bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract 818: Modulation Of Catecholamine Secretion By In Vivo Gene Transfer Of G-protein Coupled Receptor Kinase (GRK) 2 Or A GRK2 Inhibitor Peptide In The Adrenal Gland
Authors: Rengo Giuseppe , Lymperopoulos Anastasios , Zincarelli Carmela , Soltys Stephen , Koch Walter J
Published: August 2024

We recently reported that adrenal G-protein coupled Receptor Kinase (GRK) 2 up-regulation causes enhanced secretion of the catecholamines (CA‘s) epinephrine (Epi) and norepinephrine (NEpi) in chronic heart failure by desensitizing the α
2
-adrenergic receptors (ARs) of chromaffin cells (ChrCs), the autoreceptors responsible for autocrine feedback inhibition of CA release from these cells [

Lymperopoulos et al.,

Nat. Med.

2007
;
13
:
315
–323

]. In the present study, we sought to investigate whether modulation of adrenal GRK2 levels/activity regulates physiological CA secretion in vivo in rats. For this purpose, we devised two different in vivo adenoviral gene delivery methods to the adrenal medulla: direct injection in the suprarenal gland and retrograde delivery via the suprarenal veins, of GRK2 or of its inhibitor peptide βARKct, and we performed in vivo gene delivery in normal young Sprague-Dawley rats. We found that both delivery approaches are equally effective at inducing a robust (>80% of the whole organ) and organ-restricted transgene expression in the whole adrenal gland, both in the cortical and medullary regions. Additionally, rats with AdenoGRK2 (AdGRK2)-infected adrenals exhibit enhanced plasma CA levels (235 ± 10 pg/ml for Epi, 333 ± 30 pg/ml for NEpi, n = 5) compared to control rats (adrenals injected with Adeno-Green Fluorescent Protein, AdGFP, or saline, 128 ± 6 pg/ml for Epi, 230 ± 10 pg/ml for NEpi, n = 5), whereas plasma CA levels in rats with AdβARKct-infected adrenals are significantly lower than control rats (30 ± 8 pg/ml for Epi, 67 ± 11 pg/ml for NEpi, n35). Finally, in ChrCs isolated from these infected adrenals, α
2
-AR stimulation with the specific α
2
-AR agonist UK14304 of AdGRK2-infected ChrCs failed to inhibit CA secretion in response to nicotine, which activates the nicotinic cholinergic receptors present in ChrCs, the physiological stimulus for CA secretion from these cells. In ChrCs derived from AdβARKct-infected adrenals in vivo however, the ability of UK14304 to inhibit nicotine-induced CA secretion was completely restored. These results suggest that adrenal GRK2 activity is a critical regulator of CA secretion in vivo, leading to increased CA secretion and plasma levels.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Moncion Kevin , Rodrigues Lynden , De Las Heras Bernat , Noguchi Kenneth S. , Wiley Elise , Eng Janice J. , MacKay-Lyons Marilyn , Sweet Shane N. , Thiel Alexander , Fung Joyce , Stratford Paul , Richardson Julie A. , MacDonald Maureen J. , Roig Marc , Tang Ada
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND:

Limited evidence supports the effects of short-interval high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for improving cardiorespiratory fitness (V̇O
2
peak) after stroke. We aimed to compare the effects of 12 weeks of short-interval HIIT versus moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on V̇O
2
peak, cardiovascular risk factors, and mobility outcomes among individuals ≥6 months poststroke.

METHODS:

This study was a multi-site, 12-week randomized controlled trial (NCT03614585) with an 8-week follow-up. Participants were randomized into 3 d/wk of HIIT (10×1 minute 80%–100% heart rate reserve interspersed with 1 minute 30% heart rate reserve [19 minutes]) or MICT (20–30 minutes 40%–60% heart rate reserve). Secondary outcomes of the trial, including V̇O
2
peak, cardiovascular risk factors (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, blood pressure, and waist-hip ratio), and mobility (6-minute walk test, 10 m gait speed), were reported. Linear mixed model analyses with a group×study time point interaction evaluated between-group differences.

RESULTS:

Of the 305 potential participants, 82 consented (mean [SD] age 64.9 [9.3] years, 32 females [39%], 1.8 [1.2] years poststroke) and were randomized to HIIT (n=42, mean [SD] baseline V̇O
2
peak 17.3 [5.9] mL/kg·min) or MICT (n=40, mean [SD] baseline V̇O
2
peak 17.2 [6.0] mL/kg·min). Participants attended 82% of visits (n=2417/2952). No adverse events occurred during the study period. A significant group×study time point interaction was found (χ
2
=8.46;
P
=0.015) for V̇O
2
peak at 12 weeks (mean difference, 1.81 [95% CI, 0.58–3.04];
P
=0.004) whereby the HIIT group had greater gains in V̇O
2
peak (∆3.52 mL/kg·min [95% CI, 2.47–4.57];
P
<0.001) compared with the MICT group (∆1.71 mL/kg·min [95% CI, 0.55–2.86];
P
=0.001). There was no between-group difference in V̇O
2
peak (mean difference, 1.08 [95% CI, −0.26 to 2.42];
P
=0.11) at 8-week follow-up. No group×study time point interactions were found for cardiovascular risk factors or mobility outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS:

