bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Long Noncoding RNA Gm9866/Nuclear Factor-κB Axis Promotes Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Liao Xiaomin , Ruan Xianxian , Chen Xiubing , Zheng Biaolin , Wu Xianbin , Deng Zhejun , Yang Zhe , Wang Feng , Qin Shanyu , Jiang Haixing
Published: January 2023

Macrophages are a type of immune cells with high levels of plasticity and heterogeneity. They can polarize into M1 or M2 functional phenotypes. These two phenotypes exhibit a dynamic balance during polarization-related diseases and play opposing roles. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in biological processes such as cell proliferation, death, and differentiation; however, how long noncoding RNAs affect the cellular functionality of macrophages remains to be studied. Long noncoding RNA Gm9866 was found to be closely related to macrophage polarization through bioinformatics analysis. In this study, by conducting real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, it was observed that long noncoding RNA Gm9866 expression significantly increased after treatment with interleukin-4 but significantly decreased after treatment with lipopolysaccharide. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed that long noncoding RNA Gm9866 was expressed mainly in the nucleus. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that overexpression of long noncoding RNA Gm9866 in RAW264.7 cells further promoted the expression of M2 markers MRC1 (macrophage mannose receptor 1) and MRC2 (macrophage mannose receptor 2). Western blotting analysis demonstrated inhibition of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression. EdU (5-ethynyl-2

′

-deoxyuridine) and TUNEL (TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling) staining assays revealed that overexpression of long noncoding RNA Gm9866 promoted cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. These findings thus indicated that long noncoding RNA Gm9866 promoted macrophage polarization and inhibited the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway. Thus, long noncoding RNA Gm9866 may serve as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for polarization-related diseases such as infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases, liver fibrosis, and tumors.
NPY Methylated ctDNA is a Promising Biomarker for Treatment Response Monitoring in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Janssens Katleen , Vanhoutte Greetje , Lybaert Willem , Demey Wim , Decaestecker Jochen , Hendrickx Koen , Rezaei Kalantari Hassan , Zwaenepoel Karen , Pauwels Patrick , Fransen Erik , Op de Beeck Ken , Van Camp Guy , Rolfo Christian , Peeters Marc
Published: January 2023

Purpose:

Analysis of methylation markers in liquid biopsies is a promising technique for the follow-up of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), because they can be used in all patients, regardless of their mutational status. Therefore, we studied the value of NPY methylation analysis in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for accurate response monitoring in patients with mCRC in the PANIB trial.

Experimental Design:

The PANIB trial was a randomized phase II trial designed to compare FOLFOX plus panitumumab and FOLFOX plus bevacizumab in patients with RAS wild-type unresectable mCRC. The results of sequential liquid biopsies were correlated with results of imaging.

Results:

Forty patients were included from six Belgian hospitals. Analysis of the liquid biopsies revealed that higher baseline levels of methylated ctDNA was associated with a significantly shorter overall survival [HR, 1.015; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.005–1.025; P = 0.002]. Furthermore, 37 patients provided at least two liquid biopsies. Thirty-one of them showed a decrease in the methylation ratio after the start of therapy, which corresponded with stable disease or response on imaging at the first evaluation. When comparing the panitumumab and bevacizumab arm, significantly higher objective response and early tumor shrinkage rates were observed in the panitumumab arm (P = 0.048 and 0.015, respectively). However, due to a small study population, the trial was underpowered to detect a significant difference in survival.

Conclusions:

The results of this study confirm that baseline methylated ctDNA is a prognostic marker and indicate that NPY methylation is a promising marker for response monitoring in patients with mCRC.
Targeting NEDDylation is a Novel Strategy to Attenuate Cisplatin-induced Nephrotoxicity
Authors: Jones Trace M. , Espitia Claudia M. , Chipollini Juan , Lee Benjamin R. , Wertheim Jason A. , Carew Jennifer S. , Nawrocki Steffan T.
Published: January 2023

Although cisplatin remains a backbone of standard-of-care chemotherapy regimens for a variety of malignancies, its use is often associated with severe dose-limiting toxicities (DLT). Notably, 30%–40% of patients treated with cisplatin-based regimens are forced to discontinue treatment after experiencing nephrotoxicity as a DLT. New approaches that simultaneously prevent renal toxicity while improving therapeutic response have the potential to make a major clinical impact for patients with multiple forms of cancer. Here, we report that pevonedistat (MLN4924), a first-in-class NEDDylation inhibitor, alleviates nephrotoxicity and synergistically enhances the efficacy of cisplatin in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) models. We demonstrate that pevonedistat protects normal kidney cells from injury while enhancing the anticancer activity of cisplatin through a thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP)-mediated mechanism. Cotreatment with pevonedistat and cisplatin yielded dramatic HNSCC tumor regression and long-term animal survival in 100% of treated mice. Importantly, the combination decreased nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin monotherapy as evidenced by the blockade of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and TXNIP expression, a reduction in collapsed glomeruli and necrotic cast formation, and inhibition of cisplatin-mediated animal weight loss. Inhibition of NEDDylation represents a novel strategy to prevent cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity while simultaneously enhancing its anticancer activity through a redox-mediated mechanism.

