bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating implementation of a community-focused patient navigation intervention at an NCI-designated cancer center using RE-AIM
Authors: Ver Hoeve Elizabeth S. , Calhoun Elizabeth , Hernandez Monica , High Elizabeth , Armin Julie S. , Ali-Akbarian Leila , Frithsen Michael , Andrews Wendy , Hamann Heidi A.
Published: April 2024

Background

Patient navigation is an evidence-based intervention that reduces cancer health disparities by directly addressing the barriers to care for underserved patients with cancer. Variability in design and integration of patient navigation programs within cancer care settings has limited this intervention’s utility. The implementation science evaluation framework, RE-AIM, allows quantitative and qualitative examination of effective implementation of patient navigation programs into cancer care settings.

Methods

The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was used to evaluate implementation of a community-focused patient navigation intervention at an NCI-designated cancer center between June 2018 and October 2021. Using a 3-month longitudinal, non-comparative measurement period, univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to examine associations between participant-level demographics and primary (i.e., barrier reduction) and secondary (i.e., patient-reported outcomes) effectiveness outcomes. Mixed methods analyses were used to examine adoption and delivery of the intervention into the cancer center setting. Process-level analyses were used to evaluate maintenance of the intervention.

Results

Participants (n = 311) represented a largely underserved population, as defined by the National Cancer Institute, with the majority identifying as Hispanic/Latino, having a household income of $35,000 or less, and being enrolled in Medicaid. Participants were diagnosed with a variety of cancer types and most had advanced staged cancers. Pre-post-intervention analyses indicated significant reduction from pre-intervention assessments in the average number of reported barriers, F(1, 207) = 117.62, p < .001, as well as significant increases in patient-reported physical health, t(205) = − 6.004, p < .001, mental health, t(205) = − 3.810, p < .001, self-efficacy, t(205) = − 5.321, p < .001, and satisfaction with medical team communication, t(206) = − 2.03, p = .029. Referral patterns and qualitative data supported increased adoption and integration of the intervention into the target setting, and consistent intervention delivery metrics suggested high fidelity to intervention delivery over time. Process-level data outlined a successful transition from a grant-funded community-focused patient navigation intervention to an institution-funded program.

Conclusions

This study utilized the implementation science evaluation framework, RE-AIM, to evaluate implementation of a community-focused patient navigation program. Our analyses indicate successful implementation within a cancer care setting and provide a potential guide for other oncology settings who may be interested in implementing community-focused patient navigation programs.
Supporting first-time parents in their homes: an informal setting enabling interprofessional collaboration
Authors: Franzén Cecilia , Nilsson Eva-Lotta
Published: April 2024

Background

Home visiting programmes aiming to support parents and promote more equal health amongst young children have grown in Sweden and in other countries. These programmes involve interprofessional teams. Teamwork in interprofessional contexts often requires setting boundaries, but professionals’ boundary work in the home setting is unexplored. Therefore, this article focuses on interprofessional teams comprising child healthcare nurses, midwives, social workers, and dental hygienists in a home visiting programme for first-time parents in Sweden; it aims to explore how the professionals performed boundary work that enabled collaboration and to investigate important contextual conditions for this kind of boundary work.

Methods

The data were drawn from semi-structured interviews with twelve professionals from the four different disciplines. Content analysis was used to explore their boundary work.

Results

The findings show that the professionals performed three forms of collaborative boundary work. They maintained boundaries by clarifying their distinct roles and expertise. However, the differences were viewed as complementary, and the professionals worked together humbly to complement each other’s knowledge and perspectives. Lastly, they tended to drop perceptions of prestige and blurred the boundaries to accommodate their overlapping knowledge. Important conditions for the success of collaborative boundary work were meetings prior to the home visits, the opportunities for discussion and reflection after the home visits, and the informal character of the home setting. Consequently, the professionals were able to jointly contribute to a holistic view of the visited families, which increased the possibilities to meet these families’ needs.

Conclusions

This study contributes knowledge on boundary work in interprofessional collaborations in the home setting. The informal character of the home setting seemed to facilitate collaboration and contributed to creating informal professional roles. The findings suggest that having interprofessional teams in the home setting enabled collaboration as well as reinforced support for first-time parents, which emphasizes the merit of home visit programmes.
Predictive significance of glycolysis-associated lncRNA profiles in colorectal cancer progression
Authors: Mao Rui , Xu Chenxin , Zhang Quanzheng , Wang Zheng , Liu Yanjun , Peng Yurui , Li Ming
Published: April 2024

Background

The Warburg effect is a hallmark characteristic of colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite extensive research, the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in influencing the Warburg effect remains incompletely understood. Our study aims to identify lncRNAs that may modulate the Warburg effect by functioning as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs).

Methods

Utilizing bioinformatics approaches, we extracted glycolysis-associated gene data from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and identified 101 glycolysis-related lncRNAs in CRC. We employed Univariable Cox regression, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analysis, and Multivariable Cox regression to develop a prognostic model comprising four glycolysis-linked lncRNAs. We then constructed a prognostic nomogram integrating this lncRNA model with other relevant clinical parameters.

Results

The prognostic efficacy of our four-lncRNA signature and its associated nomogram was validated in both training and validation cohorts. Functional assays demonstrated significant glycolysis and hexokinase II (HK2) inhibition following the silencing of RUNDC3A − AS1, a key lncRNA in our prognostic signature, highlighting its regulatory importance in the Warburg effect.

