bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Sailors’ Protective Behaviors in Fishing Spots against the Risks of Sunlight and Skin Cancer: A Qualitative Study in Iran
Authors: Asadian Ali , Fattahi Ardakani Mojtaba , Sotoudeh Ahmad , Zareipour Moradali , Movahed Ehsan
Published: July 2021

Introduction. The growing rate of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and melanoma has been a great challenge for global health system. The present research aims to determine sailors’ protective behaviors against the risks of sunlight and skin cancer in Iran. Materials and Methods. The present research was qualitative in type, and its data were collected from August to December 2019. To this aim, 23 participants were recruited with whom semistructured interviews were held. The data collection continued until data saturation, and the interviews were coded in MAXQDA 10. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Results. Analysis of sailors’ perceptions and experiences revealed 7 categories: protective behaviors, hard personal and familial conditions, social interactions, poor social support, feeling of satisfaction, self-care, and fear. Conclusion. Sailors are prone to skin cancer due to their specific work conditions. Perceptions and determinants of skin cancer and protective behaviors against sunlight were identified among sailors. Promotion of protective behaviors and beliefs that impeded preventive behaviors are among issues that require special attention.
Boosted Fuzzy Granular Regression Trees
Authors: Li Wei , Luo Youmeng , Tang Chao , Zhang Kaiqiang , Ma Xiaoyu
Published: July 2021

The regression problem is a valued problem in the domain of machine learning, and it has been widely employed in many fields such as meteorology, transportation, and material. Granular computing (GrC) is a good approach of exploring human intelligent information processing, which has the superiority of knowledge discovery. Ensemble learning is easy to execute parallelly. Based on granular computing and ensemble learning, we convert the regression problem into granular space equivalently to solve and proposed boosted fuzzy granular regression trees (BFGRT) to predict a test instance. The thought of BFGRT is as follows. First, a clustering algorithm with automatic optimization of clustering centers is presented. Next, in terms of the clustering algorithm, we employ MapReduce to parallelly implement fuzzy granulation of the data. Then, we design new operators and metrics of fuzzy granules to build fuzzy granular rule base. Finally, a fuzzy granular regression tree (FGRT) in the fuzzy granular space is presented. In the light of these, BFGRT can be designed by parallelly combing multiple FGRTs via random sampling attributes and MapReduce. Theory and experiments show that BFGRT is accurate, efficient, and robust.
Breast Cancer Segmentation Methods: Current Status and Future Potentials
Authors: Michael Epimack , Ma He , Li Hong , Kulwa Frank , Li Jing
Published: July 2021

Early breast cancer detection is one of the most important issues that need to be addressed worldwide as it can help increase the survival rate of patients. Mammograms have been used to detect breast cancer in the early stages; if detected in the early stages, it can drastically reduce treatment costs. The detection of tumours in the breast depends on segmentation techniques. Segmentation plays a significant role in image analysis and includes detection, feature extraction, classification, and treatment. Segmentation helps physicians quantify the volume of tissue in the breast for treatment planning. In this work, we have grouped segmentation methods into three groups: classical segmentation that includes region‐, threshold‐, and edge‐based segmentation; machine learning segmentation; and supervised and unsupervised and deep learning segmentation. The findings of our study revealed that region‐based segmentation is frequently used for classical methods, and the most frequently used techniques are region growing. Further, a median filter is a robust tool for removing noise. Moreover, the MIAS database is frequently used in classical segmentation methods. Meanwhile, in machine learning segmentation, unsupervised machine learning methods are more frequently used, and U‐Net is frequently used for mammogram image segmentation because it does not require many annotated images compared with other deep learning models. Furthermore, reviewed papers revealed that it is possible to train a deep learning model without performing any preprocessing or postprocessing and also showed that the U‐Net model is frequently used for mammogram segmentation. The U‐Net model is frequently used because it does not require many annotated images and also because of the presence of high‐performance GPU computing, which makes it easy to train networks with more layers. Additionally, we identified mammograms and utilised widely used databases, wherein 3 and 28 are public and private databases, respectively.
Experimental Study on the Relationship between the Natural Frequency and the Corrosion in Reinforced Concrete Beams
Authors: Zhang Liye , Sun Limin , Dong Lijuan
Published: July 2021