Significance:

Cisplatin therapy is associated with significant nephrotoxicity, which limits its clinical use. Here we demonstrate that NEDDylation inhibition with pevonedistat is a novel approach to selectively prevent cisplatin-induced oxidative damage to the kidneys while simultaneously enhancing its anticancer efficacy. Clinical evaluation of the combination of pevonedistat and cisplatin is warranted.
Integrated, Longitudinal Analysis of Cell-free DNA in Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Wong Derek , Luo Ping , Znassi Nadia , Arteaga Diana P. , Gray Diana , Danesh Arnavaz , Han Ming , Zhao Eric Y. , Pedersen Stephanie , Prokopec Stephenie , Sundaravadanam Yogi , Torti Dax , Marsh Kayla , Keshavarzi Sareh , Xu Wei , Krema Hatem , Joshua Anthony M. , Butler Marcus O. , Pugh Trevor J.
Published: January 2023

Uveal melanomas are rare tumors arising from melanocytes that reside in the eye. Despite surgical or radiation treatment, approximately 50% of patients with uveal melanoma will progress to metastatic disease, most often to the liver. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) sequencing is a promising technology due to the minimally invasive sample collection and ability to infer multiple aspects of tumor response. We analyzed 46 serial cfDNA samples from 11 patients with uveal melanoma over a 1-year period following enucleation or brachytherapy (n = ∼4/patient) using targeted panel, shallow whole genome, and cell-free methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. We found detection of relapse was highly variable using independent analyses (P = 0.06–0.46), whereas a logistic regression model integrating all cfDNA profiles significantly improved relapse detection (P = 0.02), with greatest power derived from fragmentomic profiles. This work provides support for the use of integrated analyses to improve the sensitivity of circulating tumor DNA detection using multi-modal cfDNA sequencing.

Significance:

Here, we demonstrate integrated, longitudinal cfDNA sequencing using multi-omic approaches is more effective than unimodal analysis. This approach supports the use of frequent blood testing using comprehensive genomic, fragmentomic, and epigenomic techniques.
Crossed Cerebellar Diaschisis Worsens the Clinical Presentation in Acute Large Vessel Occlusion
Authors: Abderrakib Anissa , Ligot Noémie , Torcida Nathan , Sadeghi Meibodi Niloufar , Naeije Gilles
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Initial NIHSS in anterior large vessel occlusion (LVO) correlates partially with the hypoperfusion volume. We aimed at assessing the contribution of crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) from the hypoperfused territory on LVO initial clinical deficit. Methods: CCD was retrospectively identified by brain CT perfusion imaging (CTP) in patients with anterior LVO treated by mechanical thrombectomy from January 2017 to July 2021. CCD was defined by CTP parameter alteration in the contralateral cerebellar hemisphere to the LVO. NIHSS, clinical/perfusion variables, and CCD were included in regression models to assess their interrelationships. Results: 206 patients were included. CCD was present in 90 patients (69%). NIHSS scores were higher on admission and at stroke discharge among patients with CCD (17.90 ± 6.1 vs. 11.4 ± 8.4, p < 0.001; 9.6 ± 7.7 vs. 6.6 ± 7.9, p = 0.049; respectively). Patients with a CCD had higher stroke volumes (118.2 ± 60.3 vs. 69.3 ± 59.7, p < 0.001) and lower rate of known atrial fibrillation (22% vs. 41%, p = 0.021). On multivariable logistic regression, CCD independently worsened the initial NIHSS (OR 4.85 [2.37–7.33]; p < 0.001). Conclusion: CCD is found in 69% of LVO on admission CTP, correlates with stroke volumes, and independently worsens initial NIHSS.
Wellness in the Light of the Eschaton: Reading the Psalms with Augustine
Authors: Ticciati Susannah
Published: January 2023

This article considers wellness in terms of creaturely integrity, asking how the latter might be reconceived in the light of the eschaton. To that end, it draws on Augustine’s eschatological reading of the Psalms in his Enarrationes in Psalmos. It suggests that an eschatological vision reveals the “wholes” we habitually seek to be only partial wholes, which have a tendency to become “totalizing wholes.” Having offered an account of Augustine’s totus Christus hermeneutic, it turns to his interpretation of Psalm 30 (31), tracing it in terms of the paired concepts of opacity and transparency. It argues that the singing of the Psalms is, for Augustine, our present training in the transparency of the eschaton. It concludes by showing how such an eschatological orientation inculcates a posture humble courage, in which totalizing wholes are critiqued as previously overlooked creaturely connections come into view.
Feasts, Food and Fall of the Aristocratic Jia Family in Honglou meng
Authors: Jiang Xiaohu
Published: January 2023

