bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reduction of alcohol use and increase in psychological flexibility after a naturalistic psychedelic experience: a retrospective survey
Authors: Kervadec Ewen , Fauvel Baptiste , Strika-Bruneau Lana , Amirouche Ammar , Verroust Vincent , Piolino Pascale , Romeo Bruno , Benyamina Amine
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Alcohol use can be significantly associated with negative social, professional, and health outcomes. Even more so, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a critical public health issue and major avoidable risk factor. This study aimed to examine the effect of a naturalistic psychedelic experience on alcohol use and related measures.

Methods

A retrospective online survey was conducted on 160 individuals who reported a psychedelic experience and a concomitant drinking habit but did not necessarily have an AUD. Demographic data, characteristics of the psychedelic experience, and changes in alcohol consumption and psychological flexibility were surveyed. Results: The mean number of drinking days per week and AUDIT scores significantly decreased after the psychedelic experience (P < .001). Subjects who quit or reduced drinking had a more severe AUD (P < .01) and lower psychological flexibility (P = .003) before the psychedelic session. Alcohol use reduction was significantly associated with the intensity of the mystical experience (P = .03). Psychological flexibility increased more in participants who reduced their alcohol use (P < .001), and the change in psychological flexibility was one of the predictors of alcohol use improvement (P = .003). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a naturalistic psychedelic experience could be associated with a reduction in alcohol use and dependency. Such positive health outcomes can be associated with the intensity of the mystical experience as well as an increase in psychological flexibility.
Effect of a moderate alcohol dose on physiological responses during rest and prolonged cycling
Authors: Marley Andrew , Bakali Marianna , Simpson Charlie
Published: November 2023

Aim: We examined the acute effects of a moderate alcohol dose (48 g) ingested before prolonged cycling on acute physiological responses in eight healthy males (mean ± SD; 23 ± 2 years; 1.77 ± 0.04 m; 75.8 ± 4.1 kg). Methods: In a randomized order, euhydrated participants completed two experimental sessions with the sequence of 150-min seated at rest, 90-min of cycling at 50% of the maximal rate of oxygen consumption ($\dot{\textrm V}\textrm O$2max), 120-min seated at rest. Participants drank 250 mL of flavored squash with or without alcohol (vodka; ~16 g) at 10, 40, and 70 min of the initial resting phase, giving a cumulative fluid intake of 750 mL with 48 g of alcohol. Heart rate, blood glucose, breath alcohol concentration, and respiratory gasses were recorded throughout the entire trial with cumulative urine volume recorded during both rest phases. Results: Total carbohydrate (control = 115 ± 19 g: alcohol = 119 ± 21 g; P = 0.303) and lipid (control = 17 ± 4 g: alcohol = 20 ± 7 g; P = 0.169) oxidation was similar between conditions. Average heart rate was 7% higher in the alcohol condition (control = 111 ± 12 bpm; alcohol = 119 ± 11 bpm; P = 0.003). Blood glucose concentrations were similar between conditions during (P = 0.782) and after exercise (P = 0.247). Urine output was initially increased between conditions following alcohol ingestion before diminishing (P < 0.001) with no difference in total cumulative urine output (P = 0.331). Conclusion: Consuming an alcoholic drink containing 48 g of alcohol in the hour before moderate intensity sub-maximal aerobic exercise led to detectable increases in heart rate and rate of urine production with no effect on substrate use.
link-ancestors: fast simulation of local ancestry with tree sequence software
Authors: Tsambos Georgia , Kelleher Jerome , Ralph Peter , Leslie Stephen , Vukcevic Damjan
Published: November 2023

It is challenging to simulate realistic tracts of genetic ancestry on a scale suitable for simulation-based inference. We present an algorithm that enables this information to be extracted efficiently from tree sequences produced by simulations run with msprime and SLiM.

Availability and implementation

A C-based implementation of the link-ancestors algorithm is in tskit (https://tskit.dev/tskit/docs/stable/). We also provide a user-friendly wrapper for link-ancestors in tspop, a Python-based utility package.
The interaction effects of age, APOE and common environmental risk factors on human brain structure
Authors: Chen Jie , Li Tengfei , Zhao Bingxin , Chen Hui , Yuan Changzheng , Garden Gwenn A , Wu Guorong , Zhu Hongtu
Published: November 2023

