS)
Authors: Dowgiałło-Gornowicz Natalia , Janik Michał , Lech Paweł , Kowalski Grzegorz , Major Piotr ,   PROSS –Collaborative Study Group, Pędziwiatr Michał , Rymarowicz Justyna , Zarzycki Piotr , Stefura Tomasz , Ciszek Karol , Małczak Piotr , Myśliwiec Piotr , Hady Hady Razak , Głuszyńska Paulina , Proczko-Stepaniak Monika , Szymański Michał , Walędziak Maciej , Kwiatkowski Andrzej , Materlak Magdalena , Bartosiak Katarzyna , Czyżykowski Łukasz , Mawlichanów Maciej , Kowalewski Piotr , Szeliga Jacek , Kupczyk Wojciech , Harań Anna , Mulek Rafał , Krefft Michał , Wysocki Michał , Orłowski Michał , Franczak Paula , Binda Artur , Tarnowski Wiesław , Jaworski Paweł , Kamiński Mateusz , Pastuszka Maciej , Lisik Wojciech , Szymański Paweł , Katkowski Bartosz , Leśniak Michał , Łabul Michał
Published: April 2023

Background

Adjustable gastric band (AGB) hadbeen the preferred treatment for morbid obesity because it is minimally invasive and reversible. But now it seems to be slowly becoming a historic procedure due to the disappointing effects. The aim of the study was to systematize and present the available data on revisional bariatric surgery (RBS) after AGB among Polish patients.

Methods

It is a multicenter, retrospective analysis of patients undergoing laparoscopic RBS after AGB in 12 Polish bariatric centers. The database included patient demographics, comorbidities and surgical outcomes.

Results

The group consisted of 234 patients who underwent AGB, which accounted for 29% of revisional cases recorded in the Polish Revisional Obesity Surgery Study (PROSS). 195 were women (83%), and 39 were men (17%). One hundred seventy-five patients after AGB experienced a weight regain (74.5%), 36 patients a gastric band slippage (15.0%), 14 patients had gastric band intolerance (6.0%). Types of RBS included 116 sleeve gastrectomies (SG) (49.4%), 86 Roux-en Y gastric by-passes (RYGB) (36.6%), 20 one anastomosis gastric by-passes (OAGB) (8,5%). The highest weight loss expressed as %EBMIL was observed after OAGB (63.5 ± 32.4%).

Conclusions

The main indication for RBS after AGB was weight regain. SG was the most frequently chosen type of RBS after AGB. RBS after AGB leads to weight loss and improvement in type 2 diabetes and hypertension with an acceptable low risk of complications.

Trial registration

NCT05108532.
Pre-operative and early postoperative health-related quality of life of breast cancer woman: a Lebanese prospective study
Authors: El Haidari Rana , Nerich Virginie , Abou-Abbas Linda , Abdel-Sater Fadi , Anota Amelie
Published: April 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is a major health concern in Lebanon, with an increasing incidence rate due to advancements in treatment modalities. Evaluating the impact of the BC and its treatment on a woman's Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and comparing these patterns before and after breast conserving surgery is important to identify areas where interventions may be needed to improve the overall well-being of women with BC. This study aimed to evaluate the HRQoL pre and post-operative breast conserving surgery and just prior to initiation of adjuvant therapy in newly diagnosed patients with BC in Lebanon, specifically focusing on changes in body image. A prospective cohort study was conducted on 120 patients in two health care facilities in Lebanon, collecting sociodemographic and clinical data, and using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires to evaluate HRQoL. The outcomes were measured at baseline and then one-day post-operative breast surgery. Results revealed a statistically and clinically significant decrease in body image (mean difference of 8.1 points (95% 4.3;11.1)), physical functioning (mean difference of 6.1 points (95% 3.3;8.5)), and emotional functioning (mean difference of -8.4 points (95%-12.4; -4.9) after surgery. Positive change of physical functioning score was observed among married women. Positive change of emotional functioning score was observed among patients with poor body image score and high future perspective score. Our findings provide valuable insights for clinicians and researchers on the impact of breast conserving surgery on HRQoL in Lebanese women.
The impact of artificial intelligence on the person-centred, doctor-patient relationship: some problems and solutions
Authors: Sauerbrei Aurelia , Kerasidou Angeliki , Lucivero Federica , Hallowell Nina
Published: April 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often cited as a possible solution to current issues faced by healthcare systems. This includes the freeing up of time for doctors and facilitating person-centred doctor-patient relationships. However, given the novelty of artificial intelligence tools, there is very little concrete evidence on their impact on the doctor-patient relationship or on how to ensure that they are implemented in a way which is beneficial for person-centred care.

Given the importance of empathy and compassion in the practice of person-centred care, we conducted a literature review to explore how AI impacts these two values. Besides empathy and compassion, shared decision-making, and trust relationships emerged as key values in the reviewed papers. We identified two concrete ways which can help ensure that the use of AI tools have a positive impact on person-centred doctor-patient relationships. These are (1) using AI tools in an assistive role and (2) adapting medical education. The study suggests that we need to take intentional steps in order to ensure that the deployment of AI tools in healthcare has a positive impact on person-centred doctor-patient relationships. We argue that the proposed solutions are contingent upon clarifying the values underlying future healthcare systems.
NIR-II-absorbing diimmonium polymer agent achieves excellent photothermal therapy with induction of tumor immunogenic cell death
Authors: Xu Han , Deng Huaping , Ma Xiaoqian , Feng Yushuo , Jia Ruizhen , Wang Yiru , Liu Yaqing , Li Wenli , Meng Shanshan , Chen Hongmin
Published: April 2023

Photothermal therapy has shown great promise for cancer treatment and second near-infrared (NIR-II) -absorbing particles could further improve its precision and applicability due to its superior penetration depth and new imaging ability. Herein, high NIR-II-absorbing polymer particles were prepared by using soluble isobutyl-substituted diammonium borates (P-IDI). The P-IDI showed stronger absorption at 1000–1100 nm, which exhibited excellent photostability, strong photoacoustic imaging ability and high photothermal conversion efficiency (34.7%). The investigations in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that the excellent photothermal effect facilitated complete tumor ablation and also triggered immunogenic cell death in activation of the immune response. The high solubility and excellent photothermal conversion ability demonstrated that polymer IDI particles were promising theranostic agents for treatment of tumors with minor side effects.