bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid deployment aortic valve implantation in complex patients with infective endocarditis or aortic valve insufficiency
Authors: Benke Kálmán , Bánhegyi Viktor , Korca Edina , Veres Gábor , Yakobus Yuliana , Matin Meradjoddin , Szabó Gábor
Published: July 2024

Background

New prosthetic valves and surgical approaches that shorten operation time and improve the outcome of patients with aortic valve (AV) infective endocarditis (IE) and AV insufficiency (AVI) are crucial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with AV IE or AVI treated with the EDWARDS INTUITY Rapid-Deployment AV prosthesis for this off-label indication.

Methods

This single-centre retrospective study analyzed data from patients who underwent AV replacement with the EDWARDS INTUITY Rapid-Deployment AV prosthesis for AV IE or regurgitation. (n = 8 for IE and n = 6 for AVI).

Results

Heart-lung machine times were significantly shorter in the AVI group (111.3 ± 20.7 min) compared to the IE group (171.9 ± 52.4 min) (p = 0.02). Aortic cross-clamp followed a similar trend (73.7 ± 9.9 min for AVI vs. 113.4 ± 35.6 min for IE) (p = 0.02). The length of ICU stay was also shorter in the AVI group (3.8 ± 2.6 days) compared to the IE group (16.9 ± 8.9 days) (p = 0.005). Postoperative echocardiography revealed no paravalvular leakage or significant valvular dysfunction in any patient. One patient died postoperatively from aspiration pneumonia.

Conclusion

The INTUITY valve demonstrates as a safe option for complex AV IE and AVI surgery. Further prospective studies with larger patient cohorts are necessary to confirm these findings and explore the long-term benefits of this approach.
Adolescents perception of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and associated mental health and well-being: gender, age and socioeconomic differences in 22 countries
Authors: Reiss Franziska , Cosma Alina , Bersia Michela , Erhart Michael , Dalmasso Paola , Devine Janine , Hulbert Sabina , Catunda Carolina , Gobina Inese , Giladi Ariela , Jeriček Klanšček Helena , Ravens-Sieberer Ulrike
Published: July 2024

Background

The COVID-19-pandemic has had a profound impact on the lives of adolescents worldwide. This study examined the subjective perception of the COVID-19 pandemic measures and its association with mental health and well-being (i.e., loneliness, life satisfaction and multiple health complaints) among 13- and 15-years-old adolescents from 22 countries.

Methods

Data from the cross-national Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2021/22 study were used from representative samples of 22 countries (N = 67,544; 51.9% girls). The self-perceived impact of COVID-19 measure comprised 10 items asking about the impact on several dimensions of adolescent lives (e.g., relationships with family and friends, health, or eating behaviours). Measures of loneliness, multiple health complaints, and life satisfaction were included as indicators of mental health and well-being. A non-parametric multilevel latent class analysis considering individual and country-levels was conducted to identify classes of self-perceived impact of the COVID-19 measures. Multilevel logistic regression models adjusted by age and socioeconomic status were applied to assess the association between COVID-19 measure impact classes and mental health.

Results

Three classes were identified on individual level encompassing a neutral (51%), positive (31%), or negative (18%) perception of COVID-19 measures. A third of the adolescents reported a positive impact of the pandemic measures. The distribution of classes was heterogeneous within and across countries. Within the positive COVID-19 measure impact class, social relationships were the most important dimension, whereas mental health problems were mostly represented within the negative COVID-19 measure impact class. Girls with a negative perception of pandemic measures showed higher levels of loneliness and multiple health complaints and lower life satisfaction. 15-year-old adolescents and those with a low socioeconomic status reported higher levels of loneliness and lower life satisfaction.

Conclusions

The majority of adolescents perceived the pandemic measures as neutral or positive. Girls, 15-year-old adolescents, and those with low socioeconomic status were at higher risk of suffering from pandemic measures and associated problems of loneliness, multiple health complaints, and low life satisfaction. We conclude that adolescent’s mental health and well-being should be considered in the decision-making process by ensuring that the unique challenges of adolescents are adequately addressed in policies.
Utility and rationale for continuous EEG monitoring: a primer for the general intensivist
Authors: Bitar Ribal , Khan Usaamah M. , Rosenthal Eric S.
Published: July 2024