Due to many nondamage factors such as temperature, humidity, carbonation, and corrosion effects on natural frequency, the key problem of the application frequency‐based method to detect damage is to reveal the rules of these factors affect natural frequency and further to eliminate their effects. The long‐term characteristics of reinforced concrete structures require a lot of attention, especially in corrosive environment. In this paper, an experimental investigation was conducted to study the deflection and natural frequency of reinforced concrete beam in a marine environmental chamber for six corrosion stages (accelerated corrosion for 0, 20, 40, 70, 100, and 140 days). The experimental results demonstrated that deflection increases with corrosion time, while natural frequency decreases with corrosion time. Based on the accelerate corrosion test data of reinforced concrete beams, the general expression of the relationship between corrosion depth and natural frequency has been established through the fitting curve method. The polynomial model has been selected for establishing the relationship between steel corrosion depth (including the main reinforcement and stirrup) and natural frequency. The reason for selecting the polynomial model is that the sum of squares due to error (SSE) is closer to 0 and the coefficient of multiple determination (R‐square) is closer to 1. This investigations help to discriminate the cause of reinforced concrete beams natural frequency change, to eliminate nondamage factors affects, and to apply many structural damage identification methods effectively.
Niraparib for Advanced Breast Cancer with Germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations: the EORTC 1307-BCG/BIG5–13/TESARO PR-30–50–10-C BRAVO Study
Authors: Turner Nicholas C. , Balmaña Judith , Poncet Coralie , Goulioti Theodora , Tryfonidis Konstantinos , Honkoop Aafke H. , Zoppoli Gabriele , Razis Evangelia , Johannsson Oskar T. , Colleoni Marco , Tutt Andrew N. , Audeh William , Ignatiadis Michail , Mailliez Audrey , Trédan Olivier , Musolino Antonino , Vuylsteke Peter , Juan-Fita Maria Jose , Macpherson Iain R.J. , Kaufman Bella , Manso Luis , Goldstein Lori J. , Ellard Susan L. , Láng István , Jen Kai Yu , Adam Virginie , Litière Saskia , Erban John , Cameron David A.
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

To investigate the activity of niraparib in patients with germline-mutated BRCA1/2 (gBRCAm) advanced breast cancer.

Patients and Methods:

BRAVO was a randomized, open-label phase III trial. Eligible patients had gBRCAm and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer previously treated with ≤2 prior lines of chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer or had relapsed within 12 months of adjuvant chemotherapy, and were randomized 2:1 between niraparib and physician's choice chemotherapy (PC; monotherapy with eribulin, capecitabine, vinorelbine, or gemcitabine). Patients with hormone receptor–positive tumors had to have received ≥1 line of endocrine therapy and progressed during this treatment in the metastatic setting or relapsed within 1 year of (neo)adjuvant treatment. The primary endpoint was centrally assessed progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), PFS by local assessment (local-PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety.

Results:

After the pre-planned interim analysis, recruitment was halted on the basis of futility, noting a high degree of discordance between local and central PFS assessment in the PC arm that resulted in informative censoring. At the final analysis (median follow-up, 19.9 months), median centrally assessed PFS was 4.1 months in the niraparib arm (n = 141) versus 3.1 months in the PC arm [n = 74; hazard ratio (HR), 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.65–1.44; P = 0.86]. HRs for OS and local-PFS were 0.95 (95% CI, 0.63–1.42) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.46–0.93), respectively. ORR was 35% (95% CI, 26–45) with niraparib and 31% (95% CI, 19–46) in the PC arm.

Conclusions:

Informative censoring in the control arm prevented accurate assessment of the trial hypothesis, although there was clear evidence of niraparib's activity in this patient population.
Phase 1 Trial of ALRN-6924, a Dual Inhibitor of MDMX and MDM2, in Patients with Solid Tumors and Lymphomas Bearing Wild-type TP53
Authors: Saleh Mansoor N. , Patel Manish R. , Bauer Todd M. , Goel Sanjay , Falchook Gerald S. , Shapiro Geoffrey I. , Chung Ki Y. , Infante Jeffrey R. , Conry Robert M. , Rabinowits Guilherme , Hong David S. , Wang Judy S. , Steidl Ulrich , Naik Gurudatta , Guerlavais Vincent , Vukovic Vojislav , Annis D. Allen , Aivado Manuel , Meric-Bernstam Funda
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

We describe the first-in-human dose-escalation trial for ALRN-6924, a stabilized, cell-permeating peptide that disrupts p53 inhibition by mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) and MDMX to induce cell-cycle arrest or apoptosis in TP53-wild-type (WT) tumors.

Patients and Methods:

Two schedules were evaluated for safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and antitumor effects in patients with solid tumors or lymphomas. In arm A, patients received ALRN-6924 by intravenous infusion once-weekly for 3 weeks every 28 days; arm B was twice-weekly for 2 weeks every 21 days.

Results:

Seventy-one patients were enrolled: 41 in arm A (0.16–4.4 mg/kg) and 30 in arm B (0.32–2.7 mg/kg). ALRN-6924 showed dose-dependent pharmacokinetics and increased serum levels of MIC-1, a biomarker of p53 activation. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were gastrointestinal side effects, fatigue, anemia, and headache. In arm A, at 4.4 mg/kg, dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) were grade 3 (G3) hypotension, G3 alkaline phosphatase elevation, G3 anemia, and G4 neutropenia in one patient each. At the MTD in arm A of 3.1 mg/kg, G3 fatigue was observed in one patient. No DLTs were observed in arm B. No G3/G4 thrombocytopenia was observed in any patient. Seven patients had infusion-related reactions; 3 discontinued treatment. In 41 efficacy-evaluable patients with TP53-WT disease across both schedules the disease control rate was 59%. Two patients had confirmed complete responses, 2 had confirmed partial responses, and 20 had stable disease. Six patients were treated for >1 year. The recommended phase 2 dose was schedule A, 3.1 mg/kg.