Drawing upon food studies, this paper undertakes an analysis of the narrative functions of feasts and food in the novel Honglou meng (A Dream of Red Mansions, or The Story of the Stone). These alimentary elements play a vital role in the social bonds between the Jia family and other elite groups, disclosing the complex distribution of power within the Jia household and displaying internal financial issues and the external threats that have exacerbated the fall of this aristocratic family, manifesting the familial and dynastical trajectories from glory to crisis within the novel.
Possessive and Caritive in Nivkh
Authors: Gruzdeva Ekaterina
Published: January 2023

This paper focuses on the various encoding strategies and other relevant issues pertaining to affirmative and negative predicative possession in the two Amuric languages, Amur Nivkh and Sakhalin Nivkh (Nighvng). One of the goals is to demonstrate that possessive negation serves as a major strategy for expressing caritive semantics (= non-involvement). Constructions rendering possessive and caritive meanings represent one of the basic and rather frequent types of clauses in Nivkh, and they are also interconnected both semantically and grammatically with other clause types. Some of the constructions present in Nivkh have analogues in the neighboring languages, while others are specific to Nivkh. The present paper, based on the author’s field materials, represents the first specific study of this topic.
Typifications and three new synonymies in Evolvulus L. (Convolvulaceae-Cressae)
Authors: SANTOS DIEGO , DA SILVA MARCOS JOSÉ , BURIL MARIA TERESA
Published: January 2023

Evolvulus comprises approximately 100 American species and is one of the largest genera in Convolvulaceae; it includes taxa that are sometimes difficult to identify; some of them have typification and taxonomic problems. Both nomenclatural and taxonomic issues were detected during the ongoing taxonomic treatment of the Evolvulus species from the northeastern region of Brazil. This study was conducted with a comprehensive protologue analysis, study of herborized specimens, including types, observation of populations in the field, and morphological analysis. From our conclusions, five lectotypifications, one second-step lectotypification, one neotypification for E. luetzelburgii and three new synonyms are proposed herein.
Cortinarius kashmirensis sp. nov. in Cortinarius sect. Disjungendi (Agaricales) from Pakistan
Authors: KHURSHID RUBAB , NASEER AROOJ , GARRIDO-BENAVENT ISAAC , KHALID ABDUL NASIR
Published: January 2023

During recent fieldwork at Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Pakistan), many basidiomycetes of the genus Cortinarius were collected from mixed coniferous Himalayan temperate forests. Their morphological characterization and phylogenetic analyses based on ITS and LSU sequence data yielded a well-delimited, new species within C. subgenus Telamonia sect Disjungendi. It is characterized by producing small and dry basidiomata with blackish brown conico-convex pilei when young and uplifted at maturity, dark brown lamellae, a fibrillose stipe and small basidiospores (9.4 × 5.5 µm in average).
Revealing a new species of Agarista (Ericaceae) endemic to the Chapada Diamantina, Brazil, segregated from A. revoluta by multiple evidence
Authors: SAMPAIO ARIADNE A. , ROMÃO GERSON O. , DOREA MARCOS C. , OLIVEIRA REYJANE P.
Published: January 2023

Agarista is a genus belonging to the family Ericaceae that includes ca. 32 species. It occurs predominantly in South America, mainly in Brazil, where 21 species have been documented. During our floristic and taxonomic studies of Ericaceae from the state of Bahia, in northeastern Brazil, we found specimens from the Chapada Diamantina region identified in herbaria as Agarista aff. revoluta. Those samples were clearly distinct from A. revoluta by the greater length and width of the leaves, and the absence of indument on the rachis, flowers, and leaves, as well as leaf anatomy features. Thus, we recognize these as separate taxonomic entities and the new species is herein described as A. revolutissima, which is endemic to the campo rupestre of Morro do Chapéu municipality, while A. revoluta occurs along the Atlantic Forest, being known from the restinga and humid forests.
A new genus and three new species of mites, with a revised concept of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascoidea)
Authors: ABO-SHNAF REHAM , CASTILHO RAPHAEL C. , MARTICORENA JORGE L. M. , DE MORAES GILBERTO J.
Published: January 2023

This paper describes a new genus and three new species of mites found in litter and soil samples from Brazil and Egypt. Endopodoseius Abo-Shnaf & Moraes n. gen., Endopodoseius erikae Abo-Shnaf & Marticorena n. sp., Endopodoseius zaheri Abo-Shnaf & Moraes n. sp. and Endopodoseius edmilsoni Abo-Shnaf & Castilho n. sp. are considered to belong to the Superfamily Ascoidea and the Family Ameroseiidae. The concept of the family is expanded to include species with one or more of the following character states—the podonotal and opisthonotal shields partially or totally separate; poroid iv1 absent; dorsal idiosomal setae J1, J5 and R1 present; genital seta st5 inserted outside the epigynal shield; opisthogaster with 7–10 pairs of setae; and femur II with 11 setae.
Sir John Hill (1714–1775) and “His” Classification of Fishes: An Example of Eighteenth-Century Plagiarism
Authors: PIETSCH THEODORE W. , AILI HANS
Published: January 2023