Short-interval HIIT may be an effective alternative to MICT for improving V̇O
2
peak at 12 weeks postintervention.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT03614585.
Sociogeny beyond the Human: Race and Animality in Frantz Fanon and Patrick Chamoiseau
Authors: Oliver-Hobley Christie
Published: August 2024

Extending a recent turn at the interstice of Black and animal studies, this article analyzes two works by Martinican writers: Frantz Fanon’s (2008/1952) Black Skin, White Masks, and Patrick Chamoiseau’s (2018/1997) The Old Slave and the Mastiff. I read Fanon’s concept of “sociogeny” as an effort to conceptualize Black subjectivity within a reformulated analytic of European phenomenology, interpreting it as a non-anthroponormative mode of meaning-making that is independent of language or consciousness. In this light, Fanon’s human becomes an animal able to recognize their non-humanization. My interpretation of Chamoiseau highlights the implications of Fanon’s concept for understanding the coproduction and incommensurability of “race” and “animality.” Enslaved man and mastiff are subject to an identity that is not merely discursive but sociogenic, and both possess an agency that exceeds their subjectivation at the enslaver’s hands. Chamoiseau, I argue, directly represents what Fanon leaves only tacit: sociogeny beyond the human.
The First Conception of Modernist Chinese Buddhism
Authors: Gildow Douglas Matthew
Published: August 2024

Modernist Buddhist movements receptive to new social and intellectual developments have emerged around the globe since the late nineteenth century. This study probes the origins of Chinese modernist Buddhist thought, including its sources, features, and transformations. Through a survey of writings by turn-of-the-century Chinese intellectuals, I show that Liang Qichao 梁啟超 (1873–1929) was, in 1902, the first Chinese person to advocate modernist Buddhism. His ideas drew not only from Japanese modernist Buddhism, but also from Confucian discourse and from Western thought without Japanese mediation. Liang’s Buddhist thought incorporated features such as rationalism, social engagement, egalitarianism, and detraditionalization. He argued that if it were properly understood and practiced, Buddhism would strengthen China’s social order and could even transform the world into a “pure land” (jingtu). Liang’s modernist conception shaped later Chinese Buddhist movements, but only after it was cannibalized and its parts were modified for the purpose of reviving traditional Buddhism.
Revision of South African chiggers (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) originated from the collection of R.F. Lawrence, with redescriptions of nine species
Authors: STEKOLNIKOV ALEXANDR A.
Published: August 2024

A revision of the chigger mite collection in the KwaZulu-Natal Museum (NM, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) resulted in finding holotypes or paratypes for 15 of the 51 species described by R.F. Lawrence in 1948–1951 and originally deposited in this museum. Five species of chigger mites incompletely described by him have been redescribed based on the type series and additional specimens from the collections of NM and the Natural History Museum (London, UK): Herpetacarus (Abonnencia) alticolus (Lawrence, 1951), Schoengastia scincicola Lawrence, 1949, S. monticola Lawrence, 1949, S. mabuyana Lawrence, 1949, and Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana (Lawrence, 1949). Schoengastia gerrhosauri Lawrence, 1949 was redescribed partly. One new synonym has been established: Herpetacarus (Abonnencia) longispinus (Radford, 1948) (= Ascoschoengastia rhabdomyia Lawrence, 1951, syn. nov.); this species has been redescribed based on the types of H. longispinus and non-type specimens of A. rhabdomyia. Riedlinia (Trombigastia) cadei (Vercammen-Grandjean and Brennan, 1957) has been for the first time recorded in South Africa. Microtrombicula (Microtrombicula) zumpti Vercammen-Grandjean, 1965, previously known only from its probably lost holotype, and Schoengastia pseudocordyli Lawrence, 1949 have been redescribed based on new specimens found among unidentified materials deposited in the NM collection.
Sri Lanka’s elusive freshwater spiny eel, Macrognathus pentophthalmos (Teleostei: Mastacembelidae)
Authors: SUDASINGHE HIRANYA , RANASINGHE THARINDU , PERERA RACHITH PRIYANKARA , RÜBER LUKAS
Published: August 2024

This study focuses on Macrognathus pentophthalmos, one of the two freshwater spiny eel species in Sri Lanka, which was once abundant in lowland floodplains. However, since the 1980s, this species has experienced a significant population decline, the causes of which remain unknown. It is presently assessed as Critically Endangered in the National Red List. Here, we report on a juvenile and an adult M. pentophthalmos discovered in the dry zone lowlands of the island. Using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 marker, we reveal subtle genetic differences between M. pentophthalmos and its Indian congener, M. aral. Additionally, we delve into the historical records of M. pentophthalmos in Sri Lanka, tracing its decline, and suggest strategic hotspots for further investigation into its current status. This study aims to contribute insights into the enigmatic decline of this species while shedding light on its genetic relationships and proposing targeted areas for conservation efforts.
2. (Post)humanity
Authors: Tumino Stephen
Published: August 2024

Chapter Two ("(Post)humanity") argues that increasing unevenness in capitalist relations have normalized an ethical turn in the humanities and led to the "posthumanities". The "post" of the posthumanities signals awareness of not only the exclusionary basis of the concept of Man, as did (post)structuralist post-humanist philosophy, but also represents a new sentimental embrace of non-human otherness and a Heideggerian ethics of care as "being-with" the animal(s) to respond to the growing social alienation of global capitalism and so one finds Derrida nakedly communing with his pet cat in The Animal That I Therefore Am and Haraway writing about making love with her dog through "oral intercourse" (Companion Species, 2-3) as if such sentimental attachments could remake "reality" (6). As in all "posts" (postfordist, postindustrial, poststructuralism, postmodern,... ), a cultural zone "beyond" the conflict between capital and labor is announced that naturalizes class inequality as the basis of human societies (Zavarzadeh 1).