Conclusions:

ALRN-6924 was well tolerated and demonstrated antitumor activity.
Liquid Biopsy Goes Viral: Next-Generation Sequencing to Enhance HPV Detection
Authors: Rostami Ariana , Bratman Scott V. , Han Kathy
Published: July 2021

Liquid biopsy approaches for the detection of viral DNA can provide important information for the diagnosis and identification of virally-associated cancers. Here we discuss the next-generation sequencing-based CaptHPV method for the detection and characterization of plasma human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in HPV-associated cancers and its potential clinical utility.

See related article by Sastre-Garau et al., p. 5307
Tetrad of Split Cord Malformation I with Neuroenteric Cyst, Dermoid Cyst, and Thickened Filum Terminale in a 2-Year-Old Child: A Case Report
Authors: Mishra Ajit , Nadeem Mohammed , Prabhuraj Andiperumal Raj , Paul Paramita , Bhat Dhananjaya
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Split cord malformations (SCMs) are developmental anomalies that are associated with a number of congenital defects. However, a combination of SCM I with a neuroenteric cyst (NEC) is extremely rare, and only 11 cases have been described in the literature. To the best of authors’ knowledge, the combination of the above two with dermoid cyst and thickened filum terminale has never been reported in the literature. Case Presentation: We present a case of the above combination in a 2-year-old child who underwent microsurgical excision of all 4 pathologies and complete recovery. Conclusion: NEC and dermoid should be considered in the differential diagnosis when imaging reveals cystic pathology along with SCM. Expeditious surgical repair resulted in an outstanding functional outcome at 1-year follow-up.
Intraoral Hirudotherapy for Venous Congestion following Free Flap Head and Neck Reconstruction: Novel Intraoral Technique
Authors: Amanian Ameen , Butskiy Oleksandr , Zhao Kevin , Anderson Donald W.
Published: July 2021

Intraoral hirudotherapy is traditionally used for venous congestion following head and neck free flap reconstruction. Many institutions and healthcare teams have been reluctant to use intraoral leech therapy due to risks such as migration into the airway, increased infection from intraoral manipulation, and patient discomfort. Several protocols recommend blocking the path to the oropharynx via gauze or leaving a tracheotomy in place to protect the airway. This report pre­sents a novel technique for intraoral hirudotherapy that is safe and simple for treatment of free flap venous congestion. The base of a clear cup or a plastic lid is utilized, and the leech is attached onto the inside of the lid with 2 sutures near each end. Several cups with leeches attached are made at a time to reduce delay and difficulty of application by less experienced clinical staff. The leech is then applied onto the compromised flap and then simply removed once it has unlatched from the flap. This method allows the leech to be applied with ease by multiple members of the healthcare team, decreases the need for intraoral manipulation, and reduces the risk of migration into the aerodigestive tract. Future prospective studies are warranted to assess the efficacy of this technique.
Ustekinumab Improves Active Crohn’s Disease by Suppressing the T Helper 17 Pathway
Authors: Ihara Yutaro , Torisu Takehiro , Miyawaki Kohta , Umeno Junji , Kawasaki Keisuke , Hirano Atsushi , Fujioka Shin , Fuyuno Yuta , Matsuno Yuichi , Sugio Takeshi , Sasaki Kensuke , Moriyama Tomohiko , Akashi Koichi , Kitazono Takanari
Published: July 2021

Background: Ustekinumab (UST), an antibody targeting the p40 subunit of interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23, is effective in treating Crohn’s disease (CD). To clarify the mechanism of UST, we investigated T-cell differentiation in CD patients treated with UST. Methods: Twenty-seven patients with active CD were enrolled in this study. Seventeen patients were treated with UST, and 10 patients were treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha therapy. The changes in the proportions of T-cell subsets after these therapies were analyzed by flow cytometry. Comprehensive gene expression changes in the colonic mucosa were also evaluated. Results: The frequency of T helper (Th) 17 cells was significantly decreased in the peripheral blood of patients with active CD after UST therapy. Anti-TNF therapy had a minimal effect on Th17 cells but increased the proportion of regulatory T cells. Enrichment analysis showed the expression of genes involved in the Th17 differentiation pathway was downregulated in the colonic mucosa after UST but not anti-TNF therapy. There were no common differentially expressed genes between CD patients treated with UST and anti-TNF therapy, suggesting a clear difference in their mechanism of action. Conclusion: In patients with active CD, UST therapy suppressed Th17 cell differentiation both in the peripheral blood and colonic tissues.
Effect of cryoprotectant on the motility, viability, fertilization, and DNA integrity of naleh fish Barbonymus sp. (Cyprinidae) sperm
Authors: Maulida Siti , Eriani Kartini , Nur Firman Muhammad , Fadli Nur , Batubara Agung Setia , Muhammadar Abdullah Adan , Siti-Azizah Mohd Nor , Wilkes Martin , Muchlisin Zainal Abidin
Published: July 2021