John Hill (1714–1775), a brilliant man of many talents, was extremely productive, having produced more than a hundred books and pamphlets on a wide range of subjects, but despised by most contemporaries for his egotistical, argumentative, and provocative manner and for his slanderous writings that resulted in many heated disputes, among scientists and literati alike. Rejected in his attempts to join the Royal Society of London, he began a campaign of criticism and derision against the Society, its president, Martin Folkes (1690–1754), and the Philosophical Transactions, by publishing, under a pseudonym, satires on the Society that destroyed his chances of ever being elected to that body. Accusations of plagiarism followed much of his work. A previously unnoticed example of his wholesale lifting of the classification of fishes published in 1738 by Swedish naturalist Peter Artedi (1705–1735), is described. As for the Royal Society, Hill’s persistent satirization, which was mixed with sound critical advice, is said to have done more to improve the quality of the Philosophical Transactions than any other contemporary effort.
Governance of the Social Safety Net in Bangladesh: A Study on the Employment Generation Programme for the Poorest
Authors: Kaiser Z. R. M. Abdullah , Uddin Nasir , Yaqub Mohammad
Published: January 2023

The article aims to assess the governance of the social safety net programme in Bangladesh. The data were collected from the beneficiaries and stakeholders of the employment generation programme for the poorest scheme of the government of Bangladesh. A total of 150 respondents were selected randomly, and data and information were collected using a structured questionnaire for interviews and a guideline for focus group discussions. The analysis shows that beneficiaries and stakeholders of the programme are mostly satisfied with the quality and timeliness of work, beneficiaries selection and benefits distribution process, but many respondents expressed their dissatisfaction with monitoring and wage rates. Furthermore, the research reveals several factors that contribute to establishing poor governance, such as weak monitoring, absenteeism, proxy work and inappropriate project selection. The finding suggests that it is necessary to make local-level institutions fully operational, determine district-wise wage rates and enhance the monitoring process to achieve the programme objectives.
Temporary talent: Wage penalties among highly educated temporary workers in Canada
Authors: Banerjee Rupa , Lam Laura , Lamb Danielle
Published: January 2023

Temporary employment (TE) arrangements have become increasingly common in Canada among both high- and low-skilled workers. In this study, we examine the prevalence and earnings effects of TE across education levels with a specific focus on highly educated workers. We also examine the earnings effects of TE across the earnings distribution. We find that higher levels of schooling are negatively associated with the probability of TE. However, the earnings discounts for temporary work are significant and increase in magnitude for individuals with higher levels of educational attainment. For highly educated workers at the top end of the earnings distribution, the discount associated with being in a temporary job is large enough to substantially reduce, although not entirely negate, the sizeable earnings premiums associated with higher levels of education.
Changes in Place of Death of Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study from an Aging Country
Authors: Ceylan Serdar , Guner Oytun Merve , Okyar Bas Arzu , Kahyaoglu Zeynep , Ayaz Caglayan Merve , Balci Cafer , Dogu Burcu Balam , Cankurtaran Mustafa , Halil Meltem Gulhan
Published: January 2023

In the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the difficulties in patients’ applications to health centres, changes have occurred in the places of death of older adults. It is aimed to investigate the change in the places of death of older adults in Turkey, which is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. Patients admitted to the geriatric outpatient clinic of a university hospital from 01.01.2013 to 29.02.2020 were included. Place and date of death were recorded as hospital or out-of-hospital death. According to results, while the median age of those who died during the pandemic was higher than before ( p < 0.001) and during the pandemic, the hospital mortality ratio was higher than before. During the pandemic period, the hospital mortality ratio of older adults has increased in Turkey. This situation, which has occurred despite the increasing healthcare burden, can show the importance of the measures taken and robust health infrastructure.
The affective fields of working class among ‘Eastern European’ migrants in the UK
Authors: Lulle Aija
Published: January 2023

Eastern European migrants’ affective relationship with the idea of working class remains poorly understood. This article demonstrates how neoliberal ideology – which shaped postsocialist change – produces certain affective class processes among Central and Eastern European migrants. Migrants often do not share class ramifications in Latvia or the UK but divert their felt class towards the notion of a better life. The article challenges the ‘East’ and ‘West’ dichotomy found in much contemporary class analysis by examining specific spatiotemporal relations, transformations and subjectivities. The qualitative data derive from my long-term (2010–2018) engagement with Latvian migrants in the UK. I offer nuanced insights into labour migrants’ affective class subjectivities at the bodily scale, spatial scale and temporal scale. This framework helps us understand how class subjectivities shape individuals and societies in Eastern Europe and beyond.
The lines of descent of the present crisis
Authors: Virdee Satnam
Published: January 2023