This review offers a comprehensive guide for general intensivists on the utility of continuous EEG (cEEG) monitoring for critically ill patients. Beyond the primary role of EEG in detecting seizures, this review explores its utility in neuroprognostication, monitoring neurological deterioration, assessing treatment responses, and aiding rehabilitation in patients with encephalopathy, coma, or other consciousness disorders. Most seizures and status epilepticus (SE) events in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting are nonconvulsive or subtle, making cEEG essential for identifying these otherwise silent events. Imaging and invasive approaches can add to the diagnosis of seizures for specific populations, given that scalp electrodes may fail to identify seizures that may be detected by depth electrodes or electroradiologic findings. When cEEG identifies SE, the risk of secondary neuronal injury related to the time-intensity “burden” often prompts treatment with anti-seizure medications. Similarly, treatment may be administered for seizure-spectrum activity, such as periodic discharges or lateralized rhythmic delta slowing on the ictal-interictal continuum (IIC), even when frank seizures are not evident on the scalp. In this setting, cEEG is utilized empirically to monitor treatment response. Separately, cEEG has other versatile uses for neurotelemetry, including identifying the level of sedation or consciousness. Specific conditions such as sepsis, traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and cardiac arrest may each be associated with a unique application of cEEG; for example, predicting impending events of delayed cerebral ischemia, a feared complication in the first two weeks after subarachnoid hemorrhage. After brief training, non-neurophysiologists can learn to interpret quantitative EEG trends that summarize elements of EEG activity, enhancing clinical responsiveness in collaboration with clinical neurophysiologists. Intensivists and other healthcare professionals also play crucial roles in facilitating timely cEEG setup, preventing electrode-related skin injuries, and maintaining patient mobility during monitoring.
Early physical rehabilitation dosage in the intensive care unit associates with hospital outcomes after critical COVID-19
Authors: Mayer Kirby P. , Haezebrouck Evan , Ginoza Lori M. , Martinez Clarisa , Jan Minnie , Michener Lori A. , Fresenko Lindsey E. , Montgomery-Yates Ashley A. , Kalema Anna G. , Pastva Amy M. , Biehl Michelle , Mart Matthew F. , Johnson Joshua K.
Published: July 2024

Objective

To examine the relationship between physical rehabilitation parameters including an approach to quantifying dosage with hospital outcomes for patients with critical COVID-19.

Design

Retrospective practice analysis from March 5, 2020, to April 15, 2021.

Setting

Intensive care units (ICU) at four medical institutions.

Patients

n = 3780 adults with ICU admission and diagnosis of COVID-19.

Interventions

We measured the physical rehabilitation treatment delivered in ICU and patient outcomes: (1) mortality; (2) discharge disposition; and (3) physical function at hospital discharge measured by the Activity Measure-Post Acute Care (AM-PAC) “6-Clicks” (6–24, 24 = greater functional independence). Physical rehabilitation dosage was defined as the average mobility level scores in the first three sessions (a surrogate measure of intensity) multiplied by the rehabilitation frequency (PT + OT frequency in hospital).

Measurements and main results

The cohort was a mean 64 ± 16 years old, 41% female, mean BMI of 32 ± 9 kg/m2 and 46% (n = 1739) required mechanical ventilation. For 2191 patients who received rehabilitation, the dosage and AM-PAC at discharge were moderately, positively associated (Spearman’s rho [r] = 0.484, p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression (model adjusted R2 = 0.68, p < 0.001) demonstrates mechanical ventilation (β = − 0.86, p = 0.001), average mobility score in first three sessions (β = 2.6, p < 0.001) and physical rehabilitation dosage (β = 0.22, p = 0.001) were predictive of AM-PAC scores at discharge when controlling for age, sex, BMI, and ICU LOS.

Conclusions

Greater physical rehabilitation exposure early in the ICU is associated with better physical function at hospital discharge.
Non-coding variants impact cis-regulatory coordination in a cell type-specific manner
Authors: Pushkarev Olga , van Mierlo Guido , Kribelbauer Judith Franziska , Saelens Wouter , Gardeux Vincent , Deplancke Bart
Published: July 2024

Background

Interactions among cis-regulatory elements (CREs) play a crucial role in gene regulation. Various approaches have been developed to map these interactions genome-wide, including those relying on interindividual epigenomic variation to identify groups of covariable regulatory elements, referred to as chromatin modules (CMs). While CM mapping allows to investigate the relationship between chromatin modularity and gene expression, the computational principles used for CM identification vary in their application and outcomes.

Results

We comprehensively evaluate and streamline existing CM mapping tools and present guidelines for optimal utilization of epigenome data from a diverse population of individuals to assess regulatory coordination across the human genome. We showcase the effectiveness of our recommended practices by analyzing distinct cell types and demonstrate cell type specificity of CRE interactions in CMs and their relevance for gene expression. Integration of genotype information revealed that many non-coding disease-associated variants affect the activity of CMs in a cell type-specific manner by affecting the binding of cell type-specific transcription factors. We provide example cases that illustrate in detail how CMs can be used to deconstruct GWAS loci, assess variable expression of cell surface receptors in immune cells, and reveal how genetic variation can impact the expression of prognostic markers in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Conclusions

Our study presents an optimal strategy for CM mapping and reveals how CMs capture the coordination of CREs and its impact on gene expression. Non-coding genetic variants can disrupt this coordination, and we highlight how this may lead to disease predisposition in a cell type-specific manner.
Personality vulnerabilities and adverse event reporting in phase 1 clinical studies
Authors: Skommer Joanna , Gunesh Krish , Polasek Thomas M.
Published: July 2024

Background

Phase 1 clinical trials involve rigorous safety monitoring to identify any adverse effects of investigational treatments. There is growing evidence that healthy volunteers recruited in these studies may differ with respect to personality traits from the general population. This, in turn, may have a significant impact on the reporting of adverse events, particularly in trials investigating psychoactive treatments, including the psychedelic substances.