Naleh fish Barbonymus sp. is a commercial freshwater fish, which is indigenous to Aceh, Indonesia. The population of this species has declined over the years as a result of habitat perturbations and overfishing. Hence, the crucial need to develop a cryopreservation method to support breeding programs. This involved the use of a cryoprotectant as an important component. The objective of this study, therefore, was to explore the best cryoprotectant for naleh fish spermatozoa, and a total of five types were tested. These include the DMSO, Methanol, Ethanol, Glycerol, and Ethylene Glycol at a similar concentration of 10%, which were individually combined with 15% egg yolk, and every treatment was performed in three replications. Conversely, Ringer’s solution was adopted as an extender, and the sperm was cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen for 15 days. The results showed significant influence on sperm motility and viability, as well as egg fertility of naleh fish (P <0.05), although the DMSO provided the best outcome, compared to others at 47.17%, 50.13%, and 45.67%, respectively. Furthermore, DNA fragmentation had not occurred in the fresh and cryopreserved sperm samples, indicating the protective effect of tested cryoprotectants. It is concluded that the 10% DMSO and 15% egg yolk is the best cryoprotectant for naleh fish spermatozoa.
Epidemiological characteristics of Leptospira spp. infection in bovine herds in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Authors: Santos Renata Ferreira dos , Frias Danila Fernanda Rodrigues , Silva Glaucenyra Cecília Pinheiro da , Silva Talita Ribeiro , Assis Nivaldo Aparecido de , Bastos Carla Resende , Souza Vanessa Felipe de , Mathias Luis Antonio
Published: July 2021

The epidemiological characteristics of bovine leptospirosis in animals and herds in Mato Grosso do Sul were investigated to determine parameters such as disease frequency and the serovars reactant in beef cattle herds. A total of 4,629 beef cattle herds were examined against 33 Leptospira spp. serovars. The serum samples were submitted to the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for the serological diagnosis of leptospirosis. The MAT results showed that 3,814 (82.39%) of the 4,629 animals evaluated were seropositive for the bacterium, with serological reactions mainly to serogroup Sejroe, serovar Wolffi (36.49%). The observed high frequency of reactive animals demonstrates the relevance of the infection. Therefore, general and specific measures should be implemented to contain and/or prevent infection of the animals in the studied region.
Occurrence of Leptospira spp. and factors associated with the infection in horses from a military contingent in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil
Authors: Bastiani Mariane Pacheco , Lovato Luciane Teresinha , Von Laer Ana Eucares , Pötter Luciana , Rodrigues Rogério Oliveira , Souza Bianca Costabile de , Herrmann Geder Paulo , Sangioni Luis Antonio , Botton Sonia de Avila
Published: July 2021

The seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. and infection risk factors were investigated in horses from a military contingent in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. A total of 446 horses were evaluated and categorized into 309 mares, 11 stallions, and 126 horses with an average age of three years. To determine seroprevalence, serum samples from all horses were submitted to the microscopic agglutination test against 12 serovars belonging to nine serogroups, usually circulating in equine populations. To investigate the possible risk factors of infection by Leptospira spp., questionnaires were applied in that military unit. The seroprevalence in the horses with an average age of 3 years, mares, and stallions were 57.94% (73/126), 54.05% (165/309), and 45.45% (5/11), respectively. The main risk factors identified were contact with different water sources, the presence of rodents, and contact with wild and domestic animals. The high seroprevalence of anti‑Leptospira spp. antibodies may be associated with the presence of these risk factors. Therefore, the exposure of horses to possible reservoirs of Leptospira spp. should be minimized. Also, the immunoprophylaxis protocol should be reviewed and a shorter interval between vaccinations adopted to control leptospirosis in this herd.
Surgical correction of bilateral ectopic ureter using the neoureterocystostomy technique
Authors: Oliveira Ana Caroline Costa de , Guimarães Angélica Andrade , Romano Thais Lisboa Machado , Jarrouge Daniel Herreira , Angrimani Daniel de Souza Ramos
Published: July 2021

Ureteral ectopy is a rare disorder in the small animals’ clinic. It is characterized as a congenital anomaly, resulting from the ducts differentiation failure during embryogenesis. In this scenario, the ureters present themselves outside the anatomical site, being inserted into the uterus, urethra, urinary vesicle neck, or vagina. The clinical signs are urinary incontinence and perivulvar dermatitis. Surgery is the accepted treatment to correct the anomaly. The surgical procedure is based on relocating the ectopic ureter and treating associated modifications. This report describes a case of intramural bilateral ureteral ectopy, corrected surgically through the neoureterocystostomy technique, making it possible to control the animal’s urinary incontinence.
Top Priorities for Cerebroprotective Studies—A Paradigm Shift: Report From STAIR XI
Authors: Lyden Patrick , Buchan Alastair , Boltze Johannes , Fisher Marc , Ansari Saeed , Broderick Joseph P , Campbell Bruce CV , Chaisinanunkul Napasri , Chen Christopher , Grotta James C , Haddad Walid , Hareedy Randa , Hill Michael D , Houser Gary , Jadhav Ashutosh P , Khatri Pooja , Kimberly W Taylor , Koenig James I , Korinek William S , Landen Jaren W , Lansberg Maarten G , Latour Lawrence L , Liebeskind David S , Liston Theodore E , Lynch John , McGonigle John , Mistry Eva A , Mocco J , Pryor Kent E , Saver Jeffrey L , Savitz Sean I , Sheth Kevin N , Solberg Yoram , Vagal Achala , Venkatasubramanian Chitra , Ziogas Nikolaos K
Published: July 2021