Mounting evidence suggests considerable diversity in brain aging trajectories, primarily arising from the complex interplay between age, genetic, and environmental risk factors, leading to distinct patterns of micro- and macro-cerebral aging. The underlying mechanisms of such effects still remain unclear. We conducted a comprehensive association analysis between cerebral structural measures and prevalent risk factors, using data from 36,969 UK Biobank subjects aged 44–81. Participants were assessed for brain volume, white matter diffusivity, Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes, polygenic risk scores, lifestyles, and socioeconomic status. We examined genetic and environmental effects and their interactions with age and sex, and identified 726 signals, with education, alcohol, and smoking affecting most brain regions. Our analysis revealed negative age-APOE-ε4 and positive age-APOE-ε2 interaction effects, respectively, especially in females on the volume of amygdala, positive age-sex-APOE-ε4 interaction on the cerebellar volume, positive age-excessive-alcohol interaction effect on the mean diffusivity of the splenium of the corpus callosum, positive age-healthy-diet interaction effect on the paracentral volume, and negative APOE-ε4-moderate-alcohol interaction effects on the axial diffusivity of the superior fronto-occipital fasciculus. These findings highlight the need of considering age, sex, genetic, and environmental joint effects in elucidating normal or abnormal brain aging.
Relationship between false lumen morphology and entry tear in acute type A aortic dissection
Authors: Furui Masato , Uesugi Noriko , Matsumura Hitoshi , Hayashida Yoshio , Kuwahara Go , Fujii Mitsuru , Shimizu Masayuki , Morita Yuichi , Ito Chihaya , Hayama Masato , Wada Hideichi
Published: November 2023

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between false lumen morphology and the size, aortic segment and position of the entry tear for acute type A aortic dissection.

METHODS

The records of patients who underwent emergency operation for acute type A aortic dissection in our institution between April 2011 and May 2022 were examined. Data regarding size, location and position of the entry tear and preoperative computed tomography findings were reviewed. The relationship of these variables with false lumen morphology was examined and retrospectively compared according to tear size.

RESULTS

Of 243 cases, characteristics of the entry tear, visualized during surgery, were confirmed in 134 cases (age = 70.9 ± 12.6 years, male = 45.5%). Tear sizes at different aortic segments were not significantly different (P = 0.376). Tears posterior to the lesser curvature were significantly smaller than those anterior to the greater curvature (P = 0.004). A thrombosed false lumen was associated with a significantly smaller tear size and position on the posterior to the lesser curvature side in aortic cross-section (all P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that tear size, the presence of re-entry and tear position anterior to the greater curvature were independent predictors of a patent false lumen.

CONCLUSIONS

In acute type A aortic dissection, larger tear size, the presence of re-entry and tear position anterior to the greater curvature are risk factors for a patent false lumen. Although the results of this study are valid only for patients in whom intimal tears were detected during aortic surgery, this trend may provide information for pathophysiology of the disease.
Proteomic Analysis of the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype: GDF-15, IGFBP-2, and Cystatin-C Are Associated With Multiple Aging Traits
Authors: Evans Daniel S , Young Danielle , Tanaka Toshiko , Basisty Nathan , Bandinelli Stefania , Ferrucci Luigi , Campisi Judith , Schilling Birgit
Published: November 2023

Cellular senescence, a hallmark of aging, results in a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) with an increased production of proinflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and proteases. Evidence from nonhuman models demonstrates that SASP contributes to tissue dysfunction and pathological effects of aging. However, there are relatively few human studies on the relationship between SASP and aging-related health outcomes. Proteins from the SASP Atlas were measured in plasma using aptamer-based proteomics (SomaLogic). Regression models were used to identify SASP protein associations with aging-related traits representing multiple aspects of physiology in 1 201 participants from 2 human cohort studies (BLSA/GESTALT and InCHIANTI). Traits examined were fasting glucose, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, albumin, red blood cell distribution width, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, gait speed, and grip strength. Study results were combined with a fixed-effect inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis. In the meta-analysis, 28 of 77 SASP proteins were significantly associated with age. Of the 28 age-associated SASP proteins, 18 were significantly associated with 1 or more clinical traits, and 7 SASP proteins were significantly associated with 3 or more traits. Growth/differentiation factor 15, Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2, and Cystatin-C showed significant associations with inflammatory markers and measures of physical function (grip strength or gait speed). These results support the relevance of SASP proteins to human aging, identify specific traits that are potentially affected by SASP, and prioritize specific SASP proteins for their utility as biomarkers of human aging.
Too soon to know: Exploring the conditions of existence of the constituent power—Afterword to the Foreword by Sergio Verdugo
Authors: Romeo Graziella
Published: November 2023

This Afterword takes up the challenge presented by Sergio Verdugo’s Foreword and explores how Costantino Mortati formulated the concept of material constitution to address the questions raised by both Verdugo and proponents of constituent power theory. This Afterword contends that the material constitution tackles the problem of the socio-political foundations of the constitutional regime without falling into some of the conceptual pitfalls that Verdugo identifies in constituent power theory. However, the materialist approach does carry a risk of manipulation, which can only be resolved by clarifying the nature of the constituent activity involved in founding a constitution. This innovative perspective refines what we can expect from a theory of constituent power. To develop the argument, this Afterword elucidates the concept of the material constitution, examines its relationship with constituent power theory, and discusses the limitations of the materialist approach.
Utility of Bronchoalveolar Lavage for the Diagnosis and Management of COVID-19 in Patients With Cancer
Authors: Franklin Alexander , John Teny M , Khawaja Fareed , Jiang Ying , Yepez Eduardo , Ahuja Jitesh , Faiz Saadia A , Bashoura Lara , Sheshadri Ajay , Shannon Vickie R , Balachandran Diwakar D , McConn Kelly ,   Data-Driven Determinants for COVID-19 Oncology Discovery Effort Team, Mulanovich Victor E , Bhatti Micah , Chemaly Roy F
Published: November 2023

