bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Community health worker training to reduce mental health and substance use stigma towards patients who have disengaged from HIV/TB care in South Africa: protocol for a stepped wedge hybrid type II pilot implementation trial
Authors: Myers Bronwyn , Regenauer Kristen S. , Rose Alexandra , Johnson Kim , Ndamase Sibabalwe , Ciya Nonceba , Brown Imani , Joska John , Bassett Ingrid V. , Belus Jennifer M. , Ma Tianzhou , Sibeko Goodman , Magidson Jessica F.
Published: January 2024

Background

South Africa has deployed community health workers (CHWs) to support individuals to enter and stay in HIV/TB care. Although CHWs routinely encounter patients with mental health (particularly depression) and substance use (SU) conditions that impact their engagement in HIV/TB care, CHWs are rarely trained in how to work with these patients. This contributes to mental health and SU stigma among CHWs, a known barrier to patient engagement in care. Mental health and SU training interventions could reduce CHW stigma and potentially improve patient engagement in care, but evidence of the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of these interventions is scarce. Therefore, we designed a hybrid type 2 effectiveness-implementation pilot trial to evaluate the implementation and preliminary effectiveness of a CHW training intervention for reducing depression and SU stigma in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Methods

This stepped wedge pilot trial will engage CHWs from six primary care clinics offering HIV/TB care. Clinics will be block randomized into three-step cohorts that receive the intervention at varying time points. The Siyakhana intervention involves 3 days of training in depression and SU focused on psychoeducation, evidence-based skills for working with patients, and self-care strategies for promoting CHW wellness. The implementation strategy involves social contact with people with lived experience of depression/SU during training (via patient videos and a peer trainer) and clinical supervision to support CHWs to practice new skills. Both implementation outcomes (acceptability, feasibility, fidelity) and preliminary effectiveness of the intervention on CHW stigma will be assessed using mixed methods at 3- and 6-month follow-up assessments.

Discussion

This trial will advance knowledge of the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a CHW training for reducing depression and SU stigma towards patients with HIV and/or TB. Study findings will inform a larger implementation trial to evaluate the longer-term implementation and effectiveness of this intervention for reducing CHW stigma towards patients with depression and SU and improving patient engagement in HIV/TB care.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05282173. Registered on 7 March 2022.
Pain intensity, physical activity, quality of life, and disability in patients with mechanical low back pain: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ekediegwu Ezinne Chika , Onwukike Chukwuneke Vivian , Onyeso Ogochukwu Kelechi
Published: January 2024

Background

Poorly managed mechanical low back pain (MLBP) and its sequelae, such as severe pain, physical inactivity, and disability, negatively impact patients’ quality of life (QoL). The study aimed to determine the pain intensity (PI), physical activity (PA), QoL, and disability, the association between selected sociodemographic variables and PI, PA, QoL, and disability, and the relationship between PI, PA, QoL, and disability among Nigerians with chronic MLBP.

Methods

This cross-sectional study employed a consecutive sampling technique. Outcome measures included the Numeric Pain Scale, International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, WHO Quality-of-Life Brief, and Oswestry Disability Index for PI, PA, QoL, and disability, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participants’ sociodemographic variables. Chi-square, Spearman’s correlation, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used for inferential analyses.

Results

Two hundred and fifty chronic MLBP patients comprising 154 females and 96 males, completed the study. The mean PA, PI, QoL, and disability levels were 1118.03MET ± 615.30, 5.97 ± 2.69, 73.45% ± 14.21, and 21.7% ± 18.94, respectively. There was a significant correlation between PA and QoL (rho = 0.36, p = 0.001), PA and disability (rho = −0.42, p = 0.010), QoL and disability (rho = −0.21, p = 0.008), QoL and PI (rho = −6.72, p = 0.025), PI and disability (rho = 0.90, p = 0.022). Aside from age and PA (χ2 = 8.52, p = 0.045), there was no significant association between the sociodemographic variables and PI, PA, QoL, or disability. SEM showed a strong positive association between PI and disability (β = 0.80, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Individuals with chronic MLBP had a low PA, moderate QoL, and significant disability. Incorporating PA, QoL, and disability assessments may enhance the evaluation and management of MLBP.
Platelet to lymphocyte ratio: can it be an early economical mortality predictor of AKI patients?
Authors: Purkayastha Arnab , Kalwar Amit , Firdaus Zakia , Nath Bhaskar Kanti , Bhattacharjee Prithwiraj
Published: January 2024

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects over 13 million individuals annually worldwide, resulting in 1.7 million deaths. The potential long-term progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and renal failure, as well as the acute use of health care resources associated with acute kidney injury (AKI), impose enormous costs on society. The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has emerged as a useful economical marker for detecting changes in platelet and lymphocyte counts owing to acute inflammatory and prothrombotic states. This study aimed to determine the PLR in patients with AKI and evaluate the in-hospital mortality.