Main body

This analysis stems from our combined experience as investigators in phase 1 clinical trials and conveys an experiential understanding of the impact of psychological heterogeneity on study participation, reporting of adverse events and study outcomes.

Conclusion

Participant variability due to psychological characteristics is regularly overlooked in phase 1 clinical trials and may significantly impact on reporting of the adverse events. In our opinion, healthy volunteers who present for these studies should not only be defined by the absence of past or current medical and psychiatric illness but also characterised by their psychological attributes.
Feasibility study on heterotrophic utilization of galactose by Chlorella sorokiniana and promotion of galactose utilization through mixed carbon sources culture
Authors: Wu Shengjie , Cheng Xiao , Xu Qinyun , Wang Shikai
Published: July 2024

Background

The development of alternative carbon sources is important for reducing the cost of heterotrophic microalgae cultivation. Among cheap feedstocks, galactose is one of the most abundant sugars and can be easily obtained from many natural biomasses. However, it is generally difficult to be utilized by microalgae. In addition, the mechanism of its low utilization efficiency in heterotrophic cultivation is still unknown.

Results

Among seven tested carbon sources, only glucose and acetate could be efficiently utilized by C. sorokiniana in heterotrophic cultivation while there were no apparent signs of utilization of other carbohydrates, including galactose, in regular heterotrophic cultivation. However, galactose could be utilized in cultures with high inoculation sizes. This confirmed that C. sorokiniana has a complete pathway for transporting and assimilating galactose under dark conditions, but the rate of galactose utilization is quite low. In addition, the galactose utilization was greatly enhanced in mixotrophic cultures, which indicated that galactose utilization could be enhanced by additional pathways that can enhance cell growth. Based on above results, a mixed carbon source culture strategy was proposed to improve the utilization rate of galactose, and a significant synergistic effect on cell growth was achieved in cultures using a mixture of galactose and acetate.

Conclusions

This study indicated that the galactose metabolism pathway may not be inherently deficient in Chlorophyta. However, its utilization rate was too low to be detected in regular heterotrophic cultivation. Mixed carbon source culture strategy was confirmed effective to improve the utilization rate of galactose. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the utilization ability of difficultly utilized substrates in the heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae, which is of great significance for reducing the cost of heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae.
Modified receiver architecture in software-defined radio for real-time modulation classification
Authors: Le Quoc Nam , Huynh Tan Quoc , Ta Hien Quang , Tan Phuoc Vo , Nguyen Lap Luat
Published: July 2024

Automatic modulation classification (AMC) is an important process for future communication systems with prominent applications from spectrum management, and secure communication, to cognitive radio. The requirement for an efficient AMC classifier is due to its capability in blind modulation recognition, which is a difficult task in real scenarios where the limitations of traditional hardware and the complexity of channel impairments are involved. Therefore, this paper proposes a complete real-time AMC system based on software-defined radio and deep learning architecture. The system demodulation performance is verified through simulations and real channel impairment conditions to ensure reliability. With at most 6 times reduced number of parameters, two proposed models convolutional long short-term memory deep neural network and residual long short-term memory neural network also show a general improvement in classification accuracy compared with reference studies. The performance of these models at real-time AMC is tested with suitable processing time for practical applications.
House dust metagenome and pulmonary function in a US farming population
Authors: Lee Mikyeong , Kaul Abhishek , Ward James M. , Zhu Qiyun , Richards Marie , Wang Ziyue , González Antonio , Parks Christine G. , Beane Freeman Laura E. , Umbach David M. , Motsinger-Reif Alison A. , Knight Rob , London Stephanie J.
Published: July 2024

Background

Chronic exposure to microorganisms inside homes can impact respiratory health. Few studies have used advanced sequencing methods to examine adult respiratory outcomes, especially continuous measures. We aimed to identify metagenomic profiles in house dust related to the quantitative traits of pulmonary function and airway inflammation in adults. Microbial communities, 1264 species (389 genera), in vacuumed bedroom dust from 779 homes in a US cohort were characterized by whole metagenome shotgun sequencing. We examined two overall microbial diversity measures: richness (the number of individual microbial species) and Shannon index (reflecting both richness and relative abundance). To identify specific differentially abundant genera, we applied the Lasso estimator with high-dimensional inference methods, a novel framework for analyzing microbiome data in relation to continuous traits after accounting for all taxa examined together.

Results

Pulmonary function measures (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC ratio) were not associated with overall dust microbial diversity. However, many individual microbial genera were differentially abundant (p-value < 0.05 controlling for all other microbial taxa examined) in relation to FEV1, FVC, or FEV1/FVC. Similarly, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a marker of airway inflammation, was unrelated to overall microbial diversity but associated with differential abundance for many individual genera. Several genera, including Limosilactobacillus, were associated with a pulmonary function measure and FeNO, while others, including Moraxella to FEV1/FVC and Stenotrophomonas to FeNO, were associated with a single trait.