The "post" of (post)structuralist post-humanism and the "post" of the new-er posthumanism are, despite their historical differences, ideologically the same—they attempt to "solve" in the theoretical imaginary contradictions that have arisen from the conflict between capital and labor. The founding texts of (post)structuralism were of course post-humanist but the opposition to humanism today has changed since Derrida and Foucault's critiques of humanism in the '60s and '70s and it is less concerned with deconstructing logocentrism and the languages of Man as it is with the cultural inscription of bodies around the human/animal distinction. I argue that these discursive changes are not driven by knowledge as in the dominant cultural theory but reflect changes in the mode of production.

Keywords: posthumanism; animal studies; Jacques Derrida; Donna Haraway; Wendy and Lucy; Slavoj Žižek; Alain Badiou.
The Impact of Social Support on Depressive Symptoms Through Mindfulness and Resilience Among Chinese Parents Who Lost Their Only Child
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Duan Xiaopeng , Sugawara Masumi , Omori Mika
Published: August 2024

The number of Shidu parents (parents over the age of 45 years who have lost their only child) has been increasing in China, which is important because Shidu parents experience depressive symptoms. This study investigated the potential mediating roles of mindfulness and resilience in the relation between social support and depressive symptoms among Shidu parents. From June to December 2021, 111 Shidu parents in Baoji city, China, completed a web-based survey on social support, depressive symptoms, mindfulness, and resilience. The results indicated that Shidu parents suffer from a high risk of depressive symptoms, and significant correlations were found between the study variables. Path analysis models showed that the relation between social support and depressive symptoms in Shidu parents was fully mediated by a combination of mindfulness and resilience. These findings further highlighted the significance of social support, mindfulness, and resilience in potentially alleviating depressive symptoms among Shidu parents.
Navigating between resistance and unintentional collaboration: The role of left-wing grassroots associations in the tourist city
Authors: Santos Priscilla , Malet Calvo Daniel , Nofre Jordi
Published: August 2024

This article explores the ambivalent role of a grassroots cultural and activist association and its forced displacement between two districts as a result of the rapidly advancing frontier of gentrification in the city of Lisbon (Portugal). Strong institutional and private pressures led to the eviction of the association from its former location in the now gentrified Bairro Alto and its relocation to Intendente, a formerly degraded and excluded area currently undergoing a transition to marginal gentrification. By combining documentary research of secondary sources and exploratory ethnography that includes interviews with key informants, this article examines how the association has navigated between resistance against urban neoliberalism and its own (unwanted) contribution to the dynamics of marginal gentrification. It concludes by highlighting the need to deepen analysis of the ambivalent nature of activist associations campaigning for the right to the city, while providing clues for understanding how grassroots organisations resist, survive and/or collaborate with the manifold processes of urban change.
Robust adaptive decoupled-like sliding mode controller design based on iterative learning for overhead cranes
Authors: Zheng Zhiteng , Xu Weimin
Published: August 2024

This paper proposes a novel model-free controller, considering the overhead crane systems cannot be accurately modeled and affected by external disturbances. The suggested scheme contains a variable exponential decoupled-like sliding mode control (VEDSMC), an adaptive power-reaching law (APRL), and a dynamic learning law-based iterative learning controller (DLLILC); they are combined in a parallel structure to form VEDSMC–APRL–DLLILC. The VEDSMC can effectively enhance the convergence speed of the displacement variables and improve the transient performance of the crane system. The APRL consists of an adaptive switching gain; it can estimate the optimal switching gain according to the unknown dynamics of the crane system and the disturbance, reduce the controller chattering, and guarantee the robustness. The DLLILC term can further improve anti-swing and positioning performance of the overhead crane without accurate information of the crane dynamics model in advance. Moreover, a nonlinear dynamic learning law (DLL) is developed to guarantee both convergence speed and steady-state accuracy in the learning process. Finally, the stability analysis of the designed controller is performed using Lyapunov theory and Barbalat’s lemma, and the simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the suggested control scheme.
Neurovascular coupling methods in healthy individuals using transcranial doppler ultrasonography: A systematic review and consensus agreement
Authors: Ball James D , Hills Eleanor , Altaf Afzaa , Ramesh Pranav , Green Matthew , Surti Farhaana BS , Minhas Jatinder S , Robinson Thompson G , Bond Bert , Lester Alice , Hoiland Ryan , Klein Timo , Liu Jia , Nasr Nathalie , Junejo Rehan T , Müller Martin , Lecchini-Visintini Andrea , Mitsis Georgios , Burma Joel S , Smirl Jonathan D , Pizzi Michael A , Manquat Elsa , Lucas Samuel JE , Mullinger Karen J , Mayhew Steve , Bailey Damian M , Rodrigues Gabriel , Soares Pedro Paulo , Phillips Aaron A , Prokopiou Prokopis C , C Beishon Lucy
Published: August 2024