Conclusions

Our research illuminates the critical role of glycolysis-centric lncRNAs in CRC. The developed prognostic model and nomogram underscore the pivotal prognostic and regulatory significance of the lncRNA RUNDC3A − AS1 in the Warburg effect in colorectal cancer.
Bioinformatics analysis revealed the potential crosstalk genes and molecular mechanisms between intracranial aneurysms and periodontitis
Authors: Chen Yao , Huang Jian-huang , Kang Yuan-bao , Yao Zheng-jian , Song Jian-hua
Published: April 2024

Objectives

The risk of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) development and rupture is significantly higher in patients with periodontitis (PD), suggesting an association between the two. However, the specific mechanisms of association between these two diseases have not been fully investigated.

Materials and methods

In this study, we downloaded IAs and PD data from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and functional enrichment analysis was performed. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identified key modules and key crosstalk genes. In addition, the immune cell landscape was assessed and the correlation of key crosstalk genes with each immune cell was calculated. Finally, transcription factors (TFs) regulating key crosstalk genes were explored.

Results

127 overlapping DEGs were identified and functional enrichment analysis highlighted the important role of immune reflection in the pathogenesis of IAs and PD. We identified ITGAX and COL4A2 as key crosstalk genes. In addition, the expression of multiple immune cells was significantly elevated in PDs and IAs compared to controls, and both key crosstalk genes were significantly negatively associated with Macrophages M2. Finally, GATA2 was identified as a potential key transcription factor (TF), which regulates two key crosstalk gene.

Conclusions

The present study identifies key crosstalk genes and TF in PD and IAs, providing new insights for further study of the co-pathogenesis of PD and IAs from an immune and inflammatory perspective. Also, this is the first study to report the above findings.
Blood count changes in malaria patients according to blood groups (ABO/Rh) and sickle cell trait
Authors: Sacomboio Euclides N. M. , Zua Santo D. , Tchivango Adelino T. , Pululu António D. , Caumba Adilson C. D. , Paciência Adelina B. M. , Sati Danilson V. , Agostinho Sabina G. , Agostinho Yolanda S. , Mazanga Fernando G. , Ntambo Neusa B. , Sebastião Cruz S. , Paixão Joana P. , Morais Joana
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Introduction: Malaria continues to be the leading cause of hospitalization and death in Angola, a country in sub-
Saharan Africa. In 2023, in the first quarter, 2,744,682 cases were registered, and of these 2,673 patients died
due to malaria disease. Previous studies have shown that the ABO blood group can affect the progression of
malaria to severe conditions after P. falciparum infection, while the sickle cell gene offers relative protection.

Objective

We investigated changes in the blood count according to blood groups (ABO/Rh) and sickle cell
trait in patients with malaria in Luanda, capital of Angola.

Methodology

This was a longitudinal, prospective
and observational study with 198 patients hospitalized for malaria.

Results

Of the 198 patients studied,
13(6.6%) were ABRh(+), 4(2.0%) were ARh(-), 49(24.7%) were ARh(+), 42(21, 2%) were BRh (+), 5(2.5%)
were ORh(-) and 85(42.9%) were ORh(+). For sickle cell trait, 145(73.2%) were AA, 37(18.7%) were AS and
16(8.1%) were SS. No statistical relationship was observed between age group, sex, parasitemia, clinical
picture, hematocrit, MCV, HCM, MCHC, leukocytes, NEUT, LINF and PTL values with blood groups
(p<0.05), but there was a relationship between values of hemoglobin and ABO/Rh blood groups (p>0.05).
There was no relationship between age, parasitemia, clinical condition, MCV, HCM and MCHC values,
leukocytes, NEUT and LINF with sickle cell trait (p<0.05), but there was a relationship between sex,
hemoglobin and PTL and sickle cell values. sickle cell trait (p>0.05).

Conclusion

It is imperative to
differentiate patients with malaria based on blood groups and sickle cell trait, taking into account mainly the
blood count parameters that demonstrate that there are patients who, depending on blood group or sickle cell
trait, may react weakly to malaria infection regardless of the degree of parasitemia and medical prognosis.
Chinese visceral adiposity index and its transition patterns: impact on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in a national cohort study
Authors: Lv Zhihan , Ji Yunxi , Xu Su , Li Chenyi , Cai Wenwei
Published: April 2024

Background

Obesity affects approximately 800 million people worldwide and may contribute to various diseases, especially cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions. Fat distribution and content represent two related yet distinct axes determining the impact of adipose tissue on health. Unlike traditional fat measurement indices, which often overlook fat distribution, the Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) is a novel metric used to assess visceral fat accumulation and associated health risks. Our objective is to evaluate its association with the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Methods

A nationwide longitudinal study spanning 9 years was conducted to investigate both the effects of baseline CVAI levels (classified as low and high) and dynamic changes in CVAI over time, including maintenance of low CVAI, transition from low to high, transition from high to low, and maintenance of high CVAI. Continuous scales (restricted cubic spline curves) and categorical scales (Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression analyses) were utilized to evaluate the relationship between CVAI and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Furthermore, subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate potential variations.