The neoliberal settlement has been comprehensively destabilised by the 2007 financial crisis, the imposition of austerity, growing social inequalities and the emergence of populism as a social force. This article explores why institutional opposition to this settlement has principally taken a nationalist form in Britain. It does so through a history of the present by tracing the labyrinthine lines of descent and the social forces and conflicts from which the contemporary moment emerged. In particular, I show how the conditions for the emergence of these nationalist projects were produced incrementally over time and through a series of interrelated social processes. These included the caesura of the 1970s and the shift from Fordist to flexible regimes of accumulation secured by extinguishing the educated hope generated by an increasingly multi-ethnic politics and language of class; the bipartisan commitment to neoliberalism; the racialisation of class through state multiculturalism; and the long-term failure to arrest the structural decline of non-urban localities caused by the technical decomposition of class. In this explanation, the 2007 financial crash and the continuing indifference of the political elites to the deepening injuries of class and locality constituted an accelerant placed on an already emergent crisis of representation helping to engineer a transformation in the political opportunity structure by opening a space for nationalist mobilising structures to fill the political vacuum.
Impact of COVID-19 on the Health Response to Family Violence in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Koziol-McLain Jane , Cowley Christine , Nayar Shoba , Koti Diane
Published: January 2023

COVID-19 pandemic planning and response has resulted in unprecedented upheaval within health systems internationally. With a concern for increasing frequency and escalation of family violence, the so called “shadow pandemic,” we wondered how health system violence intervention programs were operating during this time. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Ministry of Health Violence Intervention Program (VIP), using a systems approach, seeks to reduce and prevent the health impacts of family violence and abuse through early identification, assessment, and referral of victims presenting to designated health services. In this qualitative descriptive study, we explored how the VIP program was impacted during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-one VIP coordinators and managers representing 15 of the 20 New Zealand District Health Boards and the National VIP Team participated. Across 12 focus groups (8 face to face and 4 via Zoom) and 7 individual interviews (all via Zoom) participants shared their experience navigating systems to support frontline health providers’ responsiveness to people impacted by family violence during the pandemic. In our reflexive thematic analysis, we generated 3 themes: Responding to the moment, valuing relationships, and reflecting on the status quo. Our findings demonstrate the dynamic environment in which participants found creative ways to adapt to the uncertainty and engage with communities to re-shape interventions and ensure continued implementation of the program. At the same time, challenges within the system prior to the pandemic were brought into view and highlighted the need for action. These included, for example, the need for improved engagement with Māori (Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) to address long-standing health inequities. Having quality essential services for those impacted by family violence that engages with local knowledge and networks and routinely copes with uncertainty will strengthen our systems to minimize risk of harm during emergencies.
Global stabilized control for nonlinear systems with multiple time-varying power coupling terms
Authors: Zhuang Xinhai , Liu Enyong , Zhang Xinghui , Zhang Ancai , Qiu Jianlong
Published: January 2023

This paper is devoted to work out a stabilized controller by state feedback for a class of nonlinear systems. In this paper, we not only extend the existing results that system has a single power term to the case with multiple coupling power terms, but also consider that the power is time varying, which makes the system studied in this paper more general than that in other literature. By the backstepping method, a linear easy-to-implement controller is designed, which not only ensures the stability of the system but also has a good convergence speed. Finally, with a representative numerical example, by calculating all the parameters in the design procedure, the simulation shows that all the responses of the states and the controller are asymptotically stable at the equilibrium zero, which verifies the effectiveness of the control design scheme of this paper.
An event-triggered distributed cooperative guidance law for simultaneous attack with autopilot lag consideration
Authors: Zhai Jinpeng , Yang Jianying
Published: January 2023

This article proposes an event-triggered distributed cooperative guidance law for multiple missiles to simultaneously attack a stationary target with consideration of autopilot lag and unknown disturbances. In order to achieve a consensus on each missile’s impact time and save communication costs, the guidance law is designed on the basis of an auxiliary variable consisting of the time-to-go expression and its time derivative. Driven by the properly designed event-triggered mechanism, the information interaction among missiles performs in a need-based scheme and there is no need to continuously monitor the consensus errors between neighbor missiles. By this means, the communication burden is significantly reduced while satisfactory guidance performance is still guaranteed. The proposed guidance law can be extended to a communication failure case where one of the missiles suddenly cannot receive information from its neighbors. An integral sliding mode controller is integrated with the nominal guidance law to eliminate the adverse effects caused by unknown disturbances. Numerical simulations are carried out to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed guidance design.
Patterns of Health-Related Quality of Life among Stroke Survivors: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Wongsa Danil , Soivong Pratum , Chaiard Jindarat , Davidson Patricia M.
Published: January 2023

Six months poststroke is critical for optimizing stroke survivors’ recovery and improving their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Understanding HRQoL profiles in specific domains can provide a more typical plan for stroke survivors. This pilot study aimed to explore the HRQoL patterns among 39 stroke survivors within 6 months following diagnosis. The results revealed that there were four patterns based on HRQoL domains. Pattern 1: energy, family role, mobility, self-care, social role, and work/productivity domains likely to improve; Pattern 2: language and vision domains likely to improve and be stable; Pattern 3: thinking and upper extremity function domains likely to worsen and improve later; and Pattern 4: mood and personality domains likely to worsen and be constant. Health care providers can apply these results by continuing to assess and provide care to stroke survivors focusing on functional status, cognitive status, and depression over time. Further study should explore the factors predicting HRQoL.
Veno-venous ECLS rescue for a heart transplant recipient with COVID-19, a case report
Authors: Copeland Hannah , Baran David A , Morton John , Rodriguez Vicente , Fernandes Eustace , Mohammed Asim
Published: January 2023