Neurovascular coupling (NVC) is the perturbation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) to meet varying metabolic demands induced by various levels of neural activity. NVC may be assessed by Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD), using task activation protocols, but with significant methodological heterogeneity between studies, hindering cross-study comparisons. Therefore, this review aimed to summarise and compare available methods for TCD-based healthy NVC assessments. Medline (Ovid), Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE (Ovid) and CINAHL were searched using a predefined search strategy (PROSPERO: CRD42019153228), generating 6006 articles. Included studies contained TCD-based assessments of NVC in healthy adults. Study quality was assessed using a checklist, and findings were synthesised narratively. 76 studies (2697 participants) met the review criteria. There was significant heterogeneity in the participant position used (e.g., seated vs supine), in TCD equipment, and vessel insonated (e.g. middle, posterior, and anterior cerebral arteries). Larger, more significant, TCD-based NVC responses typically included a seated position, baseline durations >one-minute, extraneous light control, and implementation of previously validated protocols. In addition, complementary, combined position, vessel insonated and stimulation type protocols were associated with more significant NVC results. Recommendations are detailed here, but further investigation is required in patient populations, for further optimisation of TCD-based NVC assessments.
Medicine Prescribing Practices and Prescription Errors Evaluations at Outpatient Department in Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia
Authors: Yikna Berhan B. , Atilaw Abay W. , Yehualashet Awgichew S.
Published: August 2024

Background: Currently, irrational uses of medicines becoming global problem largely in developing countries like Ethiopia. Inappropriate prescribing is a major cause for poor treatment outcome and higher costs. Hence, this study was aimed to investigate medicine prescribing practice and prescription errors using WHO medicine-utilization core indicators. Methods: A hospital based retrospective cross sectional study design was used to evaluate prescribing practices and prescription errors from September to October, 2024 at the OPD pharmacy using systematic random sampling technique while a prospective approach was employed for facility indicators. Presence of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) were evaluated using Medscape Online Drug Interaction Checker. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 and interpreted as tables and figures. Results: A total of 1019 medicines were prescribed in 524 prescriptions and 81.6% (n = 832) were actually dispensed. The percentage of antibiotic, injections and medicine prescribed from Essential Drug List was 33.9% (n = 345),3.5% (n = 36) and 92.3% (n = 941) respectively. The most frequently prescribed class of medicine were antibiotics 33.9% (n = 345). 65.1% (n = 341) were ≥2 medicines and 8.3% (n = 85) had at least one potential DDIs. Among overall DDIs, the monitor closely and serious level was 60% (n = 51) and 11.8% (n = 10) respectively. The average prescription error was 4.3. Prescription errors due to failure to mention diagnosis was 40.6% (n = 213). Conclusion: Based on findings, the prescribing practices had defects to the optimum value recommended by WHO and showed high prescription errors. Antibiotics prescribing was the major problem in practice. Remarkable DDIs were observed in prescribed medicines. Therefore, designing and implementing policy to improve medicine use practice is highly indispensable.
Reflecting on participation’s promises: Insights from collaborative research about unaccompanied child migrants, care, and the UK’s hostile immigration regime
Authors: Aisha  , Arjana  , Gulli  , Mirfat  , Abdullayeva Musharraf , Zak  , Rosen Rachel
Published: August 2024

Engaging with critiques of participatory research’s transformative claims, in this article, co-researchers from the Children Caring on the Move project critically reflect on experiences of doing research together. Our dialogue considers how the project’s motivating ethos of ‘nothing about us, without us’ permeated the research, to offer insights about the value, challenges, and practice of participatory research. Relations of care and building collective outlooks have helped to generate knowledge aimed at challenging hostile border regimes within and beyond spaces of research.
Beyond Deliberation: Alternative Forms of Public (Dis)engagement With Science
Authors: Losi Lucilla
Published: August 2024

This study explores alternative forms of public engagement with science through 25 semi-structured interviews with England-based participants from demographic groups traditionally associated with low levels of engagement. When considering established ways to engage with science, informants do not identify themselves as engaged and provide pragmatic reasons for their disengagement. However, as they elaborate on their personal experiences with science, they realize that science is more woven into their lives than initially acknowledged. The results underscore the pivotal role of personal perceptions and experiences in shaping (dis)engagement, emphasizing the interplay between these perceptions and science institutions, and challenging the conventional framework.
An unsupervised transfer network with adaptive input and dynamic channel pruning for train axle bearing fault diagnosis
Authors: Liu Lei , Zhang Weihua , Gu Fengshou , Song Dongli , Tang Guiting , Cheng Yao
Published: August 2024