Results

Totally 1761 individuals (22.82%) experienced primary outcomes among 7717 participants. In the fully adjusted model, for each standard deviation increase in CVAI, there was a significant increase in the risk of primary outcomes [1.20 (95%CI: 1.14–1.27)], particularly pronounced in the high CVAI group [1.38 (95%CI: 1.25–1.54)] compared to low CVAI group. Regarding transition patterns, individuals who consistently maintained high CVAI demonstrated the highest risk ratio compared to those who consistently maintained low CVAI [1.51 (95%CI: 1.31–1.74)], followed by individuals transitioning from low to high CVAI [1.22 (95% CI: 1.01–1.47)]. Analysis of restricted cubic spline curves indicated a positive dose-response relationship between CVAI and risk of primary outcomes (p for non-linear = 0.596). Subgroup analyses results suggest that middle-aged individuals with high CVAI face a notably greater risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in contrast to elderly individuals [1.75 (95% CI: 1.53–1.99)].

Conclusion

This study validates a significant association between baseline levels of CVAI and its dynamic changes with the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Vigilant monitoring and effective management of CVAI significantly contribute to early prevention and risk stratification of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Lipid peroxidation-induced ferroptosis as a therapeutic target for mitigating neuronal injury and inflammation in sepsis-associated encephalopathy: insights into the hippocampal PEBP-1/15-LOX/GPX4 pathway
Authors: Wang Haosen , Xu Lixiao , Tang Xiaojuan , Jiang Zhen , Feng Xing
Published: April 2024

Background

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) refers to the widespread impairment of brain function caused by noncentral nervous system infection mediated by sepsis. Lipid peroxidation-induced ferroptosis contributes to the occurrence and course of SAE. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between neuronal injury and lipid peroxidation-induced ferroptosis in SAE.

Methods

Baseline data were collected from pediatric patients upon admission, and the expression levels of various markers related to lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis were monitored in the serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with SAE as well as SAE model mice. The hippocampal phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP)-1/15-lysine oxidase (LOX)/ glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway was assessed for its role on the inhibitory effect of ferroptosis in SAE treatment.

Results

The results showed elevated levels of S100 calcium-binding protein beta (S-100β), glial fibrillary acidic protein, and malondialdehyde in the serum of SAE patients, while superoxide dismutase levels were reduced. Furthermore, analysis of PBMCs revealed increased transcription levels of PEBP1, LOX, and long-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase family member 4 (ACSL4) in SAE patients, while the transcription levels of GPX4 and cystine/glutamate transporter xCT (SLC7A11) were decreased. In comparison to the control group, the SAE mice exhibited increased expression of S-100β and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the hippocampus, whereas the expression of S-100β and NSE were reduced in deferoxamine (DFO) mice. Additionally, iron accumulation was observed in the hippocampus of SAE mice, while the iron ion levels were reduced in the DFO mice. Inhibition of ferroptosis alleviated the mitochondrial damage (as assessed by transmission electron microscopy, hippocampal mitochondrial ATP detection, and the JC-1 polymer-to-monomer ratio in the hippocampus) and the oxidative stress response induced by SAE as well as attenuated neuroinflammatory reactions. Further investigations revealed that the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of ferroptosis in SAE treatment is associated with the hippocampal PEBP-1/15-LOX/GPX4 pathway.

Conclusion

These results offer potential therapeutic targets for the management of neuronal injury in SAE and valuable insights into the potential mechanisms of ferroptosis in neurological disorders.
Beneficial mechanisms of dimethyl fumarate in autoimmune uveitis: insights from single-cell RNA sequencing
Authors: Zhu Lei , Li He , Peng Xuening , Li Zhaohuai , Zhao Sichen , Wu Dongting , Chen Jialing , Li Si , Jia Renbing , Li Zuohong , Su Wenru
Published: April 2024

Background

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is a fumaric acid ester that exhibits immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the function of DMF in autoimmune uveitis (AU) is incompletely understood, and studies comprehensively exploring the impact of DMF on immune cells are still lacking.

Methods

To explore the function of DMF in uveitis and its underlying mechanisms, we conducted single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on the cervical draining lymph node (CDLN) cells of normal, experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), and DMF-treated EAU mice. Additionally, we integrated scRNA-seq data of the retina and CDLNs to identify the potential impact of DMF on ocular immune cell infiltration. Flow cytometry was conducted to verify the potential target molecules of DMF.

Results

Our study showed that DMF treatment effectively ameliorated EAU symptoms. The proportional and transcriptional alterations in each immune cell type during EAU were reversed by DMF treatment. Bioinformatics analysis in our study indicated that the enhanced expression of Pim1 and Cxcr4 in EAU was reversed by DMF treatment. Further experiments demonstrated that DMF restored the balance between effector T (Teff) /regulatory T (Treg) cells through inhibiting the pathway of PIM1-protein kinase B (AKT)-Forkhead box O1 (FOXO1). By incorporating the scRNA-seq data of the retina from EAU mice into analysis, our study identified that T cells highly expressing Pim1 and Cxcr4 were enriched in the retina. DMF repressed the ocular infiltration of Teff cells, and this effect might depend on its inhibition of PIM1 and CXCR4 expression. Additionally, our study indicated that DMF might reduce the proportion of plasma cells by inhibiting PIM1 expression in B cells.