Despite years of basic research and pioneering clinical work, ischemic stroke remains a major public health concern. Prior STAIR (Stroke Treatment Academic Industry Roundtable) conferences identified both failures of clinical trial design and failures in preclinical assessment in developing putative ischemic stroke treatments. At STAIR XI, participants in workshop no. 1 Top Priorities for Neuroprotection sought to redefine the neuroprotection paradigm and given the paucity of evidence underlying preclinical assessment, offer consensus-based recommendations. STAIR proposes the term brain cytoprotection or cerebroprotection to replace the term neuroprotection when the intention of an investigation is to demonstrate that a new, candidate treatment benefits the entire brain. Although “time is still brain,” tissue imaging techniques have been developed to identify patients with both predicted core injury and penumbral, salvageable brain tissue, regardless of time after stroke symptom onset. STAIR XI workshop participants called this imaging approach a tissue window to select patients for recanalization. Elements of the neurovascular unit show differential vulnerability evolving over differing time scales in different brain regions. STAIR proposes the term target window to suggest therapies that target the different elements of the neurovascular unit at different times. Based on contemporary principles of rigor and transparency, the workshop updated, revised, and enhanced the STAIR preclinical recommendations for developing new treatments in 2 phases: an exploratory qualification phase and a definitive validation phase. For new, putative treatments, investigators should carefully characterize the mechanism of action, the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, demonstrate target engagement, and confirm penetration through the blood-brain barrier. Before clinical trials, testing of candidate molecules in stroke models could proceed in a comprehensive manner using animals of both sexes and to include significant variables such as age and comorbid conditions. Comprehensive preclinical assessment might include multicenter, collaborative testing, for example, network trials. In the absence of a proven cerebroprotective agent to use as a gold standard, however, it remains speculative whether such comprehensive preclinical assessment can effectively predict clinical outcome.
Ants of the State of Pará, Brazil: a historical and comprehensive dataset of a key biodiversity hotspot in the Amazon Basin
Authors: DE ALBUQUERQUE EMÍLIA ZOPPAS , PRADO LÍVIA PIRES DO , ANDRADE-SILVA JOUDELLYS , DE SIQUEIRA EMELY LAIARA SILVA , DA SILVA SAMPAIO KELLY LIANE , ALVES DIEGO , BRANDÃO CARLOS ROBERTO FERREIRA , ANDRADE PALOMA L. , FEITOSA RODRIGO MACHADO , DE AZEVEDO KOCH ELMO BORGES , DELABIE JACQUES HUBERT CHARLES , FERNANDES ITANNA , BACCARO FABRÍCIO BEGGIATO , SOUZA JORGE LUIZ PEREIRA , ALMEIDA RONY PETERSON SANTOS , SILVA ROGÉRIO R.
Published: July 2021

The state of Pará in northern Brazil is located entirely within the Amazon Basin and harbors a great diversity of landscape and vegetation types that support high levels of biodiversity. Here, we provide a comprehensive inventory of ant species and their distribution in Pará. This regional list is based on an extensive review of species records from published and unpublished sources covering a period of 134 years (1886–2020) and includes the five most representative ant collections in Brazil. In total, we documented 12 subfamilies, 90 genera and 753 ant species, including 97 species recorded for the first time in Pará and 12 species newly reported in Brazil. Sampling effort across the state is highly uneven, and most records may be associated with research areas near the state capital, mining areas, hydroelectric dams, and research field stations run by the state or universities. In addition, our results suggest a strong bias in ant collection in Pará in terms of proximity of sampled sites to access routes, such as roads and rivers. We also found that species records were highly unevenly distributed based on areas of endemism within the Amazon, vegetation type, and protected areas within the state. Ant surveys are still lacking from most protected areas of Pará, and further sampling is urgently needed in view of the current trend of expansion of major infrastructure projects and natural resource harvesting within protected areas of Pará. Our database represents an extremely valuable and rich source of information for further studies on ant biodiversity and conservation in the Amazon Basin.
New Epoxy Poly(dimethyl acrylamide) Polymer for the Dispersion of ZnO Nanoparticles
Authors: Sorna Gowri V. , Kumar Sen Raj , Kumar Sanghi Sunil , Kumar Srivastava Avanish
Published: July 2021

A series of novel Zinc Oxide (ZnO) copolymer composites films with different Zinc Oxide concentration were prepared through incorporation of pre-made Zinc Oxide particle in to copolymer epoxy poly(dimethyl acrylamide). The copolymer epoxy poly(dimethyl acrylamide) was synthesized by
free radical polymerization to disperse the Zinc Oxide nanoparticles. The Zinc Oxide nanoparticles with the diameter of 19 nm–35 nm were synthesized from zinc nitrate via a wet chemical method. The aim of the work is to develop a new method/process/material for the dispersion of Zinc
Oxide nanoparticles and testing the performance of these composites films. Thermo gravimetric analysis show that Zinc Oxide nanoparticles were successfully incorporated into the polymer matrix and the Zinc Oxide copolymer composites have a good thermal stability. The micro structural analysis
also show newly synthesized polymer disperse the nanoparticles well as evidenced by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis. The uniformly dispersed Zinc Oxide nanoparticle in the polymer matrix and the particles almost remained in their original shape and size even after incorporation
in the polymer matrix. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) shift of the copolymer adsorbed Zinc Oxide nanoparticles confirmed that polymer molecules chain was anchored on the surface of the nanoparticles.
Understanding Heart Rate Reactions to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Among Veterans: A Naturalistic Study
Authors: Sadeghi Mahnoosh , Sasangohar Farzan , McDonald Anthony D. , Hegde Sudeep
Published: July 2021

Objective

We collected naturalistic heart rate data from veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to investigate the effects of various factors on heart rate.