Results

The median PLR was compared between the non-survivor and survivor groups, and it was determined that the non-survivor group had a significantly higher PLR. ( p < 0.001) For further subgroup analysis, the PLR was stratified into three groups: ≤ 100, 101–200, and > 200. Significantly more patients were demised in the PLR group 101–200 than in the PLR group ≤ 100, while all of the patients died in the PLR group greater than 200. The group with a PLR > 200 had a higher SOFA score > 10 (p = 0.006), a lower eGFR (p = 0.001), and higher platelet counts (p = 0.001), higher serum creatinine (p = 0.001), BUN (p < 0.001), and procalcitonin levels (p = 0.007). In multivariate Logistic regression analysis to predict the mortality outcome, PLR (OR 1.051; 95% CI, 1.016–1.087; p = 0.004) was identified as one of the significant indicators predicting AKI mortality. Other statistically significant indicators included SOFA scores (OR 2.789; 95% CI, 1.478–5.260; p = 0.002), procalcitonin levels (OR 0.898; 95% CI, 0.818–0.987; p = 0.025), and duration of hospital stay (OR 0.494; 95% CI, 0.276–0.886; p = 0.017). The ROC curve for the PLR yielded a value of 0.803 [95% CI, 0.720–0.886; p < 0.001] with the optimal cutoff value for the PLR to determine prognosis being 107.905, with a sensitivity of 82.5% and a specificity of 51.2%.

Conclusion

PLR plays a significant role in the early prediction of prognosis (survival or death) for patients with AKI in ICU on a short-term basis.
Systemic inflammatory response index as an independent predictor of severity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Elfeky Seham Ezzat Fathy , Ali Asmaa , Moazen Eman M. , Alhassoon Mohammad Hamad , Elzanaty Nesma A. , Alazmi Nouf Mubarak , Wu Liang , Saleh Mai M.
Published: January 2024

Background

Chronic inflammation plays a crucial role in developing various cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a unique condition characterized by the coexistence of cardiovascular and metabolic disturbances, where chronic inflammation may exacerbate disease progression and severity. This study investigated how different hematological inflammatory cells and mediators can serve as predictive indicators of severe OSA.

Methods

In a retrospective cohort study, 150 patients suspected of having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) underwent polysomnography (PSG) to confirm the diagnosis. Based on their apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the patients were categorized into three groups: mild, moderate, and severe OSA. Blood samples were collected for the assessment of inflammatory blood cells and mediators at the time of diagnosis.

Results

Among the 150 patients studied, 90 were diagnosed with OSA, and 43 had severe OSA, representing a prevalence rate of 47.7%. Patients with severe OSA were notably older and more likely to have diabetes mellitus and hypertension. After adjusting for age and sex, each one-unit increase in Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels was associated with a doubling in the likelihood of having moderate and severe OSA (p < 0.05 for all). However, hypertension was linked to a 16-fold increase in the likelihood of moderate and severe OSA (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Our research indicates that comorbidity and inflammatory cells and markers (SIRI, CRP, and ESR) are significantly related to the severity of OSA.
Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated marker-free transformation and gene editing system revealed that AeCBL3 mediates the formation of calcium oxalate crystal in kiwifruit
Authors: Li Pengwei , Zhang Yiling , Liang Jing , Hu Xufan , He Yan , Miao Tonghao , Ouyang Zhiyin , Yang Zuchi , Amin Abdul Karim , Ling Chengcheng , Liu Yize , Zhou Xiuhong , Lv Xiaoran , Wang Runze , Liu Yajing , Huo Heqiang , Liu Yongsheng , Tang Wei , Wang Songhu
Published: January 2024