Conclusions

DMF effectively attenuated EAU symptoms. During EAU, DMF reversed the Teff/Treg cell imbalance and suppressed the ocular infiltration of Teff cells by inhibiting PIM1 and CXCR4 expression. Thus, DMF may act as a new drug option for the treatment of AU.
QuanDB: a quantum chemical property database towards enhancing 3D molecular representation learning
Authors: Yang Zhijiang , Huang Tengxin , Pan Li , Wang Jingjing , Wang Liangliang , Ding Junjie , Xiao Junhua
Published: April 2024

Previous studies have shown that the three-dimensional (3D) geometric and electronic structure of molecules play a crucial role in determining their key properties and intermolecular interactions. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a quantum chemical (QC) property database containing the most stable 3D geometric conformations and electronic structures of molecules. In this study, a high-quality QC property database, called QuanDB, was developed, which included structurally diverse molecular entities and featured a user-friendly interface. Currently, QuanDB contains 154,610 compounds sourced from public databases and scientific literature, with 10,125 scaffolds. The elemental composition comprises nine elements: H, C, O, N, P, S, F, Cl, and Br. For each molecule, QuanDB provides 53 global and 5 local QC properties and the most stable 3D conformation. These properties are divided into three categories: geometric structure, electronic structure, and thermodynamics. Geometric structure optimization and single point energy calculation at the theoretical level of B3LYP-D3(BJ)/6-311G(d)/SMD/water and B3LYP-D3(BJ)/def2-TZVP/SMD/water, respectively, were applied to ensure highly accurate calculations of QC properties, with the computational cost exceeding 107 core-hours. QuanDB provides high-value geometric and electronic structure information for use in molecular representation models, which are critical for machine-learning-based molecular design, thereby contributing to a comprehensive description of the chemical compound space. As a new high-quality dataset for QC properties, QuanDB is expected to become a benchmark tool for the training and optimization of machine learning models, thus further advancing the development of novel drugs and materials. QuanDB is freely available, without registration, at https://quandb.cmdrg.com/.
Optimal trajectory planning combining model-based and data-driven hybrid approaches
Authors: Ghnatios Chady , Di Lorenzo Daniele , Champaney Victor , Ammar Amine , Cueto Elias , Chinesta Francisco
Published: April 2024

Trajectory planning aims at computing an optimal trajectory through the minimization of a cost function. This paper considers four different scenarios: (i) the first concerns a given trajectory on which a cost function is minimized by a acting on the velocity along it; (ii) the second considers trajectories expressed parametrically, from which an optimal path and the velocity along it are computed; (iii), the case in which only the departure and arrival points of the trajectory are known, and the optimal path must be determined; and finally, (iv) the case involving uncertainty in the environment in which the trajectory operates. When the considered cost functions are expressed analytically, the application of Euler–Lagrange equations constitutes an appealing option. However, in many applications, complex cost functions are learned by using black-box machine learning techniques, for instance deep neural networks. In such cases, a neural approach of the trajectory planning becomes an appealing alternative. Different numerical experiments will serve to illustrate the potential of the proposed methodologies on some selected use cases.
Sustained release delivery of favipiravir through statistically optimized, chemically cross-linked, pH-sensitive, swellable hydrogel
Authors: Khan Arooj , Zaman Muhammad , Waqar Muhammad Ahsan , Mahmood Asif , Shaheer Talal , Sarfraz Rai Muhammad , Shahzadi Kanwal , Khan Azmat Ali , Alanazi Amer M. , Kundu Milton Kumar , Islam Md Rabiul , Alexiou Athanasios , Papadakis Marios
Published: April 2024

In the current work, favipiravir (an antiviral drug) loaded pH-responsive polymeric hydrogels were developed by the free redical polymerization technique. Box-Behnken design method via Design Expert version 11 was employed to furnish the composition of all hydrogel formulations. Here, polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been utilized as a polymer, acrylic acid (AA) as a monomer, and potassium persulfate (KPS) and methylene-bisacrylamide (MBA) as initiator and cross-linker, respectively. All networks were evaluated for in-vitro drug release (%), sol-gel fraction (%), swelling studies (%), porosity (%), percentage entrapment efficiency, and chemical compatibilities. According to findings, the swelling was pH sensitive and was shown to be greatest at a pH of 6.8 (2500%). The optimum gel fraction offered was 97.8%. A sufficient porosity allows the hydrogel to load a substantial amount of favipiravir despite its hydrophobic behavior. Hydrogels exhibited maximum entrapment efficiency of favipiravir upto 98%. The in-vitro release studies of drug-formulated hydrogel revealed that the drug release from hydrogel was between 85 to 110% within 24 h. Drug-release kinetic results showed that the Korsmeyer Peppas model was followed by most of the developed formulations based on the R2 value. In conclusion, the hydrogel-based technology proved to be an excellent option for creating the sustained-release dosage form of the antiviral drug favipiravir.
Changes in soil bacterial community structure in a short-term trial with different silicate rock powders
Authors: Reis Betania Roqueto , Vasconcelos Ana Luisa Soares , Silva Antonio Marcos Miranda , Andreote Fernando Dini , Azevedo Antonio Carlos
Published: April 2024

Background

The use of rock powders in soil has emerged as a nature-based technology to improve soil properties relevant to crop development and for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal (CDR) via enhanced rock weathering (ERW). Although modeling this process is crucial, the soil microbiome has been identified as the main reason why several experimental and field results do not fit the geochemical and kinetic theoretical models. Here, the hypothesis that the bacterial community structure is modulated by the application of different silicate rock powders was tested. One phonolite, three basalt variations and one granite, as well as KCl treatments, were applied to a Ferralsol cultivated with Brachiaria in short-term pedogeochemical experiments and assessed after 1 (1M), 4 (4M) and 8 (8M) months.