Background

PTSD is prevalent among combat veterans in the United States. While a positive correlation between PTSD and heart rate has been documented, specific heart rate profiles during the onset of PTSD symptoms remain unknown.

Method

Veterans were recruited during five cycling events in 2017 and 2018 to record resting and activity-related heart rate data using a wrist-worn device. The device also logged self-reported PTSD hyperarousal events. Regression analyses were performed on demographic and behavioral covariates including gender, exercise, antidepressants, smoking habits, sleep habits, average heart rate during reported hyperarousal events, age, glucocorticoids consumption, and alcohol consumption. Heart rate patterns during self-reported PTSD hyperarousal events were analyzed using Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA). Heart rate data were also compared to an open-access non-PTSD representative case.

Results

Of 99 veterans with PTSD, 91 participants reported at least one hyperarousal event, with a total of 1023 events; demographic information was complete for 38 participants who formed the subset for regression analyses. The results show that factors including smoking, sleeping, gender, and medication significantly affect resting heart rate. Moreover, unique heart rate patterns associated with PTSD symptoms in terms of stationarity, autocorrelation, and fluctuation characteristics were identified.

Conclusion

Our findings show distinguishable heart rate patterns and characteristics during PTSD hyperarousal events.

Application

These findings show promise for future work to detect the onset of PTSD symptoms.
An Account of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Retention and Recall Through Spaced and Massed Distribution Instructions
Authors: Namaziandost Ehsan , Razmi Mohammad Hasan , Atabekova Anastasia , Shoustikova Tatyana , Kussanova Bibigul H.
Published: July 2021

There has been an ongoing debate on the effectiveness of spaced and massed distribution instruction in second/foreign language learning. A number of studies in the literature have investigated the impacts of spacing effect on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ vocabulary acquisition. This study aims to expand the body of existing research by exploring the impact of spaced versus massed distribution instruction on EFL learners’ vocabulary recall and retention. To this end, the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) was administered to 120 Iranian EFL students to determine their level of English proficiency. Accordingly, 75 intermediate students were selected and randomly assigned to three equivalent groups: two experimental groups, namely spaced instruction ( n = 25) and massed instruction ( n = 25), and one control group ( n = 25). After administering a pretest, the participants in both experimental groups received two different modes of instruction. The massed instruction group attended one intensive session to learn each set of target vocabularies; the spaced instruction group, on the contrary, had three sessions at irregular time intervals to learn the same vocabularies. The control group studied the same vocabularies but received no vocabulary-focused instructions. Overall, 180 vocabularies were taught to the students during a 12-week period (15 vocabularies per week). The instructions in each group took 60 min each week. Using a pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest design, the students first took a receptive vocabulary pretest before the treatment. One week after the treatment, a receptive vocabulary posttest was administered. Finally, after a 4-week interval, the students took the delayed posttest. The results revealed that the spaced instruction group significantly outperformed the massed instruction group on both immediate and delayed posttests. The findings lend support to the modulation of spaced instruction into the curricula in instructional settings as a valuable vocabulary instruction technique to promote vocabulary learning in real classroom environments.
Personality Disorders, Risky Behaviors, and Adversity: The Moderating Role of Resilience
Authors: Flynn Talon P. , Parnes Jamie E. , Conner Bradley T.
Published: July 2021

Individuals with personality disorders (PDs) comprise 30% to 40% of individuals receiving mental health treatment. Treatment of PDs is exceedingly difficult; therefore, research has focused on PD etiology and preventative factors. One known influence on PD etiology is adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs are associated with increased prevalence of several health risk behaviors (HRBs), including engagement in substance use, criminal, and risky sexual behavior. One protective factor, childhood resiliency, predicts lower prevalence of PDs and engagement in HRBs. We hypothesized that increased prevalence of ACEs would predict higher levels of PD symptoms and HRBs engagement. Furthermore, we predicted that childhood resiliency would moderate the relation between ACEs, PD symptoms, and HRBs. In the present study, students (N = 531) completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences survey, the Self-Administered – Standardized Assessment of Personality Abbreviated Scale, and the Childhood Youth and Resiliency Measure-28. They also responded to questions about substance use, criminal, and sexual behavior which were used to define a latent HRB variable. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine study hypotheses. As hypothesized, we found positive relations between ACEs, PD symptoms, and our HRB latent variable. Childhood resiliency moderated both ACE and PD symptom paths. At lower levels of reported ACEs, individuals high in childhood resiliency reported fewer PD symptoms and HRBs than individuals low in childhood resiliency. At high levels of ACEs, childhood resiliency did not serve as a protective factor. Additionally, study findings suggest that childhood resiliency factors are integral for protecting against the development of these disorders.
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms among Assault-injured Youth: Parallel Process Models Addressing Comorbidity
Authors: Morris Kamryn S. , Lindstrom Johnson Sarah , Fein Joel A. , Cheng Tina L.
Published: July 2021