Conclusions

Using state-of-the-art metagenomic sequencing, we identified specific microorganisms in indoor dust related to pulmonary function and airway inflammation. Some were previously associated with respiratory conditions; others were novel, suggesting specific environmental microbial components contribute to various respiratory outcomes. The methods used are applicable to studying microbiome in relation to other continuous outcomes.
Gut virome-wide association analysis identifies cross-population viral signatures for inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Tian Xiangge , Li Shenghui , Wang Chao , Zhang Yanyan , Feng Xiaoying , Yan Qiulong , Guo Ruochun , Wu Fan , Wu Chunxue , Wang Yan , Huo Xiaokui , Ma Xiaochi
Published: July 2024

Background

The gut virome has been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet a full understanding of the gut virome in IBD patients, especially across diverse geographic populations, is lacking.

Results

In this study, we conducted a comprehensive gut virome-wide association study in a Chinese cohort of 71 IBD patients (15 with Crohn’s disease and 56 with ulcerative colitis) and 77 healthy controls via viral-like particle (VLP) and bulk virome sequencing of their feces. By utilizing an integrated gut virus catalog tailored to the IBD virome, we revealed fundamental alterations in the gut virome in IBD patients. These characterized 139 differentially abundant viral signatures, including elevated phages predicted to infect Escherichia, Klebsiella, Enterococcus_B, Streptococcus, and Veillonella species, as well as IBD-depleted phages targeting Prevotella, Ruminococcus_E, Bifidobacterium, and Blautia species. Remarkably, these viral signatures demonstrated high consistency across diverse populations such as those in Europe and the USA, emphasizing their significance and broad relevance in the disease context. Furthermore, fecal virome transplantation experiments verified that the colonization of these IBD-characterized viruses can modulate experimental colitis in mouse models.

Conclusions

Building upon these insights into the IBD gut virome, we identified potential biomarkers for prognosis and therapy in IBD patients, laying the foundation for further exploration of viromes in related conditions.
Carnivore space use behaviors reveal variation in responses to human land modification
Authors: Gorman Nicole T. , Eichholz Michael W. , Skinner Daniel J. , Schlichting Peter E. , Bastille-Rousseau Guillaume
Published: July 2024

Background

Spatial behavior, including home-ranging behaviors, habitat selection, and movement, can be extremely informative in estimating how animals respond to landscape heterogeneity. Responses in these spatial behaviors to features such as human land modification and resources can highlight a species’ spatial strategy to maximize fitness and minimize mortality. These strategies can vary on spatial, temporal, and individual scales, and the combination of behaviors on these scales can lead to very different strategies among species.

Methods

Harnessing the variation present at these scales, we characterized how species may respond to stimuli in their environments ranging from broad- to fine-scale spatial responses to human modification in their environment. Using 15 bobcat-years and 31 coyote-years of GPS data from individuals inhabiting a landscape encompassing a range of human land modification, we evaluated the complexity of both species’ responses to human modification on the landscape through their home range size, habitat selection, and functional response behaviors, accounting for annual, seasonal, and diel variation.

Results

Bobcats and coyotes used different strategies in response to human modification in their home ranges, with bobcats broadly expanding their home range with increases in human modification and displaying temporal consistency in functional response in habitat selection across both season and time of day. Meanwhile, coyotes did not expand their home ranges with increased human modification, but instead demonstrated fine-scale responses to human modification with habitat selection strategies that sometimes varied by time of day and season, paired with functional responses in selection behaviors.

Conclusions

These differences in response to habitat, resources, and human modification between the two species highlighted the variation in spatial behaviors animals can use to exist in anthropogenic environments. Categorizing animal spatial behavior based on these spatiotemporal responses and individual variation can help in predicting how a species will respond to future change based on their current spatial behavior.
Attending to STEM education in servingness at Hispanic-serving institutions: a systematic review of more than a decade of scholarship
Authors: Ro Hyun Kyoung , Aguilar-Smith Stephanie , Anderson Shirley Yang , Rodriguez Tricia , Ramon Elizabeth J. , Javier Damaris
Published: July 2024

Background, context, and purpose of the study

Enrolling over 60% of all Latinx undergraduate students, Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) are poised to play a critical role in diversifying and strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and the STEM workforce. However, how HSIs serve STEM students is not well understood. Accordingly, guided by Garcia et al. (Review of Educational Research 89:5–745, 2019) multidimensional servingness framework, we conducted a systematic review of the research on STEM education within the HSI context. By attending to STEM education in conversations around how HSIs may serve Latinx students and their campus communities, our ultimate aim is to improve STEM education particularly at HSIs and advance STEM servingness more broadly.