The potential for increased rates of morbidity of SARS-CoV-2 within immunocompromised populations has been of concern since the pandemic’s onset. Transplant providers and patients can face particularly challenging situations, in the current settings as data continues to emerge for the prevention and treatment of the immunocompromised subpopulation. This case report details a patient 9-months post orthotopic heart transplant that developed SARS-CoV-2 infection despite two prior doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine, and had successful rescue from refractory hypoxemia with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECLS).
Developing and Extending Status Prediction Models for Railway Tracks Based on On-Board Monitoring Data
Authors: Yan Tzu-Hao , Costa Mariana De Almeida , Corman Francesco
Published: January 2023

Assigning inspection trains to monitor track quality is a standard procedure for maintaining railway system safety. The main challenges lie in lacking time and resources to perform the inspections because of the increasing traffic nowadays. To overcome these challenges, many consider adopting the on-board monitoring (OBM) technique for performing the inspections. This technique assigns commercial trains, instead of traditional track recording vehicles (TRVs), to monitor the track status, allowing railway operators to perform more inspections without affecting the traffic and using expensive inspection trains as well. However, compared with TRV data, the new OBM data are of lower data quality and have fewer features, although they can be recorded more frequently. Therefore, new methods should be developed for effectively applying the new data. This study develops four models, namely the linear regression model, Markov model, ordinary Kriging model, and Kalman filter model, for predicting the track status based on the OBM data. Data collected from the Switzerland railway network are used for verifying the models. Results show that the proposed models can effectively predict the degradation of the track status in different ways and, therefore, assist railway operators in scheduling maintenance tasks.
Lecturer, Language Tutor, and Student Perspectives on the Ethics of the Proofreading of Student Writing
Authors: Harwood Nigel
Published: January 2023

Various forms of proofreading of student writing take place in university contexts. Sometimes writers pay freelance proofreaders to edit their texts before submission for assessment; sometimes more informal arrangements take place, where friends, family, or coursemates proofread. Such arrangements raise ethical questions for universities formulating proofreading policies: in the interests of fairness, should proofreading be debarred entirely or should it be permitted in some form? Using questionnaires and semistructured interviews, this article investigates where three university stakeholder groups stand on the ethics of proofreading. Content lecturers, English language tutors, and students shared their views on the ethics of various lighter-touch and heavier-touch proofreader interventions. All three parties broadly approved of more minor interventions, such as correcting punctuation, amending word grammar, and improving sentence structure. However, students were found to be more relaxed than lecturers and language tutors about the ethics of more substantial interventions at the level of content. There were outliers within each of the three groups whose views on proofreading were wide apart, underscoring the difficulty of formulating proofreading policies that would attract consensus across the academy. The article concludes by discussing the formulation and dissemination of appropriate, research-led proofreading guidelines and issues for further exploration.
Rates and Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence Among Indigenous College Students: A Multi-Campus Study
Authors: Edwards Katie M. , Lim Stephanie , Huff Merle , Herrington Ramona , Leader Charge Leon , Littleton Heather
Published: January 2023

Research suggests that Indigenous girls, women, and LGBTQ+ Two-Spirit people experience disproportionately high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV), but there is a dearth of research on IPV among Indigenous college students. Therefore, the current study sought to explore rates of IPV victimization and perpetration among Indigenous college students, as well as correlates including depressive and anxious symptoms, emotion dysregulation, on-campus social support, and hazardous drinking. Participants were 230 undergraduate students who identified as American Indian/Alaska Native attending 20 medium- and large-sized universities across the contiguous U.S. Results indicated that 28.9% of Indigenous students reported any type of IPV victimization in the past 6 months (psychological: 24.5%; physical: 9.1%; sexual: 9.8%; coercive control: 12.4%). Further, 18.3% of Indigenous students reported any type of IPV perpetration in the past 6 months (psychological: 16.9%; physical: 4.5%; sexual: 2.6%; coercive control: 7.1%). Anxious and depressive symptoms were related to many forms of IPV victimization; emotion dysregulation was related to all forms of IPV victimization and sexual IPV perpetration; and hazardous drinking was related to most forms of IPV victimization and perpetration. These findings underscore the alarmingly high rates of IPV among Indigenous college students as well as the potential deleterious effects of IPV victimization on psychological functioning, as well as the need to concurrently address hazardous alcohol use in IPV prevention and response efforts.
Study on the preload loss mechanisms of CFRP-steel hybrid bolted joint under transverse cyclic loading
Authors: Yang Haoran , An Luling , Chen Xu , Zou Liyang , Yue Xuande
Published: January 2023