Community violence and its physical health consequences are well known among youth living in urban settings. However, less is known about the cumulative effect of contextual and demographic risk factors on posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among vulnerable youth. Longitudinal data (baseline, 9-month, 21-month) were analyzed to investigate trajectories of PTSS, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms among 188 youth ( Mage 12.87, 60.6% male) treated for an assault injury in an emergency department. Youth exhibited decreased mental health problems over time. Higher levels of internalizing symptoms related to decreased PTSS over time, while higher levels of PTSS predicted increased externalizing symptoms over time, thus underscoring the importance of understanding comorbidity. Gender and stressful life events were significantly associated with initial levels of symptoms and trajectories. These findings suggest the importance of understanding PTSS in the context of environments and personal factors to support appropriate treatment.
Improving physician wellness through electronic health record education
Authors: Johnson Elizabette , Roth Elizabeth
Published: July 2021

Objective

Our goal is to improve the wellness of our Family Medicine residents now and in the future by educating them on more efficient use of our electronic health record (EHR). Resident physician burnout is a significant problem and is correlated with time spent using an EHR after work hours. Family physicians have the highest rate of burnout of all specialties, and the EHR is a significant contributor to this burnout. Studies have shown that increased EHR education can improve job satisfaction.

Method

Over 5 months, we provided weekly brief (15 minute) educational sessions covering 6 topics twice and a one-hour individualized meeting of each resident physician with an EHR trainer. We evaluated our intervention with wellness surveys and objective measures of EHR efficiency both pre and post intervention. We further evaluated efficiency by comparing pre and post-intervention values of the following: average keystrokes, mouseclicks, accelerator use, minutes per encounter and percent closed encounters at month’s end.

Results

Resident questionnaires showed lessons increased knowledge and intention to use EHR accelerators, but this was not statistically significant. Analysis of objective data showed most efficiency metrics worsened, though most not to a degree that was statistically significant. Residents reported subjective increases in efficiency, and paired data from wellness surveys showed an overall decrease in burnout post-intervention vs. baseline.

Conclusions

Much of the data in this pilot study does not reach statistical significance, but is highly suggestive that increased EHR training can improve at least perceived efficiency and thereby resident wellness.
Approaches to Addressing Nonmedical Services and Care Coordination Needs for Older Adults
Authors: Ezell Jerel M. , Hamdi Samiha , Borrero Natasha
Published: July 2021

Objective:

Non-medical services care coordination for daily activities of living is crucial in improving older adults’ health and enabling them to age in place, but little is known about specific practices and barriers in this space.

Methods:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 41 professionals serving older adults in greater Chicago, Illinois—which consists of diverse urban, suburban, and semi-rural communities—to contextualize non-medical services needs and care coordination processes.

Results:

In-home care, home-delivered meals, non-emergency transportation, and housing support were cited as the most commonly needed services, all requiring complex coordination support. Respondents noted a reliance on inefficient phone/fax usage for referral-making and cited major challenges in inter-professional communication, service funding/reimbursement, and HIPAA.

Conclusions:

Non-medical services delivery for older adults is severely impacted by general siloing throughout the care continuum. Interventions are needed to enhance communication pathways and improve the salience and interdisciplinarity of non-medical services coordination for this population.
Sartre and Marion on Intentionality and Phenomenality
Authors: Leung King-Ho
Published: July 2021

This article offers a reading of Jean-Paul Sartre’s phenomenology in light of Jean-Luc Marion’s more recent phenomenology. It may seem odd to compare Sartre to Marion, given that Sartre is well-known for his avowed atheism and his account of intentionality while Marion is primarily known for his work on religious phenomena and counter-intentionality. However, this article shows that there are many ways in which Sartre anticipates Marion’s work on phenomenological reduction and excessive phenomenality. By reading Sartre’s phenomenology in light of Marion’s, and particularly Sartre’s analysis of the viscous slime in Being and Nothingness in relation to Marion’s account of ‘saturated phenomena’, this article presents a fresh interpretation of Sartre as a phenomenologist who has invaluable insights not only on the structures of consciousness and phenomenality, but also for the contemporary theoretical interest in the relationship between human and nonhuman entities.
On Disgrace: Scandal, Discredit and Denunciation within and across Fields
Authors: Atkinson Will
Published: July 2021

This paper engages with the theme of disgrace from a Bourdieusian point of view. Starting out from a specific definition of ‘grace’ in terms of misrecognition, it goes on to consider some of the ways in which disgrace can be generated and some of the ways it can be handled by the disgraced party. While there are certainly many intra-field modalities of the genesis of disgrace, including violation of the rules of the game, the paper also emphasizes that disgrace can be generated by cross-field events, necessitating a switch of perspective from individuals in one field to individuals in multiple fields. This is also true of strategies for coping with disgrace.
The Impact of Live Cases on Student Skill Development in Marketing Courses
Authors: Cummins Shannon , Johnson Jeff S.
Published: July 2021