Results, main findings

Through our systematic review of STEM education research at HSIs, we identified (under)studied components of servingness and gaps within this literature base. Specifically, among the 128 qualifying articles, nearly two-thirds focused on student outcomes but overlooked institutions’ organizational context, raising questions about the effect(iveness) of the studied interventions. Additionally, we identified three thematic gaps in this literature: ghosting the HSI context (i.e., relying on HSIs as research sites without considering the unique HSI context); ghosting Latinx culture (i.e., decentering Latinx students and the Latinx community’s sociocultural aspects and assets), and ghosting people and places (i.e., under-examining certain student populations like Latino men in STEM and places like Hispanic-serving community colleges). Ultimately, our study extends the field’s understanding of servingness by attending to STEM education within the context of HSI institutions.

Conclusions, brief summary, and potential implications

By systematically reviewing studies on STEM education at HSIs, we identified (under)studied components of servingness and patterned gaps within this literature. In doing so, we highlight opportunities to advance STEM servingness at HSIs through future research, policy, and practice. Collectively, these avenues hold the promise of improving STEM education and diversifying the STEM workforce.
Ethnic integration in the “Lin-ge” migration epic: a grassroots perspective
Authors: Guo Wenzhi , Tan Biyou , Song Bruce Ming-Yeung
Published: July 2024

This study comprehensively analyzes China’s ethnic migration epic, “Lin-ge,” as a case study to explore the cultural and social phenomena it reveals about exchanges, communication and integration among ethnic groups. It reveals how this process has facilitated mutual understanding and integration among diverse ethnic communities from a grassroots level. Focusing on inter-ethnic religious syncretism, economic interactions, warfare exchanges, trade practices, and intermarriages depicted in “Lin-ge,” the research showcases the complexity and dynamism of ethnic integration. It emphasizes the pivotal role of regional community identity in bridging different ethnic groups and forming the foundational cultural logic behind the identity of the Chinese national community. Through textual analysis, this study finds that “Lin-ge” transcends the boundaries between official and folk, sacred and secular, and historical and contemporary narratives, presenting a more inclusive and diversified perspective of the Chinese national community. The research highlights that the syncretism of religious beliefs, cultural exchanges, and social practices are key mechanisms in shaping the identity of regional social communities and promoting harmonious coexistence among various ethnic groups. Moreover, by reviewing extensive literature and conducting case analyses, this study provides a thorough understanding of China’s ethnic policies, ethnic relations, and the formation and development of multi-ethnic communities. The findings are not only of significant academic relevance to the fields of ethnology and anthropology but also offer practical guidance for addressing ethnic issues and promoting ethnic unity and national integration in modern society.
Transcriptomic Profiling of Primary Prostate Cancers and Nonlocalized Disease on Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography: A Multicenter Retrospective Study
Authors: Nikitas John , Subramanian Kritika , Gozal Nimrod Barashi , Ricaurte-Fajardo Andres , Li Eric , Proudfoot James A. , Davicioni Elai , Marciscano Ariel E. , Osborne Joseph R. , Barbieri Christopher E. , Armstrong Wesley R. , Smith Clayton P. , Valle Luca F. , Steinberg Michael L. , Boutros Paul C. , Nickols Nicholas G. , Rettig Matthew B. , Reiter Robert , Weiner Adam B. , Calais Jeremie , Czernin Johannes , Ross Ashley Evan , Kim Eric H. , Nagar Himanshu , Kishan Amar U.
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

To characterize the relationship between Decipher genomic classifier scores and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT)–based metastatic spread.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified patients from four institutions who underwent PSMA PET/CT scans pretreatment for primary staging or postradical prostatectomy (RP) for suspected recurrence and had Decipher transcriptomic data available from biopsy or RP specimens. PSMA PET/CT-based patterns of spread were classified as localized (miT + N0M0) or nonlocalized (miN1M0 or miM1a-c). We calculated the association between Decipher scores and the risk of nonlocalized disease on PSMA PET/CT using multivariable logistic regression for pretreatment patients and multivariable Cox regression for post-RP patients. We also compared select transcriptomic signatures between patients with localized and nonlocalized diseases.

RESULTS

Five hundred eighty-six patients were included (pretreatment: n = 329; post-RP: n = 257). Higher Decipher scores were associated with nonlocalized disease on PSMA PET/CT both pretreatment (odds ratio, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.36] per 0.1 increase in Decipher score, P = .02) and post-RP (hazard ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.05 to 1.27] per 0.1 increase in Decipher score, P = .003). In the pretreatment setting, nonlocalized disease was associated with higher rates of TP53 mutations and lower rates of PAM50 luminal A subtype compared with localized disease. In the post-RP setting, overexpression of signatures related to metabolism, DNA repair, and androgen receptor signaling were associated with higher rates of nonlocalized disease.