Results

The main changes in soil bacterial structure were observed at 8M and found to be modulated according to rock type, with petrochemistry and mineralogy acting as the main drivers. The content of microbial biomass carbon tended to decrease over time in the Control and KCl treatments, especially at 4M, while the rock treatments showed constant behavior. The sampling time and treatment affected the richness and diversity indices. The Si, Ca and Fe from mafic minerals were the main chemical elements related to the soil bacterial changes at 8M.

Conclusions

The type (acidity) of silicate rock powder modulated the soil bacterial community (SBC) in a pot experiment with tropical soil. The specificity of the SBC for each rock type increased with time until the end of the experiment at 8 months (8M). The carbon content in the microbial biomass was lower in the rock powder treatments in the first month (1 M) than in the control and KCl treatments and was equal to or higher than that in the 8 M treatment. This result illustrates the challenge of modeling rock powder dissolution in soil since the soil medium is not inert but changes concurrently with the dissolution of the rock.

Graphical Abstract
The Crisis of the Present Moment and the Crisis of Contemporary Theory
Authors: Noys Benjamin
Published: April 2024

Instead of crisis as a punctual event the contemporary experience is one of overlapping forms and modes of crisis resulting in a complex rhythm. While attempting to respond to this situation contemporary theory has often struggled to focus on the present moment of crisis. Instead, it has turned to a fundamental rift in the past or to the need to invent a utopian future as ways of escaping the present crisis. This is due to the influence of Heidegger and, especially, Nietzsche. The result is a tendency to abandon the present as destitute and to treat the current situation as an epochal crisis of civilization, which can only be resolved through subjective will. In contrast, the work of Mario Tronti is used to grasp the rhythm of crisis as one of scattered struggles that disperse knowledge and understanding. The result is a crisis in understanding, particularly a crisis of historical sense and the capacity to grasp a temporality that connects past, present, and future. While contemporary theory risks mythic or even imaginary solutions to the rhythm of crisis, instead we must pursue the critical potentials of the present grasped as connected to the past and future.
Urban Life at the Extensions
Authors: Simone AbdouMaliq
Published: April 2024

There has been much consideration of the ways in which urbanization exceeds the city form—particularly in its peripheries and hinterlands. Extended urbanization conventionally refers to the multifaceted processes through which urbanization articulates different logics and territories. Yet extensions reflect a going beyond that can take place anywhere, and which is manifested not only in new territorial formations but also in ways of living and inhabiting. Acts of extending urban form and life do not simply reproduce the dominant modes of valuation but unsettle, disrupting familiar categorization, as inhabitants attempt to situate themselves in the midst of increasingly unsettled terrain. Extensions and extending, then, are at the heart of an interplay between attempts to resettle and unsettle, to extract as much as possible but also to operate where nothing apparent is to be gained, nothing useful to the prolongation, either of the urban or life. Drawing from Black tactical life, extensions concern how a people spread out to cover the angles, to act as lookouts at all those interfaces where capture attempts to suture a conceit of seamlessness. It is also a stance against the everywhereness found in the proliferation of “dead exchanges”—where discourses of freedom and development become merely aspects of continuous assessment of the exercised efficacies of particular bodies and their trajectories and interactions.
“Pertinacity Is Fortitude”: Rethinking Conduct Books and Youthful Resistance
Authors: Moore Timothy
Published: April 2024

This article reassesses the conduct genre by questioning the critical association between conduct literature and conservative models of gendered domesticity. Challenging the assumption that progressive attitudes toward issues like women's equality and youthful conduct could not coexist with otherwise conservative political or religious beliefs, I analyze conduct books by Evangelical Christians such as Hannah More, Isaac and Ann Taylor, and Jane West. I intend to demonstrate that many conduct books by conservative Christians normalized and even validated behavior traits like “obstinacy,” “pertinacity,” and “resistance” during adolescence, and often explicitly condemned the very features of passive domesticity that critics typically identify with idealized, “proper” conduct of the period.
Condition Report
Authors: Raengo Alessandra
Published: April 2024

This introductory essay approaches the problem of form as a problem of value and, more precisely, of the aesthetics of valuation. Building on the scene of exchange outlined by Denise Ferreira da Silva's “modern ethical scene of value,” the essay approaches Hannah Palmer's installation Ghost Pools, which marks the location of two segregated pools in East Point, Georgia, reinterred in the early 1980s, by refusing to compare or equate them, and attending instead to their repressed informalities. Avoiding the equation of value that sustains most formalist readings, this essay instead “reads for informality.”
A Theory of Monopolistic Competition with Horizontally Heterogeneous Consumers
Authors: Kokovin Sergey , Ozhegova Alina , Sharapudinov Shamil , Tarasov Alexander , Ushchev Philip
Published: April 2024