There is bolt preload loss under vibration in the aircraft rudder, of which the connected parts are steel beam and CFRP panel, and the fastener is bolts and self-lock jet nuts. Based on the above phenomenon, this paper analyzes rotational loosening, washer wear, composite progressive damage, and plastic deformation condition of CFRP-steel hybrid self-lock bolted joint under transverse cyclic loading by experiments and finite element simulations, and subsequently analyzes the preload loss mechanisms. The results showed that washer wear was the main factor leading to the preload loss under long-term loading, and even this factor accounted for 70% of the total preload loss when the aluminum washer was used. During short-term loading, local slip and stress redistribution among threads, plastic deformation, and composite damage accounted for 30%, 50%, and 20% of the total preload loss respectively. To prevent preload loss, the wear-resistance of the washer should be improved, and the plastic deformation on the bolt and the damage in the composite material should be reduced.
Effect of ocean water absorption on flexural properties of Cannabis sativa L. hemp fibre reinforced polymer composites for marine applications
Authors: Jasti Anurag , Biswas Sandhyarani
Published: January 2023

Hemp is one of the strongest and most durable commercially available natural fibre. Its biodegradability, low density, high fibre length, availability, low weight-to-strength ratio and more yield per acre makes it an ideal fibre for marine applications. Water absorption behaviour of any material is very important which mainly limits their use specifically in marine applications. The present work aims to study the absorption of ocean water, its kinetics and effects on the flexural properties of hemp reinforced composites. Absorption effects for epoxy and unsaturated polyester (UPE) reinforced with short hemp fibre, unidirectional and bidirectional hemp fabric were investigated by immersing samples in ocean and distilled water. The absorption of all composites followed Fickian diffusion with slight deviation due to swelling of fibres and formation of microcracks. It is observed that the water uptake of samples increased with increasing weight fraction. The flexural strength and modulus of composites degraded by approximately 10% and 20% for epoxy and UPE composites respectively, due to water absorption. The results indicated that hemp fibre based composites could be used for many lightweight components in marine applications.
A new analytical-numerical model for contact problem counting asperities and strain hardening effects
Authors: Sarabi Mohammad Amini , Tehrani Parisa Hosseini
Published: January 2023

The roughness effects on the wheel-rail contact problem is an essential topic. In this paper, a new analytical-numerical model has considered assessing the specifications of a rough surface contact problem. The new model includes asperities and strain hardening effects together. Consideration of these assumptions is more realistic in comparison to similar simplified works. In this work, the effects of material properties variation on a contact problem realize. Besides, considering the strain hardening effects, the contact results for wheel-rail material are obtained. The contact characteristics variations versus separation, such as contact force, contact stiffness, and contact area, are shown in semilogarithmic diagrams considering different surface roughnesses and hardening parameters. The new model results show the significant influence of the assumed hypothesis on the contact characteristics.
Decomposition analysis of China's chemical sector energy-related CO2 emissions: From an extended SDA approach perspective
Authors: Yu Yang , Hou Jie , Jahanger Atif , Cao Xiang , Balsalobre-Lorente Daniel , Radulescu Magdalena , Jiang Tangyang
Published: January 2023

The excessive growth of carbon emissions (CO2E) from industrial energy use not only exacerbates global warming and severely curbs the sustainable development of the economy and society. As a high energy-consuming sector second only to the fossil energy division, the power and heavy division, China's chemical industry should have received more attention for its CO2E. However, there are limited literatures on energy CO2E in China's chemical sector at present. Based on this fact, this current paper uses the energy utilization approach, the input–output analysis approach, and the extended structural decomposition method to evaluate the energy-related CO2E of China's chemical sector from 2007 to 2017. (1) China's chemical sector energy-related CO2E showed a trend of first growth and then a slow decline, demonstrating that the rapid growth of China's chemical sector energy-related CO2E has been effectively controlled; However, it should be noted that the chemical industry is still dominated by high-CO2E energy-related CO2E at the current stage. (2) Input structure and energy intensity effects have a reduced influence on the growth of energy-related CO2E in China's chemical sector. This is due to upgrading energy use technology and optimizing the generalized technology progress rate in the chemical sector. (3) Energy structure and final demand effects have encouraged the growth of the chemical sector's energy-related CO2E. It shows that the industrial system's demand for chemical products is constantly expanding, and the chemical products still have the characteristics of high carbonization. Also, the chemical sector's supply-side energy utilization structure has not been significantly enhanced.
Routinised practices of community librarians: Daily struggles of Dutch public libraries to be(come) social infrastructures
Authors: van Melik Rianne , Hazeleger Merijn
Published: January 2023

Next to their traditional role as places for information provision and knowledge transmission, public libraries increasingly also function as important social infrastructures contributing to the everyday life in cities. As such, they can help to address systemic challenges such as social fragmentation, loneliness, exclusion and precarity. However, the library not merely is a social infrastructure, but becomes one each operating day through continuous labour by a network of stakeholders. This paper specifically examines library staff and their routinised practices to provide, perform and maintain the library as social infrastructure. The empirical research was carried out in four public libraries in the Netherlands and focussed on staff members who were in a 1-year post-graduate programme to become a community librarian, and their close colleagues. It consisted of two phases: first librarians were shadowed at work, followed by a focus group interview on the multiple problems librarians encounter to (re)make their library into social infrastructures. These include coping with limited space, collaborating with other institutions, difficulties to reach out to the community, financial struggles and differentiating interpretations of the library’s primary function.
Injecting fun? Humour, conspiracy theory and (anti)vaccination discourse in popular media
Authors: Fiadotava Anastasiya , Astapova Anastasiya , Hendershott Rebecca , McKinnon Merryn , Jürgens Anna-Sophie
Published: January 2023