CONCLUSION

Higher Decipher scores were associated with nonlocalized disease identified on PSMA PET/CT both pretreatment and post-RP. There were several transcriptomic differences between localized and nonlocalized diseases in both settings.
Marooned
Authors: Otoya Natascha de Vasconcellos
Published: July 2024

Mr. João de Deus, an elderly Afro-Brazilian man, worked on the ground and contributed to the beginning of the modern Brazilian oil industry. His is a story of environmental hope and personal resilience with roots in the deep past and outcomes that reverberate to the present. João de Deus’s story reveals many layers of history beyond human activity, weaving together different temporalities and kinds of hope. This article layers different temporalities—geological, ecological, and human—to emphasize their interconnectedness. As a method, layering various chronological scales helps highlight how they collectively contribute to a complex and nuanced history of a particular individual, community, or place. It considers the simultaneous existence and impact of multiple historical layers, emphasizing the interplay of different historical timescales and historical actors. João de Deus, situated atop ancient geological layers potentially rich in oil, experienced life as a Black man in slavery-era Brazil. Amid the ecological presence of African oil palms and the emerging industrialization of the Maraú Peninsula, he found himself entangled in multiple concurrent histories of different chronological scales, all influencing his destiny.
Asbestos
Authors: Rose Arthur
Published: July 2024

Asbestos has long been a staple lesson for the precautionary principle. As a toxic material, it is often something people hope not to encounter. But before this, it often appeared as a substance of hope, carrying the promise of safety and economic rewards. This article uses these conflicting accounts of asbestos’s hope as a starting point for thinking about the conditions of hazardous hope. Turning to a vignette about an asbestos facility in Mike McCormack’s Solar Bones (2016), the article considers how stories of hazardous hope may produce a diminishment of hope. Rather than dismiss this as insufficiently hopeful, however, the article addresses the form of the novel as an exemplar of accessible experimentalism, suggesting it models new ways of communicating complex problems. If narrativizing hope demands an openness to multiple possible futures, then the form of such hope might need to defer resolution in much the same way as that adopted by modernist writing.
Beyond an Environmental “Hermeneutics of Suspicion”
Authors: Klaubert Hannah
Published: July 2024

This essay engages debates about hopeful critical scholarship in the environmental humanities via an analysis of the figure of the Babushka of Chornobyl in literature, film, and photography. The argument for hazardous hope unfolds in two steps. First, the article discusses how contaminated environments like the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, where the Babushkas live, invite an interpretative move that models what Paul Ricoeur and, more recently, Rita Felski have problematized as the hermeneutics of suspicion. Such a move involves a mistrust of what is at the surface, calling for the exposure of hidden material agencies beyond what can be sensorily perceived. This suspicious disposition is also the critical stance of much environmental humanities scholarship, even when it attempts to be hopeful. Second, the article proposes that the cultural texts it examines not only model a suspicious gaze but can also easily be read suspiciously—as glossing over the harrowing realities of a precarious life in a sacrifice zone. Yet they also show us pockets of beauty, joy, and community and hint toward reformulations of environmental futurity that cannot easily be accounted for via such suspicious criticism. In that, they invite us to leave behind, if only temporarily, the hermeneutics of suspicion and to explore hazardous hope in a contaminated environment.
Changes on Cognition and Brain Network Temporal Variability After Pediatric Neurosurgery
Authors: Guan Xueyi , Hu Bohan , Zheng Wenjian , Chen Ning , Li Xiang , Hu Cuiling , Han Xu , Yan Zihan , Lu Zheng , Ou Yunwei , Gong Jian
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Pediatric intracranial space–occupying lesions are common, with prognoses improving markedly in recent years, significantly extending survival. As such, there is an imperative to pay increased attention to the postoperative cognitive functions and brain network alterations in these children because these factors significantly influence their quality of life. Temporal variability (TV) analysis of brain networks captures the full extent of resting-state activities, reflecting cognitive functions and rehabilitation potential. However, previous research rarely uses TV analyses and most focus on adults or children after multidisciplinary treatments, not reflecting the combined effect caused by neurosurgery only and self-repair. This study gives our insights into this field from a holistic perspective.

METHODS:

We studied 35 children with intracranial space–occupying lesions, analyzing pre- and postsurgery MRI and cognitive tests. We used TV analysis to assess changes and correlated imaging indicators with cognitive performance.

RESULTS:

We observed a tendency for cognitive recovery after about 3 months postsurgery, primarily in the domains of social cognition and nonverbal reasoning. TV analysis of brain networks indicated increased nodal variability within systems such as the visual and sensorimotor networks, which are integral to external interactions. Correlative analysis showed that alterations in certain occipital regions were associated with changes in social cognition and nonverbal reasoning.

CONCLUSION:

These findings suggest significant intrinsic repair in cognitive functions and brain networks at around 3 months postneurosurgery in children. This study not only enriches our comprehension of postoperative cognitive and brain network self-repair processes in children but also furnishes potential therapeutic targets for rehabilitation interventions and establishes a theoretical foundation for proactive surgical interventions.
Body length determines flow refuging for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) behind wing dams
Authors: Dial Terry R. , Collins Laura A. , Liao James C. , Tobalske Bret W.
Published: July 2024