Our novel approach to modeling monopolistic competition with heterogeneous firms and consumers involves spatial product differentiation, in either a geographical space or a space of characteristics. In addition to price, each firm chooses location in space. We formulate conditions for positive sorting—more-productive firms serve larger market segments and face tougher competition—and for existence and uniqueness of equilibrium. To quantify the role of sorting, we calibrate the model using haircut market data and perform counterfactual analysis. Inequality in gains among consumers caused by positive market shocks can be substantial: gains for consumers at more-populated locations are three to four times higher. (JEL D11, D24, D43, L13, L84)
Strategic Incentives and the Optimal Sale of Information
Authors: Rodríguez Olivera Rosina
Published: April 2024

A monopolist data seller offers information to privately informed data buyers. I characterize the seller’s optimal menu, which screens between two types of buyers. Buyers’ preferences for information allow the seller to extract all surplus, and the optimal menu’s features are determined by the interaction between buyers’ strategic incentives and the correlation of their private information. The seller offers perfect information to the buyer with the highest willingness to pay and partial information, which makes this type indifferent. Both experiments are informative even when buyers have congruent beliefs if they have coordination (anticoordination) incentives and their private information is negatively (positively) correlated. (JEL D21, D42, D82, D83)
Ανάπτυξη νέων συνδυασμένων βιοτεχνολογικών τεχνικών και αλγορίθμων για την αξιολόγηση βιοδεικτών καρδιαγγειακών ασθενειών
Authors: Τρικουράκη Αικατερίνη
Published: April 2024

Ο στόχος ήταν να αξιολογηθούν οι βιοδείκτες μεταξύ συμπτωματικών και ασυμπτωματικών ασθενών και να κατασκευαστεί ένας αλγόριθμος ταξινόμησης και παλινδρόμησης (CART) για τη διάκρισή τους.Για αυτό το λόγο συμμετείχαν 136 ασθενείς. Αυτοί ήταν συμπτωματικοί (υψηλού κινδύνου) (Ν=82, βαθμός στένωσης ≥50%, αποδεδειγμένο ότι συνέβη ισχαιμικό εγκεφαλικό επεισόδιο τους τελευταίους έξι μήνες) και ασυμπτωματικοί (χαμηλού κινδύνου) (Ν=54, βαθμός στένωσης ≤50%). Μετρήθηκαν τα επίπεδα του Ινωδογόνου, της Μεταλλοπρωτεϊνάσης-1 (MMP-1), του Αναστολέα ιστού της μεταλλοπρωτεϊνάσης-1 (TIMP-1), του Διαλυτού διακυτταρικού μορίου προσκόλλησης (SiCAM), του Διαλυτού μορίου προσκόλλησης αγγειακού κυττάρου (SvCAM), της Αδιπονεκτίνης και της Ινσουλίνης στην πλατφόρμα Luminex 3D και αξιολογήθηκαν οι διαφορές τους. Στη συνέχεια δημιουργήθηκε και αξιολογήθηκε ένα μοντέλο CART. Όσον αφορά τα αποτελέσματα, όλοι οι μετρούμενοι βιοδείκτες, εκτός από την Αδιπονεκτίνη, εμφάνισαν σημαντικά υψηλότερα επίπεδα σε συμπτωματικούς ασθενείς. Το κατασκευασμένο προγνωστικό μοντέλο CART είχε 97,6% ακρίβεια διάκρισης σε συμπτωματικούς ασθενείς και 79,6% σε ασυμπτωματικούς, ενώ η συνολική ακρίβεια ήταν 90,4%. Επιπλέον, ο πληθυσμός χωρίστηκε σε σετ εκπαίδευσης και δοκιμών για επικύρωση του CART. Συμπερασματικά, βρέθηκαν σημαντικές διαφορές στους βιοδείκτες μεταξύ συμπτωματικών και ασυμπτωματικών ασθενών. Το μοντέλο CART αποδείχθηκε ότι είναι ένας απλός αλγόριθμος λήψης αποφάσεων που συνδέεται με τις πιθανότητες κινδύνου και παρείχε στοιχεία για τον εντοπισμό και ως εκ τούτου τη θεραπεία ασθενών που διατρέχουν υψηλό κίνδυνο για καρδιαγγειακή νόσο.
Case Report: Scrub Typhus manifesting as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) with corresponding radiological findings
Authors: Dinesh Bhanushali Jay , Ghewade Babaji , Jadhav Ulhas
Published: April 2024