Conspiracy theories have accompanied vaccination since its mass introduction, circulating, among other forms, in humour – such as cartoons, and now, memes. Importantly, humour has targeted both vaccination and anti-vaccination stances. In this study, we discuss the peculiarities of humorous content within the vaccination debate and uncover the most popular thematic categories, forms and logical mechanisms of humour. We show that humorous and serious discussions on vaccination go hand-in-hand, but playfulness and ambiguity of humour complicate public understanding of the vaccination debate. Our analysis shows that vaccination humour often simplifies the complex issue of vaccination and makes it more understandable and more tangible for a broad audience.
Ga-68-Edotreotide Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Somatostatin Receptors Tumor Volume Predicts Outcome in Patients With Primary Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Gallicchio Rosj , Giordano Alessia , Milella Mariarita , Storto Rebecca , Pellegrino Teresa , Nardelli Anna , Nappi Antonio , Tarricone Luigia , Storto Giovanni
Published: January 2023

Background

We retrospectively aimed to assess the prognostic significance of somatostatin receptor (SSTR) standardized uptake value (SUVmaxsstr), SSTR representative tumor volume (RTVsstr) and total lesion SSTR expression (TLsstr) obtained by [68Ga]Ga-edotreotide PET/CT ([68Ga]Ga-SSTR PET/CT) in patients with primary gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET) before surgery.

Material and Methods

We analyzed patients who underwent [68Ga]Ga-SSTR PET/CT 3-6 weeks before surgery from February 2020 to April 2022. The mean SUVmaxsstr value, the RTVsstr (cm3; 42% threshold) and the TLsstr (g) were registered. Thereafter the patients were followed up 10.3 months (range 3-27). The PET/CT results were compared to the event free survival (EFS).

Results

Forty-two patients (61 ± 13 years) have been enrolled. At multivariate analysis only RTVsstr values were predictive. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for RTVsstr showed a significant better EFS in patients presenting lower values as compared to those having greater ( P = .003, log-rank test). SUVmaxsstr was not suitable for predicting EFS, TLsstr mildly.

Conclusion

RTVsstr represents a valuable volumetric parameter able to predict the outcome in GEP-NET patients who underwent surgery. The magnitude of the SSTR representative tumor burden holds a predominant value for determining the response to therapy in GEP-NET patients before surgery, rather than the maximal SSTR representation at single voxel.
Fathers’ Experiences of Childhood Cancer: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study
Authors: Davies Jenny , O’Connor Moira , Halkett Georgia K. B. , Kelada Lauren , Gottardo Nicholas G.
Published: January 2023

Research has shown differences in how fathers and mothers respond to a child’s cancer diagnosis. Previous studies have highlighted that sociocultural norm shape fathers’ experiences of their child’s cancer diagnosis. Our phenomenological qualitative study aimed to examine the lived experiences of fathers whose children have been diagnosed with cancer and explore the impact of sociocultural gender roles. Fathers whose children were currently receiving treatment or had completed treatment in the previous 15 months were recruited from across Australia. Twenty-one fathers were interviewed. Five themes were identified: (a) Your world falls apart: Diagnosis and treatment; (b) Care for the child: Just the way it is; (c) Keeping strong: Finding ways to cope; (d) Employment: Practical and emotional support at work; and (e) Guilt, relief, and grief: Facing death. This study demonstrates the profound impact of a child’s diagnosis on fathers and demonstrates that societal–cultural norms influence fathers’ experience of childhood cancer.
Association Between Child Maltreatment and Substance Use Disorder Across Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Guastaferro Kate , Linden-Carmichael Ashley N. , Chiang Shou-Chun
Published: January 2023

Child maltreatment is associated with substance use beginning in adolescence and throughout early adulthood. Substance use disorders (SUD) are most likely to develop during emerging adulthood (18–25 years old). Thus, to develop effective substance use prevention strategies, it is useful to know the ages at which associations between maltreatment exposure (prior to age 18) and SUD are most strongly tied. This study examined the age-varying association between child maltreatment and past-year SUD in emerging adulthood by sex and by maltreatment type using time-varying effect models (TVEM). Data were from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III). The analytic sample consisted of 5194 emerging adults. The association was strongest at younger ages, with individuals who experienced child maltreatment having three times greater odds of reporting SUD in the past-year. Differential associations were found by sex, racial-ethnic group, and maltreatment type across age. Prevention efforts may be more effective if their development is informed by these important differences and targeted at emerging adults rather than adolescents.