Complex hydrodynamics abound in natural streams, yet the selective pressures these impose upon different size classes of fish are not well understood. Attached vortices are produced by relatively large objects that block freestream flow, which fish routinely utilize for flow refuging. To test how flow refuging and the potential harvesting of energy (as seen in Kármán gaiting) vary across size classes in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss; fingerling, 8 cm; parr, 14 cm; adult, 22 cm; n=4 per size class), we used a water flume (4100 l; freestream flow at 65 cm s−1) and created vortices using 45 deg wing dams of varying size (small, 15 cm; medium, 31 cm; large, 48 cm). We monitored microhabitat selection and swimming kinematics of individual trout and measured the flow field in the wake of wing dams using time-resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV). Trout of each size class preferentially swam in vortices rather than the freestream, but the capacity to flow refuge varied according to the ratio of vortex width to fish length (WV:LF). Consistent refuging behavior was exhibited when WV:LF≥1.5. All size classes exhibited increased wavelength and Strouhal number and decreased tailbeat frequency within vortices compared with freestream, suggesting that swimming in vortices requires less power output. In 17% of the trials, fish preferentially swam in a manner that suggests energy harvesting from the shear layer. Our results can inform efforts toward riparian restoration and fishway design to improve salmonid conservation.
The effect of vitamin D on the development of Hashimoto's disease and the reduction of the inflammatory process in its course - review
Authors: Elias Jagoda , Woźniak Justyna , Womperski Karol , Szymonik Julia , Szopa Sebastian
Published: July 2024

Introduction 
Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. It is a common condition, more frequent in women. Its diagnosis is based on the presence of specific antithyroid antibodies in the patient's blood which lead to the destruction of the thyroid gland. This can result in the development of hypothyroidism, requiring levothyroxine replacement therapy. 
Aim of the review 
A summary of the information gathered so far on the involvement of vitamin D in the development and course of Hashimoto's disease. 
Results
The articles analyzed have mixed results. Most of them show a positive correlation between vitamin D and Hashimoto's disease, paying particular attention to the contribution of vitamin D in moderating the inflammatory process in HT. Other studies show significant differences in vitamin D levels between groups with different HT severity. Others show a negative correlation between vitamin D levels and the development of Hashimoto's disease. 
Conclusions 
Large well-controlled randomized double blind trials are needed in order to determine the exact role of vitamin D in Hashimoto’s disease.
Achilles tendon rupture: etiology, diagnosis, prevention, repair, complications and their relation to future sports performance in the athletic population
Authors: Skorupska Marta , Czeczotka Magdalena Joanna , Martka Martyna Magdalena , Popławska Natalia Aleksandra , Śliz Justyna , Woźniak Krzysztof
Published: July 2024

The Achilles tendon is the most powerful and longest in our body. 20% of all serious tendon ruptures involve the Achilles tendon (AT). An AT rupture can be a career-ending injury. Proven risk factors predisposing and preventing tendon rupture are presented, as well as epidemiological data on the incidence of this disease in the population. In addition, it illustrates currently used diagnostic methods and presents the benefits they bring. Achilles tendon ruptures have a detrimental impact on athletic performance, and the most appropriate treatment method and return-to-play recommendations remain controversial. Recent studies show that operative intervention improves strength and functional results and is more effective compared to non-operative treatment combined with rehabilitation. Currently, according to the latest research, surgical intervention should be used, especially in athletes and very physically active people, because it shortens the time to return to full fitness and allows for better sports achievements in the future. However, you should remember about the complications that may result from such treatment. Nevertheless, the benefits of surgery outweigh the possible losses, especially to the athletic population. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively review the relationship between surgical repair of a ruptured AT and future athletic performance in an athlete population. The available research shows the effectiveness, side effects, complications, and benefits of surgical correction of a ruptured tendon in the athlete population, as well as the quality of performance they are able to achieve after recovery.
Materials and methods:
Materials used in this study were found in the PubMed database, using the following keywords: Achilles tendon”, Achilles tendon rupture”, Return to play’’, Athletes injury”, Athletic population”.
Del esquema dialógico del conocimiento. Intersubjetividad y objetivación del ente a partir de la fenomenología dialéctica.
Authors: González Hinojosa Roberto Andrés
Published: July 2024

El presente trabajo tiene como foco medular de atención el fenómeno del conocimiento a partir de la perspectiva de Eduardo Nicol. Para este pensador el conocimiento se estructura en tres momentos, a saber, el aparecer, el reaparecer y el parecer. Esto significa que primero se da el ser, en un segundo momento tiene lugar la fijación de la mismidad de lo dado y, en tercer lugar, se da la presentación dialógica de lo ajeno. Es justo en este tercer momento donde se puede hablar de la objetivación, la cual consiste en el reconocimiento común del ser. Palabras clave: Ser; Conocimiento; Objetivación; Nicol; Fenomenología-dialéctica.
Afectos éticos, afectos estéticos. Tras el rastro de Spinoza.
Authors: Fernández Bustos Gerardo
Published: July 2024