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), remains the most reliable and practical test to diagnose coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Current literature is sparse regarding the rates of discordance between NPS and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in patients with cancer.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with cancer who had BAL samples tested for SARS-CoV-2 at a comprehensive cancer center. Patients without NPS PCR for SARS-CoV-2 before BAL were excluded.

Results

In a cohort of 345 patients, 12% and 17% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on NPS and BAL, respectively. There was a 6.3% NPS−/BAL+ discordance rate and a 9.5% NPS+/BAL− discordance rate. Patients with lymphoma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.06; P = .007) and Hispanic patients (aOR = 3.76; P = .009) were more likely to have NPS−/BAL+ discordance on multivariate analysis. Among patients with NPS− /BAL− for SARS-CoV-2, an alternate infectious (23%) and a noninfectious etiology (16%) were identified in BAL.

Conclusions

Our discordance rates between NPS and BAL were sufficient to recommend BAL in certain patients with cancer with a high clinical suspicion of COVID-19. BAL has value in identifying alternative etiologies of illness in patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
Quality of communications infrastructure, local structural transformation, and inequality
Authors: Acosta Camilo , Baldomero-Quintana Luis
Published: November 2023

We estimate the causal impact of communication infrastructure quality on growth and structural transformation. We use variation across US counties’ Internet speeds in 2018 and build an instrument using ARPANET, a military network that preceded the modern Internet, with its location documented in historical government reports. We find that doubling Internet speeds increases the 4-year employment growth by 3.3–6.1 percentage points. Faster Internet shifts economic activity toward high-skilled services and away from non-tradeable services while increasing inequality. Industry linkages, capital-skill complementarity, and information and communication technology workers’ sorting rationalize our results. Medium and small cities and rural areas drive our results.
Induced pattern of high and steep slope landslides under rainfall conditions
Authors: Jin Hailong , Huang Lin , Wang Chunlai , Li Changfeng , Yizi Haer , Bai Zhian , Sun Liang , Zhao Ze , Chen Biao , Liu Yanjiang
Published: November 2023

Owing to the deep concave mining in Bayan Obo stope, the slope angle is steep, the terrain is high, the outcrop width of the crushing belt is large, the stability of many slopes is poor, and there are potential sliding surfaces. In this paper, through on-site investigation and sampling, the main factors affecting the landslide of the high and steep slopes of Bayan Obo are analyzed. Uniaxial compression tests were carried out to obtain the mechanical parameters of dolomite and slate. With the help of the three-dimensional digital speckle system, the whole process of slope landslide under rainfall conditions was studied through similar simulation and numerical simulation experiments. The influence of rainfall on the slope of Bayan Obo and the induced pattern of landslide were revealed. The experimental results show that rainfall is the key to inducing instability, the slippage at the edge of the slope is obvious, and there is seepage in the depths but the effect is not significant. The landslide can be roughly divided into the damage accumulation stage; the deformation development and expansion stage; and the unstable slip stage.
Repeated patterns of reptile diversification in Western North America supported by the Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea)
Authors: Leaché Adam D , Davis Hayden R , Feldman Chris R , Fujita Matthew K , Singhal Sonal
Published: November 2023

Understanding the processes that shape genetic diversity by either promoting or preventing population divergence can help identify geographic areas that either facilitate or limit gene flow. Furthermore, broadly distributed species allow us to understand how biogeographic and ecogeographic transitions affect gene flow. We investigated these processes using genomic data in the Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea), which is widely distributed in Western North America across diverse ecoregions (California Floristic Province and Pacific Northwest) and mountain ranges (Sierra Nevada, Coastal Ranges, and Cascades). We collected single-nucleotide polymorphism data from 120 samples of E. coerulea. Biogeographic analyses of squamate reptiles with similar distributions have identified several shared diversification patterns that provide testable predictions for E. coerulea, including deep genetic divisions in the Sierra Nevada, demographic stability of southern populations, and recent post-Pleistocene expansion into the Pacific Northwest. We use genomic data to test these predictions by estimating the structure, connectivity, and phylogenetic history of populations. At least 10 distinct populations are supported, with mixed-ancestry individuals situated at most population boundaries. A species tree analysis provides strong support for the early divergence of populations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and recent diversification into the Pacific Northwest. Admixture and migration analyses detect gene flow among populations in the Lower Cascades and Northern California, and a spatial analysis of gene flow identified significant barriers to gene flow across both the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges. The distribution of genetic diversity in E. coerulea is uneven, patchy, and interconnected at population boundaries. The biogeographic patterns seen in E. coerulea are consistent with predictions from co-distributed species.
On the number of different variables required to define the n-density or the bounded n-width of Kripke frames with some consequences for Sahlqvist formulae
Authors: Iliev Petar
Published: November 2023