The field of bearing fault diagnosis has witnessed remarkable advancements with cross-domain fault diagnosis techniques. Nonetheless, these existing methods suffer from two main drawbacks. First, the input length of these methods is fixed, such as 2048 sample points, irrespective of the diverse sampling frequencies, bearing structure parameters, and rotational speeds observed among transfer objects. Additionally, the transfer learning methods currently employed are not robust to noise, rendering them incapable of functioning optimally in contaminated target domains. To address the aforementioned challenges, this study presents an unsupervised transfer network for train axle bearing fault diagnosis. First, an adaptive input module is proposed, which enables the input length of the proposed network to be adaptively selected based on parameters such as sampling frequency and bearing structure. Then, an enhanced feature learning block with sharing parameters is designed to enhance the transfer learning feature extraction capability under noise condition. Next, a dynamic channel pruning module is proposed to optimize of the proposed network. Finally, the transferability of the proposed network is demonstrated through experiments involving two types of transfer learning tasks. The proposed network exhibits robustness to noise and outperforms existing methods by achieving higher diagnostic accuracy and stability.
The Kinematics of 3D Arm Movements in Sub-Acute Stroke: Impaired Inter-Joint Coordination is Attributable to Both Weakness and Flexor Synergy Intrusion
Authors: Avni Inbar , Arac Ahmet , Binyamin-Netser Reut , Kramer Shilo , Krakauer John W. , Shmuelof Lior
Published: August 2024

Background

It has long been of interest to characterize the components of the motor abnormality in the arm after stroke. One approach has been to decompose the hemiparesis phenotype into negative signs, such as weakness, and positive signs, such as intrusion of synergies. We sought to identify the contributions of weakness and flexor synergy to motor deficits in sub-acute stroke.

Methods

Thirty-three sub-acute post-stroke participants and 16 healthy controls performed two functional arm movements; one within flexor synergy (shoulder and elbow flexion), and the other outside flexor synergy (shoulder flexion and elbow extension). We analyzed upper limb 3D kinematics to assess both overall task performance and intrusion of pathological synergies. Weakness and spasticity were also measured.

Results

Both tasks produced similar impairments compared to controls. Analysis of elbow and shoulder multi-joint coordination patterns revealed intrusion of synergies in the out-of-synergy reaching task based on the time spent within a flexion-flexion pattern and the correlation between shoulder and elbow angles. Regression analysis indicated that both weakness and synergy intrusion contributed to motor impairment in the out-of-synergy reaching task. Notably, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) was abnormal even when only weakness caused the impairment, cautioning that it is not a pure synergy scale.

Conclusions

Weakness and synergy intrusion contribute to motor deficits in the sub-acute post-stroke period. An abnormal FMA score cannot be assumed to be due to synergy intrusion. Careful kinematic analysis of naturalistic movements is required to better characterize the contribution of negative and positive signs to upper limb impairment after stroke.
Pure arterial malformation of the fetal PCA treated with flow diverter stent—case report and literature review
Authors: Josko Bilandzic , Kresimir Rotim , Ante Rotim , Nina Rotim , Branimir Culo , Vladimir Kalousek
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Thirty-three-year-old female underwent diagnostic work-up for chronic headaches.

Case report

Cerebral DSA on the right side showed fetal posterior cerebral artery (PCA) with unusually shaped arterial malformation on its proximal part. Malformation was formed by multiple convolutions and loops with no arteriovenous shunting. During endovascular procedure, flow diverter stent was placed in the right C6 segment. Patient was put on double antiaggregation therapy. Four weeks after procedure, patient was admitted to ER with signs of dyphasia. No recent ischemic lesions were detected on emergent magnetic resonance. Dyphasia resolved spontaneously. On follow-up magnetic resonance angiography 5 years after the procedure, main portion of malformation has diminished with slightly filling of posterior part supplied by right P1.

Discussion

Here, reported finding is consistent with previously described pure arterial malformation (PAM). Main intention of our treatment was to induce malformation remodeling with flow diverter placement. Two main risks arise when using flow diverters on fetal PCA region. Firstly, there is possibility of occluding fetal PCA alongside malformation. On the contrary, high flow through fetal PCA could hinder malformation thrombosis. Some case series reported high rate of fetal PCA occlusion without ischemic sequelae in the PCA teritory. Others consider flow diverters highly ineffective treatment for the fetal PCA aneurysms due to low rate of complete aneurysm occlusion.

Conclusion

We presented first reported case in which flow diverter was used to treat PAM. Slow malformation thrombosis leaves enough time for collateral circulation to recruit and supply territory of the vessel affected by the malformation.
Mapping the Evolution of Sensory Marketing: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Rathee Rupa , Rajain Pallav
Published: August 2024

In recent years, sensory marketing, particularly in the context of atmospheric and ambient environments, has witnessed substantial growth in research activities. However, despite this proliferation of studies, there has been a lack of comprehensive scientific mapping in this domain. To address this gap, this study employs bibliometric analysis to examine the body of research in sensory marketing. Data were extracted from the Scopus database using article classification, a journal coverage criterion. The analysis used the Biblioshiny application within the bibliometric package developed in R-Studio and VOS Viewer. The findings indicate an exponential growth in research within this field, with most publications originating from the United States of America and China. Key topics that emerged prominently in this research include ‘sensory marketing’, ‘sensory brand experience’, ‘customer satisfaction’, ‘five senses’, and ‘aesthetics’. In this article, the core elements of sensory marketing are defined as ‘background music’, ‘advertising’, and ‘sensory brand experience’, offering valuable insights for marketers seeking to leverage sensory marketing for long-term benefits. The study makes a variety of contributions. It details the development of sensory marketing during the last few decades. In conclusion, sensory marketing is a complex strategy that harnesses the power of the human senses to provide memorable brand experiences. The study shows the scope of assisting future digital sensory marketing in shaping consumer perceptions and preferences and understanding cross-cultural marketing in the increasing landscape of digital sensory marketing.
Oscillometry reference values for children and adolescents
Authors: Valach Christoph , Wouters Emiel F. M. , Ofenheimer Alina , Pompilio Pasquale Pio , Gobbi Alessandro , Breyer Marie-Kathrin , Hartl Sylvia , Veneroni Chiara , Mraz Tobias , Schiffers Caspar , Burghuber Otto Chris , Karimi Ahmad , Gross Christoph , Irvin Charles , Breyer-Kohansal Robab
Published: August 2024

Background

Oscillometry devices allow quantification of respiratory function at tidal breathing but device-specific reference equations are scarce: the present study aims to create sex-specific oscillometric reference values for children and adolescents using the Resmon PRO FULL device.