El siguiente artículo pretende profundizar en las implicaciones que tendría la filosofía de Spinoza en el campo de la estética. Así intentaremos tratar de elaborar una estética spinozista siguiendo las pautas de lo que dijo el autor en sus obras, así como lo que han sostenido sus principales comentadores. Nos introduciremos en lo que sea una obra de arte, una experiencia estética, al mismo tiempo que nos preocupamos por la imbricación entre ética y estética
El paisaje rural histórico como recurso para el desarrollo local. Aportes a la planificación de los usos del suelo en Lunlunta y Cruz de Piedra, Maipú (Mendoza, Argentina)
Authors: Esteves Matías , Luis Natalia
Published: July 2024

La expansión urbana sobre territorios agrícolas demanda atención en la actual planificación de los usos del suelo, más aún en el contexto de tierras secas con acotada disponibilidad de agua y terreno fértil. El objetivo es identificar y caracterizar los elementos naturales y culturales, his­tóricos y actuales que componen el paisaje rural del suroeste de Maipú (Mendoza, Argentina) y su relación con las transformaciones territoriales. Mediante metodología mixta aplicada en un caso de estudio, junto al análisis de documentos históricos y el uso de software de acceso abierto qgis, se presentan los valores naturales y culturales, infraestructura territorial, patri­monio edificado, y la forma en que lo urbano ocupa suelos productivos. Así, es posible extraer recomendaciones para los tomadores de decisiones en relación con la planificación de los usos del suelo que fomenten el desarrollo local y la inclusión de nuevas categorías territoriales para la lectura y gestión del territorio.
The Vehicle Routing Problem with Access Restrictions
Authors: Şahin Munise Kübra , Yaman Hande
Published: July 2024

To mitigate the negative effects of freight vehicles on urban areas, many cities have implemented road accessibility restrictions, including limited traffic zones, which restrict access to specific areas during certain times of the day. Implementing these zones creates a tradeoff between the delivery cost and time, even under the assumption of equal traversal time and travel cost. Consequently, the planners in charge of vehicle routing need to work with graphs containing information on all Pareto-optimal paths. Inspired by these changes in city logistics and the resulting computational challenges, we study the vehicle routing problem with access restrictions, where some streets are closed to traffic within a given time period. We formulate this problem using workday variables and propose two branch and price algorithms based on the underlying road network and multigraph. The results of our computational experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms, solving instances with up to 100 nodes and 33 customers, and underline the importance of considering alternative paths in reducing costs.

Funding: This work was supported by KU Leuven [C14/22/026].
Research strategies for trainee and qualified advanced clinical practitioners that enhance evidence-based practice
Authors: Alsararatee Hasan Hazim
Published: July 2024

Advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) are integral to modern healthcare, providing high-quality, evidence-based care to patients. While ACPs show some development in clinical practice, leadership, and education, challenges persist in the research pillar. Trainee and qualified ACPs often have difficulties initiating their research journey and may feel uncertain about where to start. Existing studies have explored and emphasised the importance of ACPs developing and maintaining their research skills, yet there remains a gap in understanding how they can effectively demonstrate their research capabilities. Therefore, this article aims to help trainees and qualified ACPs on how to evidence their research pillar capabilities.
Placements: opportunities to learn
Authors: Petchey Jade
Published: July 2024

In our continuing series on the experiences of a nursing student, Jade Petchey describes key learning moments during her placements and the knowledge she will take forward in her career
Review article: An overview of exosomes in biology and their potential applications in regenerative medicine
Authors: James Jose ,   Department of Exosomes and Nanotechnology, Stellixir biotech, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, PB Janardhana , Padma K.R. , Don K.R. ,   Lihan Biologics, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India,   Department of Biotechnology, Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (Women’s University), Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India,   Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Sree Balaji Dental College & Hospital, Bharath Institute of Higher Education & Research (BIHER) Bharath University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Published: July 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), commonly acknowledged as Exosomes, are tiny, single-membrane, secreted organelles that range in size from 40 to 150 nm. They are noticeably abundant in various proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and glycoconjugates and share the same structure as cells. Numerous and non-hematopoietic cell types continuously manufacture and release stable, less toxic, and biocompatible exosomes with many complex compounds (in the form of various signaling molecules, miRNA, and mRNA) in the liquid parts of the body. Exosomes help in intercellular communication/transfer of proteins, RNA, cell differentiation, immune signaling, delivering antigens, angiogenesis, and stress response. In recent studies, researchers found that Mesenchymal Stem cells (MSCs) generate exosomes that symbolize biological processes like tissue regeneration by encasing and delivering active biomolecular species to the infected/damaged cells and tissues. The most extensive research in regenerative medicine has focused on MSCs-Exosomes. Regenerative medicine plays a crucial role in restoring the damaged/lost parts of organs and tissues and aiding in wound healing. Immunomodulation and tissue repair are possible by introducing Mesenchymal Stem cell (MSC) exosomes, which have triggered remodeling reactions. They produce local anti-inflammatory and healing signals crucial for regeneration and tissue repair. The primary goal of this review is to highlight the MSCs-exosome’s mechanism of action and its therapeutic uses in clinical settings. Also, it highlights new developments in employing MSCsexosomes to treat various ailments and disorders.