We show that both the $n$-density and the bounded $n$-width of Kripke frames can be modally defined not only with natural and well-known Sahlqvist formulae containing a linear number of different propositional variables but also with formulae of polynomial length with a logarithmic number of different propositional variables and then we prove that this exponential decrease in the number of variables leads us outside the class of Sahlqvist formulae.
What Does it Mean to be a Silviculturist?
Authors: DeRose R Justin , Long James N , Waring Kristen M , Windmuller-Campione Marcella A , Nelson Andrew S , Nabel Mark R
Published: November 2023

Silviculture has been a dynamic discipline for over a century in North America. During that time, silviculture has been closely tied with dominant trends in society, from reforestation in the early nineteenth century to incorporating climate change, invasive species, and shifts in disturbance regimes during the twenty-first century, and the discipline continues to evolve. In this evolution, there have also been shifts to the definition of silviculture, from an art to art and science to recent proposals that it is strictly a science. We offer an alternative viewpoint in support of maintaining the contemporary definition that includes both art and science, supported by the role that silviculture plays in contemporary resource management and that silviculturists play in conducting both the strategic and tactical components of forest management. Despite the desire to recast silviculture as solely science, we argue that silviculturists need to be more artistic than ever, given the current era of rapidly changing social, ecological, and economic conditions. In addition to having a firm basis in science, silviculturists must also understand and practice their very important role as the honest broker between other resource professionals and society at large in the application of management on the ground.

Study Implications: Silviculture has been practiced in North America for over 100 years. It is being shaped by remarkable developments in technology, evolving suites of interested parties and landowner objectives, and considerable climatic uncertainty. Silviculturists are being tasked with interpreting and applying science to accomplish increasingly complex objectives, often with scarce resources at large spatial scales; and all of this is being done in anticipation of further change. Silviculturists understand and accept these challenges and embrace the opportunity to be active stewards of the forests of tomorrow.
Efficacy and Safety of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Children Aged 5-11 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kani Ryoma , Watanabe Atsuyuki , Iwagami Masao , Takagi Hisato , Yasuhara Jun , Kuno Toshiki
Published: November 2023

Background

Evidence of the efficacy and safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in children aged 5-11 years have been emerging. Collecting these data will inform clinicians, families, and policymakers. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in children aged 5-11 years, we conducted a systematic review of literatures and meta-analysis.

Methods

PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched on September 2022 without language restrictions. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing vaccinated versus unvaccinated children aged 5-11 years and reporting efficacy or safety outcomes were included. Studies reporting safety outcomes in vaccinated children only (i.e., no control group) were also included. Two investigators independently extracted relevant data from each study. Odds ratios (ORs) for efficacy and safety outcomes and incidences of adverse events (AEs) following vaccination were synthesized using a random-effects model. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology reporting guidelines. The primary outcome was SARS-CoV-2 infections with or without symptoms. The secondary outcomes included symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections, hospitalizations, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). The incidences of each AE following vaccination were also evaluated.

Results

Two RCTs and 15 observational studies involving 10,935,541 vaccinated (median/mean age, 8.0-9.5 years) and 2,635,251 unvaccinated (median/mean age, 7.0-9.5 years) children were included. Two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccination compared to no vaccination was associated with lower risks of SARS-CoV-2 infections with or without symptoms (OR, 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35-0.64) (Figure 1a), symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.41-0.70) (Figure 1b), hospitalizations (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.15-0.68) (Figure 1c), and MIS-C (OR, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.02-0.10) (Figure 1d), while it was associated with a higher risk of any AEs compared to placebo (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.26-2.91) (Figure 1e). The incidence of AEs that prevented normal daily activities was 8.8% (95% CI, 5.4-14.2%) (Figure 1f) and that of myocarditis was estimated to be 1.8/million (95% CI, 0.000-0.001%) (Figure 1g) following the second injection.

Conclusions

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are safe and effective measures to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19-related illnesses among children aged 5-11 years. Our data provided evidence for future recommendations.
Are We Dosing Correctly? Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Cefepime, Piperacillin-Tazobactam, and Meropenem in Individuals with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Rolsma Stephanie L , Sokolow Andrew G , An Guohua , Fishbane Nick , Fissell William , Gu Kenan , Jimenez Natalia , Kirkpatrick Carl , Landersdorfer Cornelia B , Nation Roger L , Patel Pratish C , Sokolow Katherine , Teresi Mary E , Kontos Marissa , Watanabe Amy , Winokur Patricia , Creech C Buddy
Published: November 2023

Background

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) experience recurrent bacterial pulmonary exacerbations. The management of these infections becomes increasingly complex due to decreased antimicrobial susceptibility and inadequate pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) characterization of the most commonly used antimicrobial agents in this population.