Background Scrub typhus is a life-threatening infectious disease endemic in the Asia-Pacific region. It typically presents with nonspecific symptoms such as fever, headache, and myalgia, making early diagnosis challenging. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe pulmonary condition characterized by acute-onset hypoxemia, bilateral lung infiltrates on radiology, and increased pulmonary capillary permeability. Case Presentation An 18-year-old female student in central India presented with a seven-day history of recurrent fever, chills, dry cough, and severe shortness of breath, escalating to Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea grade III-IV. After unsuccessful local clinic treatment, a chest radiograph revealed bilateral pneumonia. On admission, she displayed tachycardia, tachypnea, hypotension, and hypoxia requiring non-invasive ventilation (NIV). Computed tomography confirmed scrub typhus-associated pneumonia, and serological testing was positive for scrub typhus. She was diagnosed with moderate ARDS and began treatment. Symptomatic improvement was seen in the ICU, and she was discharged on day 10 with radiological and clinical resolution. Management and Outcomes She received intravenous doxycycline and oral azithromycin for scrub typhus and any potential concurrent lung infection. In the ICU, she required continuous NIV and supplemental oxygen, with significant symptomatic improvement, evidenced by reduced tachypnoea and oxygen requirements after 72 hours. She was weaned off NIV and monitored for an additional four days. After satisfactory oxygen saturation on room air, she was discharged on the tenth day. High-resolution CT scan demonstrated resolution of ground glass opacities and consolidation. Sequential chest radiographs exhibited gradual reduction in bilateral alveolar infiltrates over time, in parallel with clinical improvement. Laboratory findings, including reduced CRP and D-dimer values, and a normal hemogram on discharge indicated a resolution of leukopenia. Conclusion This case underscores the importance of early recognition and intervention in scrub typhus-associated ARDS and highlights the utility of timely diagnostic imaging in monitoring the progress of the disease.
MRI based evaluation of carcinoma gallbladder using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)
Authors: Dudhe Sakshi , Mishra Gaurav , Parihar Pratapsingh , Shinde Dhananjay , Kumari Anjali
Published: April 2024

Background Carcinoma of the gallbladder is a malignant neoplasm, which is associated with a poor prognosis due to its often-asymptomatic nature and late-stage diagnosis. Non-invasive imaging techniques play a key role in the early detection and characterization of gallbladder carcinoma. This thesis presents a comprehensive analysis of the utility of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI) and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) mapping in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of carcinoma of the gallbladder. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the exact diagnostic accuracy and potential clinical applications of DWI and ADC in assessing carcinoma of the gallbladder and related tumour aggressiveness. A systematic review of existing literature was conducted to establish a foundation for this study with efforts to acquire relevant imaging data. The results of this study demonstrate the efficacy of DWI and ADC in the detection of carcinoma of the gallbladder when compared to conventional MRI sequences. These advanced imaging techniques hold promise in increasing the accuracy of diagnosis, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and more informed clinical decision making. The potential of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI) and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) mapping in the evaluation of gallbladder cancer using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is thoroughly analysed in this thesis. Methods A descriptive prospective study will be done at Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital, Sawangi, involving 20 patients with clinically suspected carcinoma gallbladder, who are referred to the department of Radiodiagnosis. These patients will be subjected to study-purposive sampling. Conclusion After an appropriate statistical analysis, we expect to assess the role of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI) and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) mapping in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of carcinoma of the gallbladder. CTRI registration This trial has been submitted to Clinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI) for Review. Registration Number: REF/2023/09/072780 Registration date:01/05/2023 URL of trial: https://www.ctri.nic.in/
Accuracy of chronic liver failure consortium (CLIF-C) ACLF score compared with meld, MELD-NA and CTP as a mortality predictor in acute on chronic liver failure patients admitted to tertiary rural care hospital
Authors: Batra Nitish , Gaidhane Shilpa , Acharya Sourya , Kumar Sunil
Published: April 2024

Background Chronic Liver Failure Consortium (CLIF-C) ACLF score, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), MELD-Na, and Child-Pugh (CTP) are established scoring systems for predicting mortality in Acute on Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) patients. However, their comparative accuracy, especially in rural care settings, still needs to be explored. This study aims to assess and compare the predictive performance of these scoring systems, providing a nuanced understanding of their applicability in a tertiary rural care hospital. Method This prospective observational cohort study will be conducted at Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital, following approval from the institutional ethical committee. ACLF patients aged 18 and above, presenting within one week of onset, will be included. Data collection will involve comprehensive assessments, including scoring system calculations, clinical examinations, and relevant investigations. Statistical analyses, encompassing descriptive statistics, comparative analyses, survival analyses, and multivariate models, will elucidate the accuracy and independent predictors of 28-day mortality. Expected Outcome Anticipated outcomes include a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and limitations of the CLIF-C ACLF score, MELD, MELD-Na, and CTP in predicting mortality among ACLF patients in a rural care context. The study aims to identify potential correlations and independent predictors, offering valuable insights for risk stratification. These findings are expected to guide clinicians in optimising prognostic assessments and decision-making, thereby improving the care and outcomes of ACLF patients in rural healthcare settings.
Znaczenie Bliskiego Wschodu w dyskursie polskiej emigracji w obliczu zagrożenia III wojną światową w latach 1945–1956
Authors: Bielicki Paweł
Published: April 2024

Artykuł przedstawia poglądy polskich emigracyjnych polityków, publicystów, historyków i wojskowych, dotyczące położenia strategicznego regionu Bliskiego Wschodu w obliczu wybuchu III wojny światowej w latach 1945–1956. Autor ukazuje ewolucję stanowiska „polskiego Londynu” w kolejnych latach zimnej wojny, determinowaną rosnącymi napięciami politycznymi między USA oraz ZSRR i ich sojusznikami. Wysuwa wniosek, że obszar bliskowschodni stanowił dla polskiej emigracji politycznej w Londynie istotne terytorium, gdzie może dojść do globalnej konfrontacji wojskowej między oboma zwalczającymi się blokami politycznymi.
Konferencja Translating Europe Forum zorganizowana przez Dyrekcję Generalną ds. Tłumaczeń Pisemnych Komisji Europejskiej w dniach 8-10.11.2023 roku w Brukseli (sprawozdanie)
Authors: Błaszkowska Hanka
Published: April 2024