Methods

Healthy participants (n=981) aged 6 to 17 years of the Austrian LEAD general population cohort were included. Subjects had normal weight (body mass index ≤99th percentile) and normal lung volumes (total lung capacity (TLC) ≥ lower limit of normal). Oscillometry data were collected using a single frequency mode of 8 Hz. Sex-specific prediction equations were developed for total, inspiratory and expiratory resistance (R) and reactance (X) as well as for the modulus of impedance (Z) value using the LMS (lambda, mu, sigma) method. Height was used as a single covariate.

Results

Reference equations for all oscillometry parameters were created for Caucasian children aged 6 to 17 years with a height span from 101 to 183 cm and a lung volume span from 1.7 to 8.8 L TLC.RandZvalues progressively decrease andXvalues increase with increasing height. Oscillometry parametersversuslung volume curves differ from thoseversusheight curves. Stratified for lung size, no sex differences are found for oscillometry parameters.

Conclusion

Our study provides reference values for oscillometry parameters in children and adolescents using strictly defined criteria for weight and lung volumes. No sex-related differences in oscillometry parameters corrected for height or lung size are found.
Reversal of inflammatory reprogramming by vasodilator agents in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Kirillova Anna , Sethuraman Meena , Dong Xishuang , Kirdar Almina , Speyer Gil , Al Aaraj Yassmin , Watson Annie , Schneider Lily K. , Creager Michael D. , Lafyatis Robert , Okawa Satoshi , Kim Seungchan , Chan Stephen Y.
Published: August 2024

Background

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a deadly disease without effective non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic testing. It remains unclear whether vasodilators reverse inflammatory activation, a part of PAH pathogenesis. Single-cell profiling of inflammatory cells in blood could clarify these PAH mechanisms.

Methods

We evaluated a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center cohort consisting of idiopathic PAH (iPAH) and systemic sclerosis-associated PAH (sscPAH) patients and non-PAH controls. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from controls (n=3) and from PAH patients (iPAH and sscPAH) naïve to treatment (n=4), PAH patients 3 months after phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE5i) treatment (n=7) and PAH patients 3 months after PDE5i+macitentan treatment (n=6). We compared the transcriptomes of five PBMC subtypes from iPAH and sscPAH to observe their serial responses to treatments. Furthermore, we utilised network analysis to illuminate the altered connectivity of biological networks in this complex disease.

Results

We defined differential gene expression and perturbed network connectivity in PBMCs of PAH patients following treatment with PDE5i or PDE5i+macitentan. Importantly, we identified significant reversal of inflammatory transcripts and pathways in the combined PAH patient cohort after vasodilator therapy in every PBMC type assessed. The “glucagon signalling in metabolic regulation” pathway in monocytes was reversed after vasodilator therapyviatwo independent analysis modalities.

Conclusion

Viaa systems-biology approach, we define inflammatory reprogramming in the blood of PAH patients and the anti-inflammatory activity of vasodilators. Such findings establish diagnostic and prognostic blood-based tools for tracking inflammatory progression of PAH and response to therapy.
Evaluation of e-Lung automated quantitative computed tomography biomarkers in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: George Peter M. , Rennison-Jones Christian , Benvenuti Giacomo , Sifostratoudaki Aliki , Ottink Finja A. , Bou-Zeid Wassim , Ledda Roberta E. , Abul Kadir Roqia F. , Johari Bushra , Fernandez Claire , Harston George W.J. , Joly Olivier , Gerry Stephen , Devaraj Anand
Published: August 2024

Background

In patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) there is a need to identify biomarkers that 1) are associated with increased risk of adverse outcome and 2) can be used to monitor treatment response or identify disease progression over time.

Methods

Two consecutive cohorts of patients with IPF were accessed from the Open Source Imaging Consortium database. Automated computed tomography (CT) biomarkers of disease severity incorporating fibrotic and pulmonary vascular features (the reticulovascular score and weighted reticulovascular score (WRVS)) were studied. Relationships between imaging biomarkers, lung function and survival were analysed.

Results

In separate test and validation cohorts, 168 and 176 patients with IPF respectively (median survival 2.6 years) were studied. A threshold of WRVS ≥15% at baseline CT was most strongly associated with transplant-free survival (HR 3.00, 95% CI 1.47–6.10, p=0.002) when adjusted for baseline forced vital capacity (FVC) and age. In patients with 12-month follow-up CT and lung function tests (n=89) an increase in 3% of WRVS (the minimal clinically important difference) was also significantly associated with reduced survival independent of FVC, and outperformed visual evaluation of progressive fibrosis.