Live cases, where students work directly with an outside organization to solve real-world problems, can be an immersive learning experience for marketing students. Current scholarship on live case usage in marketing is limited to small samples from a handful of live case devotees. This article draws from a large, international sample of 169 marketing educators to investigate the perceived educational impacts of live cases on student skill development. Specifically, the paper explores student teamwork, conflict handling, time management, presentation, communication, and critical thinking skills. Additionally, the article explores how student skill development is affected by the amount of course time dedicated to the live case as well as faculty experience with live cases.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery in locally advanced vulvar carcinoma: a single-institution experience
Authors: Adorni Marco , Bazzurini Luca , Lissoni Andrea Alberto , Vecchione Francesca , Negri Serena , Grassi Tommaso , Buda Alessandro , Landoni Fabio
Published: July 2021

Background:

Squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva is a rare malignancy that affects elderly women. About one-third of vulvar cancers are diagnosed in an advanced stage, requiring extensive surgery. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been introduced to reduce local tumor burden. In this retrospective study, we analyze the efficacy and toxicity of NACT followed by radical surgery.

Methods:

Patients with locally advanced vulvar cancer (LAVC) treated at our institution with neoadjuvant platinum and paclitaxel-based chemotherapy ± ifosfamide followed by surgery at our institution were retrospectively identified.

Results:

Fourteen patients (93%) completed NACT with tolerable toxicities (G3–G4 toxicity: 30%). Thirteen patients (87%) underwent surgery. The overall clinical response rate on vulvar disease was 66% (20% complete response, 46% partial response), confirmed by histopathologic analysis, while on inguinal lymph nodes it was 69% (23% complete response, 46% partial response). At the pathologic examination, all patients had negative surgical margins. Three out of 9 patients (33%) with lesions infiltrating the urethral meatus and 4 patients out of 7 (57%) with anal involvement did not require urethral amputation or colostomy, respectively, after NACT. No severe postoperative complications were described. Overall survival at 5 years was 60%, and median overall survival was 76 months.

Conclusion:

NACT followed by surgery in locally advanced vulvar cancer is well tolerated and allows surgical modulation.
Comparison of Door-to-Door Transit Travel Time Estimation Using Schedules, Real-Time Vehicle Arrivals, and Smartcard Inference Methods
Authors: Li Ting , Meredith-Karam Patrick , Kong Hui , Stewart Anson , Attanucci John P. , Zhao Jinhua
Published: July 2021

Estimating passengers’ door-to-door travel time, for journeys that combine walking and public transit, can be complex for large networks with many available path alternatives. Additional complications arise in tap-on only transit systems, where passengers alightings are not recorded. For one such system, the Chicago Transit Authority, this study compares three methods for estimating door-to-door travel time: assuming optimal path choice given scheduled service, as represented in the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS); assuming optimal path choice given actually operated bus service, as recorded by automatic vehicle location systems; and using inferred path choices based on automated fare collection smartcard records, as processed with an origin-destination-interchange (ODX) inference algorithm. As expected, ODX-derived travel times are found to be longer than those derived from GTFS, indicating that purely schedule-based travel times underestimate the travel times that are actually available and experienced, which can be attributed primarily to suboptimal passenger route choice. These discrepancies additionally manifest in significant spatial variations, raising concerns about potential biases in travel time estimates that do not account for reliability. The findings bring about a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between transit reliability and passenger behavior in transportation research. Furthermore, these discrepancies suggest areas of future research into the implications of systematic and behavioral assumptions implied by using conventional schedule-based travel time estimates.
Personas: A Market Segmentation Approach for Transportation Behavior Change
Authors: Arian Ali , Meiyu Pan Melrose , Chiu Yi-Chang
Published: July 2021

This paper proposes a market segmentation method applied in the field of transportation behavior change using GPS trajectories and socio-demographic data collected from the advanced demand management system “GoEzy” designed by Metropia. User attributes are extracted using several statistical methods such as dynamic time warping, density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN), and signal processing method to infer users’ sensitivity to incentives, temporal, and spatial travel patterns. Ten personas were generated by K-means clustering, representing different types of people with various travel patterns and sensitivity to incentives. The experiment was conducted on 24 new users to test if the persona could be used as a tool to predict their willingness to change. The results showed that after creating personas for new users and providing them with new incentives, their modified departure time pattern according to the new incentives matched expectations from analysis of the 10 personas.
Continuous Use of Home Care Services and Functional Performance: A Population-Based Approach
Authors: Chiu Tzu-Ying , Yu Hsiao-Wei , Chen Ya-Mei
Published: July 2021

Background

Home care (HC) services are the foundational service in Taiwan, such as personal care, housekeeping, showers, meal preparation, and so on. We used population-representative data to evaluate the effects of HC services use on the long-term functional performance of older adults.

Method

This longitudinal study used latent growth curve modeling, measured as trajectories in activities of daily living (ADL) ability. We retrieved data for 1,851 care recipients from the Long-Term Care Service Management System database.

Results

Continuous use of HC services had positive effects on functional performance over time of declining functional capacity (β = .075, p < .05). While greater age was associated with slower increases in ADL scores, being female and living alone were associated with faster increases in ADL scores.

Discussion

Continuous use of the HC services provided has a significant impact on maintaining or improving functional performance among older adults in the early stage of declined functional capacity.