Sprawozdanie z konferencji „Translating Europe Forum” zorganizowanej przez Dyrekcję Generalną ds. Tłumaczeń Pisemnych Komisji Europejskiej w dniach 8-11.11.2023 roku w Brukseli.
Fibromialgia
Authors: Isaza-Narváez Ana Milena
Published: April 2024

La fibromialgia es una entidad clínica caracterizada por dolor musculoesquelético crónico generalizado, sin que existan alteraciones estructurales que lo expliquen, lo cual inicialmente generó controversia sobre su existencia. Asociaciones médicas y grupos de pacientes abogaron por su reconocimiento por parte de los profesionales, instituciones y la sociedad en general. Finalmente, en la actualidad es aceptada por las organizaciones médicas internacionales dentro de los síndromes de sensibilización central al dolor, y se considera paradigmática en el estudio del dolor crónico. Esto último ha permitido destinar fondos de investigación, establecer de modelos de atención en salud, plantear guías de manejo basadas en la evidencia y adecuar aspectos laborales y sociales. Este capítulo se centra en las definiciones y lineamientos de su manejo.
Evaluación y terapéutica psicosomática en dolor crónico
Authors: Moreno-Serrano Nancy Lucía
Published: April 2024

Este capítulo ilustra los fundamentos de la evaluación psicosomática en su relación de doble vía entre depresión/ansiedad. Describe los diferentes ejes de la evaluación psicosomática, orientada a intervenciones efectivas en dolor, para terminar con lineamientos básicos sobre cómo consolidar un programa de atención integral en dolor. Por último, recoge nuestra experiencia como grupo interdisciplinar en el área psicosocial.
Maria da Conceição Tavares (1930- )
Authors: Vernengo Matías
Published: April 2024

Este capítulo está dividido en tres secciones. La primera discute la vida, la formación académica y la trayectoria profesional de Conceição Tavares, pero también su labor como intelectual pública y como figura política. En ese contexto, la búsqueda de una sociedad más democrática, igualitaria y soberana es lo que caracteriza su preocupación más profunda y enmarca su visión sobre el desarrollo periférico en los trópicos del Brasil. También se discute su papel en la creación de instituciones y en la formación de economistas heterodoxos. La siguiente sección examina su contribución analítica para el entendimiento del subdesarrollo de los países periféricos y para la economía política en general. Aquí se sugiere que sus contribuciones al debate sobre el estancamiento en la región, y en particular en Brasil, deben ser vistas como parte de una preocupación más general, en la cual algunas ideas esencialmente de origen kaleckiano son tomadas para abordar el crecimiento empujado por la demanda, donde la distribución tiene un efecto paramétrico sobre el crecimiento, y de signo indefinido. En eso, debe ser vista como una de las pioneras de las teorías de crecimiento heterodoxas, que serían formalizadas más tarde. Además, Tavares se desarrolla como economista política en la tradición cepalina del método histórico-estructural, que retoma elementos del abordaje del excedente de los clásicos y de Karl Marx, y con ese instrumental analiza las relaciones de poder. En particular, y al contrario de la mayoría de los analistas internacionales, sugiere que el final de Bretton Woods y el shock de la tasa de interés de Paul Volcker, presidente de la Reserva Federal estadounidense, marcan la reanudación de la hegemonía de ese país. Eso le permite ver muy tempranamente, en los años noventa, los límites del proyecto neoliberal del Consenso de Washington que barrería al continente. Su actuación intelectual y sus contribuciones originales se dan en el marco de la economía heterodoxa, en el mismo momento en que la profesión se mueve hacia el retorno de la economía vulgar, la apologética del mercado, sin fundamentos analíticos. La última sección proporciona algunas reflexiones finales sobre su legado.
Correlated Equilibria for Mean Field Games with Progressive Strategies
Authors: Bonesini Ofelia , Campi Luciano , Fischer Markus
Published: April 2024

In a discrete space and time framework, we study the mean field game limit for a class of symmetric N-player games based on the notion of correlated equilibrium. We give a definition of correlated solution that allows us to construct approximate N-player correlated equilibria that are robust with respect to progressive deviations. We illustrate our definition by way of an example with explicit solutions.

Funding: O. Bonesini acknowledges financial support from Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [Grant EP/T032146/1]. M. Fischer acknowledges partial support through the University of Padua [Research Project BIRD229791 “Stochastic mean field control and the Schrödinger problem”].
Market Entry and Competition Under Network Effects
Authors: Feng Yinbo , Hu Ming
Published: April 2024

The “long tail” theory was celebrated by BusinessWeek as the biggest idea of the year 2004, soon after the book The Long Tail by Chris Anderson was published. The long tail theory calls for applying a low-budget strategy—producing a (relatively) large number of products with (relatively) low investment levels. However, some other cultural industries may tell a different story. The concentration of the most popular titles in the video game industry is growing, a phenomenon known as the blockbuster phenomenon. This phenomenon suggests that firms may adopt a high-budget strategy—producing a (relatively) small number of products with (relatively) high investment levels. In “Market Entry and Competition Under Network Effects,” Y. Feng and M. Hu analytically study the impact of a network effect on entry decisions and investment strategies (i.e., the high-budget versus low-budget strategies) adopted by competing firms based on which they further provide a theory that links the ex post sales volume concentration with the ex ante product variety in a market under network effects.