Methods

One hundred fifty-five pediatric and adult participants receiving cefepime (n=82), meropenem (n=42), or piperacillin-tazobactam (n=31) were enrolled. Opportunistic blood samples were obtained during hospitalization. Population PK (PopPK) analysis was conducted using nonlinear mixed effects modeling in NONMEM, and clinical and demographic characteristics were evaluated as potential covariates. Monte Carlo simulations evaluated the probability of PK/PD target attainment (PTA) for different dosing regimens. Multiple targets, defined as percentage of a 24-h time period that the free drug concentration exceeds the MIC (fT> MIC), were selected based on prior studies of beta-lactam antibiotics.

Results

Preliminary PopPK modeling results show that lean body weight, creatinine clearance, daily dose, mode of administration (standard vs. extended infusion), and age affect PK parameters, with varying effects by drug. As anticipated, extended or continuous infusions resulted in higher PTA (Table 1). In the cefepime group, the 3-h infusion regimen achieved higher PTAs than the 0.5-h regimen across all age groups. Estimated breakpoints (in which ≥ 90% of patients are expected to achieve a PK/PD target) were 2-4 fold higher in pediatric participants receiving a 3-h infusion vs. 0.5-h infusion, based on age and target fT> MIC. In the meropenem group, increased creatinine clearance led to reduced PTA, and in the piperacillin-tazobactam group, total daily dose and interval were the principal drivers of PTA.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the largest PopPK study to date of these antimicrobials in individuals with CF. Clinicians should incorporate local antibiograms with these PopPK models to determine optimal dosing in patients with CF, since standard dosing regimens may fail to achieve specific PK/PD targets. This population may also benefit from beta-lactam therapeutic drug monitoring.
HAD2 Regulates Central Carbon Metabolism in Malaria Parasite P. falciparum
Authors: Chen Cathy , Frasse Philip , Hodge Dana , Roper Brianne , Odom John Audrey R
Published: November 2023

Background

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum causes nearly half a million deaths each year. Widespread resistance to antimalarials prompts an urgent need for novel drug targets both unique and essential to the parasite. The methylerythritol (MEP) pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis fits this profile. Previous studies showed that P. falciparum controls substrates available to the MEP pathway via the phosphatase HAD2. A point mutation in the HAD2 gene was found to misdirect metabolites from glycolysis to the MEP pathway. Elucidating the mechanism by which HAD2 controls central carbon metabolism will inform our understanding of essential parasite biology and the potential for resistance to metabolic inhibitors under development.

Methods

In this work, we have generated a P. falciparum strain in which HAD2 expression is under control of anhydrous tetracycline (aTc), such that growth in the absence of aTc leads to loss of HAD2 expression. We have used this tunable knockdown strain to regulate expression of HAD2 in asexual-stage parasites to test whether HAD2 is required for glycolytic and isoprenoid biosynthesis homeostasis. Asexual parasite growth rate was measured through flow cytometry, and dose-response assays were performed against a competitive small molecule inhibitor of the MEP pathway. Targeted metabolite profiling with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is in process to quantify glycolytic and isoprenoid metabolites in this knockdown strain.

Results

Knockdown parasites off aTc exhibited reduced growth rates relative to the wild-type strain. These parasites also exhibited a 4-fold increase in resistance to a competitive inhibitor of the MEP pathway compared to the wild-type [0.755 +/- 0.12 µM vs. 3.201 +/- 0.35 µM; p<0.001).

Conclusions

Reduced expression of HAD2 confers resistance to a competitive inhibitor of the MEP pathway, consistent with the effect of elevated levels of MEP pathway intermediates as a result of disrupted homeostasis. Ongoing work will use this strain to understand the role of HAD2 on parasite metabolism, parasite growth, and drug resistance.
Validation of Risk Scale in Febrile Neutropenic Patients with Cancer in Guatemala
Authors: Córdova Recinos Ana Gabriela , Toledo Mario Melgar , Chang Alicia
Published: November 2023

Background

In National Unit of Pediatric Oncology (UNOP) located in Guatemala City an average of 150 patients are treated per day in outpatient and emergency consultation. The episodes of neutropenia post chemotherapy were recognized as predisposing factors for infections.