Conclusions

WRVS is an automated CT biomarker which can identify patients with IPF at increased risk of progression and is able to reliably capture disease progression over time.
Evaluation of sperm DNA fragmentation index among infertile individuals: a comprehensive analysis of the associated factors—a cross-sectional study
Authors: Valipour Reza , Narouie Behzad , Jadidi Sajedeh , Dadpour Mehdi , Darzi Mohammad Mehdi , Torabinavid Parham , Radpour Negar , Momeni Hamidreza
Published: August 2024

Background

Ensuring the integrity of sperm DNA is of paramount importance for the production of healthy offspring. The process of sperm formation involves intricate molecular adjustments that condense and safeguard its genetic material. However, the risk posed by sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) can impede natural and assisted fertility and may arise from various testicular and post-testicular factors. While there are recommendations against routine SDF testing, recent research has sparked debate by demonstrating the positive impact of such testing on fertility outcomes.

Objective

To identify the factors associated with SDF among infertile individuals.

Methods and materials

The medical records of infertile men referred to our hospital were comprehensively reviewed and included in the study as they met the inclusion criteria. Patients dissatisfied with participation in the study or those with incomplete medical records were excluded. The association of SDF, sperm analysis, and demographic characteristics were evaluated for further investigation.

Results

The average age of participants was 36.1 ± 8.1 years. The average semen volume was 2.5 ± 0.3 cc with a semen pH of 7.4 ± 0.2. The average sperm count was 10.9 ± 0.7 million, sperm motility was 36.9 ± 2.4%, and normal sperm morphology was 41.7 ± 2.7%. SDF levels below 15% were seen in 27.9%, between 15 and 30% in 32.4%, and above 30% in 39.7% of patients. Significant associations were found between the SDF and various factors in sperm analysis, including sperm count (P < 0.001), semen volume (P < 0.001), semen pH (P < 0.001), sperm motility (P < 0.001), normal sperm morphology (P < 0.001), and age (P < 0.001). Moreover, alcohol consumption (P = 0.04), smoking (P = 0.01), and the presence of varicocele (P = 0.03) were significantly associated with.

Conclusion

This study emphasizes the significance of SDF among individuals experiencing infertility and investigates its correlation with various sperm test parameters. It also sheds light on the vital roles played by factors such as age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and the presence of varicocele, which are highly likely to cause variations in SDF levels. The results of our research will add to the existing pool of knowledge on infertility and potentially have implications for clinical practice and the care of patients.
Changing trends in penile prosthesis implantation in China and an overview of postoperative outcomes from a single center
Authors: Zhang Chenwang , Bai Haowei , Shi Chenkun , Chen Huirong , Li Peng , Huang Yuhua , Chen Huixing , Zhao Fujun , Yao Chencheng , Li Zheng , Zhi Erlei
Published: August 2024

Background

Surgical penile prosthesis implantation (PPI) procedures have only recently been introduced to mainland China, with the overall number of such procedures having been conducted to date remaining relatively low. Accordingly, relatively little remains known with respect to the annual trends in PPI. Accordingly, this study was developed with the goal of clarifying these trends across different hospitals in mainland China, while also providing a single-center overview of post-PPI patient outcomes.

Results

To identify males in mainland China who had undergone PPI, a retrospective review of data from January 2019 – October 2023 was conducted. This approach revealed an increase in the total PPI caseload from 120 in 2019 to 413 within the first 10 months of 2023. Over this same interval, the number of surgeons performing PPI rose from 33 to 74. A retrospective review of the 112 patients who had undergone PPI at Shanghai General Hospital from 2019–2023 revealed that these patients had a median age of 39 [27–63] years, and PPI treatment led to a significant increase in median International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) scores from a baseline value of 10.23 ± 1.26 to a post-treatment value of 22.6 ± 2.73. The underlying causes of erectile dysfunction for these patients included vasculogenic factors (58/112; 51.8%), diabetes mellitus (21/112; 18.8%), and injuries to the spinal cord or pelvis (14/112; 12.5%). The overall rates of satisfaction with the PPI reported by patients and their partners were 93.0% and 90.4%, respectively, and the 3-year PPI survival rate for this cohort was 87%.

Conclusion

These data highlight a rising trend in the number of PPI being performed in China, with these steadily increasing rates since 2019 emphasizing the increasingly high levels of acceptance of this procedure by patients and clinicians as a means of treating erectile dysfunction. However, the expertise is restricted to a small number of surgeons. Even so, it is a safe and efficacious approach to managing severe erectile dysfunction for patients in China, and when performed by experienced surgeons based on standardized protocols, low complication rates can be achieved while providing patients and their sexual partners with high levels of satisfaction.
Pitfalls of single-study external validation illustrated with a model predicting functional outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: de Winkel Jordi , Maas Carolien C. H. M. , Roozenbeek Bob , van Klaveren David , Lingsma Hester F.
Published: August 2024

Background

Prediction models are often externally validated with data from a single study or cohort. However, the interpretation of performance estimates obtained with single-study external validation is not as straightforward as assumed. We aimed to illustrate this by conducting a large number of external validations of a prediction model for functional outcome in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients.