Methods

Prospective analytical observational study of pediatric cancer patients with episodes of febrile neutropenia, attended at the National Pediatric Oncology Unit (UNOP) in Guatemala. The following inclusion criteria apply: Patients age under 18 years old and diagnosis of cancer and febrile neutropenia defined by temperature above 38.3 C, ANC ≤ 500 secondary to chemotherapy in the past 7 days. Exclusion criteria apply patients with fever and neutropenia but not received chemotherapy and patients with an infectious focus. The primary endpoint was evaluated the performance of the risk categorization scale in febrile neutropenic patients. Secondary end points were admission to paediatric intensive care unit, death, reactive protein C value (CRP) and bacterial infection.

Results

A total of 28 episodes of fever and neutropenia recruited between November 2021 and July 2022 were classified 14 (50%) in low risk and 14 (50%) in high risk. Blood cultures were positive in 5 patients (17.9%). The risk scale was not statistically significative to predict bacteremia because two low risk patients have positive blood cultures, X2 was 0.243 (p=0.622) RR 0.917 95% CI (0.648 – 1.30). The majority of pathogens (4/5) were Gram- negative. Admission at intensive care unit in patients with high risk was statistically not significant x2 1.17 (p = 0.280). The calculated relative risk is 3.01 95% CI (0.621-1.15) without any deaths. According to the risk classification CRP ≥ 90 mg/L at 72 hours was 21.4% and 64.3% in patients with low and high risk respectively, X2 5.25 (p = 0.022).

Conclusion

The scale performance in the study was not statistically significative to predict bacteriemia in patients with febrile neutropenia, however it was clinically relevant to predict admission at unit intensive care for high risk patients. The early detection of a bacteremia and the rapid therapeutic intervention are crucial to improve the outcome
Multivariate Bayesian structured variable selection for pharmacogenomic studies
Authors: Zhao Zhi , Banterle Marco , Lewin Alex , Zucknick Manuela
Published: November 2023

Cancer drug sensitivity screens combined with multi-omics characterisation of the cancer cells have become an important tool to determine the optimal treatment for each patient. We propose a multivariate Bayesian structured variable selection model for sparse identification of multi-omics features associated with multiple correlated drug responses. Our model uses known structure between drugs and their targeted genes via a Markov random field (MRF) prior in sparse seemingly unrelated regression. The use of MRF prior can improve the model performance compared to other common priors. The proposed model is applied to the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer data.
Sanskrit and Vernacular Literatures at the Mughal Court
Authors: Busch Allison , Truschke Audrey
Published: November 2023

India has long been a profoundly multilingual space, and the Mughal court is no exception. When the Persian language was given a boost of imperial patronage during Akbar’s reign, the process was governed not so much by supersession as by dynamic interaction with other local poetic and intellectual traditions. This chapter foregrounds two of India’s “other” early modern textual cultures, Hindi and Sanskrit, exploring how they fill out the picture of Mughal courtly life. The chapter also considers representations of the polyglot Mughal court and imperial politics beyond the royal center, including in Rajput courts and in popular sources.
Tropical Cyclone Impacts on Island-Based Populations
Authors: Shultz James M. , Kossin James P. , Shepherd J. Marshall , Ransdell Justine M. , Ettman Catherine , Ali Aleeza , Desir Gabriella Verwaay , Galea Sandro
Published: November 2023

The complete 2017 Atlantic basin hurricane season, taken as a totality, was a potential harbinger of storm seasons that are likely to occur throughout the remainder of the 21st century based on the evolving dynamics of climate change. While the literature is less conclusive regarding the frequency of hurricane activity, studies have converged on the likelihood of more intense global storms on average. This chapter (a) documents the key aspects of the 2017 Atlantic season in relation to the prominent climate drivers that enhanced the severity of tropical cyclone hazards; (b) discusses the distinguishing vulnerabilities of small island developing states (SIDS) during a season when 22 of 29 Caribbean-region SIDS sustained impacts from at least one storm; (c) explores the public health consequences of the hurricanes, with specific focus on the life-threatening heat exposures experienced by SIDS-dwelling storm survivors; (d) elucidates the significant barriers to mounting an effective emergency response for SIDS populations; and (e) summarizes key points through a complexity lens. Taken as a whole, 2017 represented a perfect storm season insofar as the composite outcomes of the 17 storms painted a quintessential portrait of climate drivers influencing storm formation, severity, and human population consequences.
Personal Representatives
Authors: Rosario-Richardson Lita
Published: November 2023

This chapter examines the historical role and structure of professional recording and performing artists’ legal relationships with personal representatives, including personal managers, business managers, booking agents, road managers, song-pluggers, and lawyers. It also examines the changing roles of these personal representatives in the new music ecosystem given the advent of the internet and social media and the changing compensation model of the music industry to a streaming subscription model. The chapter examines duration of contracts, commissions (including post-term compensation), termination of contracts, key man clauses, powers of attorney, reimbursement of expenses, and fiduciary relationships. The chapter also examines the emerging role of labels in so-called 360 recording contracts, where labels seek financial compensation more like a personal manager in the full breadth of a professional recording artist’s career for live performances, merchandizing and endorsements, acting, and sponsorships compared to their historical financial relationship with recording artists wherein labels received compensation related to record sales and possibly merchandise and music publishing income.
Young Children’s Musical Identities
Authors: Niland Amanda
Published: November 2023

This chapter explores the relationships between young children’s musical development and identities in this rapidly changing, diverse, and increasingly globalized world. Children use music in a range of ways right from birth: it plays emotional, cognitive, and social roles in their lives. Music therefore contributes to children’s development across domains, including their emerging individual and social identities. The relationship between musical identity and development is reciprocal, as the ways in which children experience and “do” music are influenced by the musical cultures and identities of those around them—in their families, neighborhoods, early childhood and other community settings, and the wider world beyond, including the digital world. Their musical worlds are influenced by many factors and are thus complex and diverse. With this complexity in mind, ecological systems theory, as well as sociological, anthropological, and ethnomusicological literature, informs this chapter.
Section Introduction
Authors: Custodero Lori , Campbell Patricia Shehan
Published: November 2023

This chapter outlines the Handbook section on Music in Family and Community Contexts. Using methods including analysis of autobiographical texts, surveys, parent observations, and cross-cultural comparison, these authors present a compelling picture of research involving children at home and in various community groups. The depicted study of childhood demonstrates that children find agency and well-being through music-making and that this provides sustenance for them during times of trouble and unrest.
Music in Early Education and Care Settings for Communication and Language Support
Authors: Pitt Jessica , Welch Graham F.
Published: November 2023

Music groups for caregivers and young children are frequently included within programs of activities for families in early education and care settings. Additionally, such settings may have specific targets and outcomes that seek to improve the life chances of young children in disadvantaged circumstances; one key target may be the development of young children’s communication skills. This chapter overviews the evidence that appropriate musical activities are beneficial to learning and language development, challenging a view that words are the best starting point for communication. It seeks to offer a model of an effective music pedagogical approach, developed through action research with an interdisciplinary team of early childhood music-arts practitioners and speech and language therapists for caregivers and young children. Finally, the main findings from two projects are presented as practical implications, seeking to contribute new knowledge about working with children and their caregivers through musical play and interaction.
Early Childhood and Musics of the Diaspora
Authors: Wu Yen-Ting , Welch Graham F.
Published: November 2023

This chapter reports on the important role played by the family’s background as part of a diasporic community in musical behaviors and development in early childhood. Two theoretical perspectives (Ecological Systems Theory and Sounds of Intent in the Early Years) were applied to frame, collect, and analyze data on the social and cultural influences of the family on the child’s musical development. Empirical data included semi-structured interviews with twenty Chinese mothers, ten of whom provided diary accounts, as well as video clips and photographs to record the musical behaviors of their child over a period of six months. The main findings highlight the significance of the home and local musical cultures, as well as the family’s connections to their home country, with children’s musical behaviors often shaped by media and digital technology.
Sub-Saharan African Musical Learning Communities
Authors: Achieng' Akuno Emily , Addo Akosua Obuo , Achieng' Andang'o Elizabeth , Emberly Andrea , Davhula Mudzunga , Matiure Perminus
Published: November 2023

This chapter tackles the childhood music practiced in traditional and modern African settings with emphasis on teaching and learning as facilitated and enhanced by children’s songs and music-making. The spaces where music making takes place, the types of children’s music material, and the occasions during which children make music today are explored from the context of South Africa’s Venda, Zimbabwe’s Shona, Ghana’s Akan, and Kenya’s Luo communities and cultural practices, as representative people of Sub-Saharan Africa. The music practices are interrogated as elements of the African Indigenous Knowledge System, a complex entity from which communities derive their identity and make sense of their existence. The school plays a role in providing scope, modalities, and context for cultivating children’s growth through the use of music in teaching, teaching music, and employing music in non-class situations for learners’ aesthetic development, cultural, and intellectual growth.
Early Childhood and Music in Indigenous Contexts
Authors: Treloyn Sally , Emberly Andrea , Goonginda Charles Rona , Umbagai Leah
Published: November 2023

Descriptions of children’s musical experiences and practices in Indigenous Australian contexts often reflect holistic approaches to identity, linked to ancestry, spirituality, and place. Simultaneously, the musical worlds of Indigenous children are interconnected with complex social, cultural, historical, spiritual, and political contexts that draw upon local, regional, and global musical styles. This collaborative chapter reviews selected literature that addresses cultural identity and expression in the context of babies and children in Indigenous Australian and Indigenous Canadian contexts. This literature is used as a foundation from which to present accounts of childhood musical cultural practices from the Mowanjum Aboriginal Community in the Kimberley region, northwest Australia. Focusing on musical teaching and learning, the chapter considers the musical landscape, cultural inheritances, and active roles that young children play through their musical activities, in cultural resurgence, in stimulating new music (and dance) practices, and in social wellbeing.
The Role of Music in Emotion Regulation for Children Who Have Experienced Abuse and Neglect
Authors: Teggelove Kate
Published: November 2023