Methods

We used data from the Subarachnoid Hemorrhage International Trialists (SAHIT) data repository (n = 11,931, 14 studies) to refit the SAHIT model for predicting a dichotomous functional outcome (favorable versus unfavorable), with the (extended) Glasgow Outcome Scale or modified Rankin Scale score, at a minimum of three months after discharge. We performed leave-one-cluster-out cross-validation to mimic the process of multiple single-study external validations. Each study represented one cluster. In each of these validations, we assessed discrimination with Harrell’s c-statistic and calibration with calibration plots, the intercepts, and the slopes. We used random effects meta-analysis to obtain the (reference) mean performance estimates and between-study heterogeneity (I2-statistic). The influence of case-mix variation on discriminative performance was assessed with the model-based c-statistic and we fitted a “membership model” to obtain a gross estimate of transportability.

Results

Across 14 single-study external validations, model performance was highly variable. The mean c-statistic was 0.74 (95%CI 0.70–0.78, range 0.52–0.84, I2 = 0.92), the mean intercept was -0.06 (95%CI -0.37–0.24, range -1.40–0.75, I2 = 0.97), and the mean slope was 0.96 (95%CI 0.78–1.13, range 0.53–1.31, I2 = 0.90). The decrease in discriminative performance was attributable to case-mix variation, between-study heterogeneity, or a combination of both. Incidentally, we observed poor generalizability or transportability of the model.

Conclusions

We demonstrate two potential pitfalls in the interpretation of model performance with single-study external validation. With single-study external validation. (1) model performance is highly variable and depends on the choice of validation data and (2) no insight is provided into generalizability or transportability of the model that is needed to guide local implementation. As such, a single single-study external validation can easily be misinterpreted and lead to a false appreciation of the clinical prediction model. Cross-validation is better equipped to address these pitfalls.
The population-level effects of omitting chemotherapy guided by a 21-gene expression assay in node-positive breast cancer: a simulation modeling study
Authors: Wojcik Kaitlyn M. , Caswell-Jin Jennifer L. , Wilson Oliver W.A. , Schechter Clyde , Kamil Dalya , Kurian Allison W. , Jayasekera Jinani
Published: August 2024

Background

A recent trial showed that postmenopausal women diagnosed with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-negative, lymph node-positive (1–3 nodes) breast cancer with a 21-gene recurrence score of ≤ 25 could safely omit chemotherapy. However, there are limited data on population-level long-term outcomes associated with omitting chemotherapy among diverse women seen in real-world practice.

Methods

We adapted an established, validated simulation model to generate the joint distributions of population-level characteristics of women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in the U.S. Input parameters were derived from cancer registry, meta-analyses, and clinical trial data. The effects of omitting chemotherapy on 10-year distant recurrence-free survival, life-years, and quality adjusted life-years (QALYs) were modeled for premenopausal and postmenopausal women. QALYs were discounted at 3%. Results were evaluated for subgroups stratified by race and ethnicity. Sensitivity analyses included testing results across a range of inputs. The model was validated using the published RxPONDER trial data.

Results

In premenopausal women, the 10-year distant recurrence-free survival rates were 85.3% with chemo-endocrine and 80.1% with endocrine therapy. The estimated life-years and QALYs gained with chemotherapy in premenopausal women were 2.1 and 0.6, respectively. There was no chemotherapy benefit in postmenopausal women. There was no variation in the absolute benefit of chemotherapy across racial or ethnic subgroups. However, there were differences in distant recurrence-free survival rates, life-years, and QALYs across groups. Sensitivity analysis showed similar results. The model closely replicated the RxPONDER trial.

Conclusions

Modeled population-level outcomes show a small chemotherapy benefit in premenopausal women, but no benefit among postmenopausal women. Simulation modeling provides a useful tool to extend trial data and evaluate population-level outcomes.
Cooling during transportation of newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy using phase change material mattresses in low-resource settings: a randomized controlled trial in Hanoi, Vietnam
Authors: Tran Hang. T. T. , Tran Dien. M. , Le Ha. T. , Hellström-Westas Lena , Alfvén Tobias , Olson Linus
Published: August 2024

Objective

To determine the effectiveness of phase-change-material mattress (PCM) during transportation of newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Study design

Randomized controlled trial of newborns with HIE from June 2016 to December 2019. Patients were randomized to transport with PCM or without PCM (control) when transferred to a cooling center in northern Vietnam. Primary outcome measure was mortality rate, secondary outcomes including temperature control and adverse effects.

Result

Fifty-Two patients in PCM-group and 61 in control group. Median rectal temperature upon arrival was 34.5 °C (IQR 33.5–34.8) in PCM-group and 35.1 °C (IQR 34.5–35.9) in control group (p = 0.023). Median time from birth to reach target temperature was 5.0 ± 1.4 h and 5.5 ± 1.2 h in the respective groups (p = 0.065). 81% of those transported with PCM versus 62% of infants transported without (p = 0.049) had reached target temperature within the 6-h timeframe. There was no record of overcooling (< 32 °C) in any of the groups. The was no difference in mortality rate between the two groups (33% and 34% respectively (p > 0.05)).

Conclusion

Phase-change-material can be used as a safe and effective cooling method during transportation of newborns with HIE in low-resource settings.

Trial registration

The study was retro-prospectively registered in Clinical Trials (04/05/2022, NCT05361473).