This chapter examines the potential of music for supporting young children whose capacity for emotion regulation, and subsequently their overall development, has been impacted by experiences of abuse or neglect. Drawing from James Gross’s theories of emotion generation and Bruce Perry’s descriptions of sequential brain development, the chapter explores the place for music therapy in emotion regulation, and integrates a narrative case to highlight therapeutic application of music for establishing healthy connections and supporting regulatory behaviours with dysregulated children. The chapter importantly acknowledges the strength of broader intentional music application within the context of stable, trustworthy relationships also, for heightening a child’s sense of routine, connection, and safety—vital for optimal child development and improved long-term health and wellbeing outcomes.
The Musical Activities of Syrian Refugee Children in Sweden
Authors: Danielson Carrie A.
Published: November 2023

This chapter proposes a descriptive model for music programs seeking to meet the social and psychological needs and interests of refugee children. Drawing upon ethnomusicological fieldwork conducted at the kulturskola, or municipal music-and-arts school, in Simrishamn, Sweden, the study focuses on a young Syrian refugee and her engagement with Swedish and Arabic song repertoires at the school. Her experiences generate insights into the integrative and acculturative potentials of music-based programs, the challenges young refugees face when adapting to new environments, and the possibilities for music-and-arts institutions to respond to newly arrived and unaccompanied children. The latter part of the chapter proposes a post-migration transition sphere model for addressing such issues, which in turn generates reflexive questions pertaining to the efficacy of diversity-driven music programs, the lived experiences of refugee children in sites of transition from trauma and conflict, and the need for additional scholarly research in these areas.
Development of Wellbeing and Self-Esteem through “Music for Reconciliation,” a Music Program for Children and Youngsters Living in Severe Social Disadvantage in Colombia
Authors: Durán María Claudia Parias , Rodríguez-Sánchez Andrea del Pilar
Published: November 2023

This article presents the social impacts of Music for Reconciliation, a program of the National Batuta Foundation, which is implemented in Colombia, a country that has experienced one of the longest armed conflicts in the Western Hemisphere. The orientation of this program is aimed at providing high-quality collective music training for children and young victims of conflict. The intervention has repercussions on (i) the level of psychosocial development of the participants in aspects such as the resocialization processes generated at the individual, family, school, and community levels; and (ii) the emotional recovery of children and youth, in the restoration of the social fabric of communities and in the strengthening of Batuta’s institutional capacities. Therefore, the project promotes artistic practice as a tool for social transformation and peacebuilding.
Creating Sustainable Music Programs with Vulnerable Populations in Community Settings
Authors: Bolger Lucy , Purey Somesh
Published: November 2023

This chapter presents a practice-led perspective on achieving sustainability in fixed-term community-based music projects for early childhood development in international and community development settings. This chapter outlines considerations for music-based consultation and collaboration with communities supporting children with disabilities, informed by music therapy theory, research, and practice. Authors propose four key considerations when striving for sustainability in community and international development music projects and provide tangible links to practice through an in-depth case example from rural India. Authors draw on their shared and individual practice as music therapists in both India and Australia. They aim for this joint framing of their work to offer an intercultural perspective on the potentials and priorities to consider when facilitating fixed-term community-based early childhood music projects.
Windows on Children’s Perspectives on Music in Their Lives
Authors: Zhukov Katie , Barrett Margaret S.
Published: November 2023

Participatory and visual methods are widely used in early childhood research to access children’s perspectives. Music activities play an important role in many children’s lives in home and school settings, with formal and informal music experiences enhancing academic achievement. This chapter reports on children’s perceptions and uses of music in family lives and at school. Data were generated with children aged between four and eight years who participated in drawing-elicited focus group discussions. Transcripts were coded and analyzed for emerging themes. The findings show that children recognized the intrinsic value of music; sang and played musical games; made music at home and in a car; played musical instruments; accessed music using technology; used music for mood and self-regulation; built social interactions and confidence through music; and identified music’s positive impact on literacy and numeracy development. The study demonstrates that visual research methods are particularly useful when working with young children.
Supporting Children Living with Neurodiversity
Authors: Abad Vicky , Welch Graham F. , Barrett Margaret S.
Published: November 2023

This chapter presents a case study analysis of the engagement and experience of one family and their neurodiverse young child in a community-based Music Early Learning Program (MELP). Neurodiversity is viewed in the context that neurological conditions are the natural outcome of normal variations in the human genome, thus recognizing and respecting neurological differences as any other human variation. This case study explores how access to music in a community setting helped support their child’s development while also supporting the child and his family’s experience of living with neurodiversity. Rich examples of access and engagement are analyzed and discussed through this lens. Implications of this family’s musical experience are drawn for early learning policy and practice in the context of neurodiversity.