The transformation and gene editing of the woody species kiwifruit are difficult and time-consuming. The fast and marker-free genetic modification system for kiwifruit has not been developed yet. Here, we establish a rapid and efficient marker-free transformation and gene editing system mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes for kiwifruit. Moreover, a removing-root-tip method was developed to significantly increase the regeneration efficiency of transgenic hairy roots. Through A. rhizogenes-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, the editing efficiencies of CEN4 and AeCBL3 achieved 55 and 50%, respectively. And several homozygous knockout lines for both genes were obtained. Our method has been successfully applied in the transformation of two different species of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis ‘Hongyang’ and A.eriantha ‘White’). Next, we used the method to study the formation of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals in kiwifruit. To date, little is known about how CaOx crystal is formed in plants. Our results indicated that AeCBL3 overexpression enhanced CaOx crystal formation, but its knockout via CRISPR/Cas9 significantly impaired crystal formation in kiwifruit. Together, we developed a fast maker-free transformation and highly efficient CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system for kiwifruit. Moreover, our work revealed a novel gene mediating CaOx crystal formation and provided a clue to elaborate the underlying mechanisms.

Graphical abstract
Intensive care following in-hospital cardiac arrest / periarrest calls—experience from one Scottish hospital
Authors: McCallum Andrew R. , Cowan Richard , Rooney Kevin D. , McConnell Paul C.
Published: January 2024

Background

In-hospital cardiac arrest/periarrest is a recognised trigger for consideration of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to investigate the rates of ICU admission following in-hospital cardiac arrest/periarrest, evaluate the outcomes of such patients and assess whether anticipatory care planning had taken place prior to the adult resuscitation team being called.

Methods

Analysis of all referrals to the ICU page-holder within our district general hospital is between 1st November 2018 and 31st May 2019. From this, the frequency of adult resuscitation team calls was determined. Case notes were then reviewed to determine details of the events, patient outcomes and the use of anticipatory care planning tools on wards.

Results

Of the 506 referrals to the ICU page-holder, 141 (27.9%) were adult resuscitation team calls (114 periarrests and 27 cardiac arrests). Twelve patients were excluded due to health records being unavailable. Admission rates to ICU were low — 17.4% for cardiac arrests (4/23 patients), 5.7% (6/106) following periarrest. The primary reason for not admitting to ICU was patients being “too well” at the time of review (78/129 — 60.5%). Prior to adult resuscitation team call, treatment escalation plans had been completed in 27.9% (36/129) with Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) forms present in 15.5% of cases (20/129). Four cardiac arrest calls were made in the presence of a valid DNACPR form, frequently due to a lack of awareness of the patient’s resuscitation status.

Conclusions

This study highlights the significant workload for the ICU page-holder brought about by adult resuscitation team calls. There is a low admission rate from these calls, and, at the time of resuscitation team call, anticipatory planning is frequently either incomplete or poorly communicated. Addressing these issues requires a collaborative approach between ICU and non-ICU physicians and highlights the need for larger studies to develop scoring systems to aid objective admission decision-making.
The impact of different data handling strategies on the proportion of children classified as meeting 24-h movement guidelines and associations with overweight and obesity
Authors: Pfledderer Christopher D. , Burkart Sarah , Dugger Roddrick , Parker Hannah , von Klinggraeff Lauren , Okely Anthony D. , Weaver R. Glenn , Beets Michael W.
Published: January 2024

Background

Despite the widespread endorsement of 24-h movement guidelines (physical activity, sleep, screentime) for youth, no standardized processes for categorizing guideline achievement exists. The purpose of this study was to illustrate the impact of different data handling strategies on the proportion of children meeting 24-h movement guidelines (24hrG) and associations with overweight and obesity.

Methods

A subset of 524 children (ages 5–12 years) with complete 24-h behavior measures on at least 10 days was used to compare the impact of data handling strategies on estimates of meeting 24hrG. Physical activity and sleep were measured via accelerometry. Screentime was measured via parent self-report. Comparison of meeting 24hrG were made using (1) average of behaviors across all days (AVG-24 h), (2) classifying each day and evaluating the percentage meeting 24hrG from 10 to 100% of their measured days (DAYS-24 h), and (3) the average of a random sample of 4 days across 10 iterations (RAND-24 h). A second subset of children (N = 475) with height and weight data was used to explore the influence of each data handling strategy on children meeting guidelines and the odds of overweight/obesity via logistic regression.

Results

Classification for AVG-24 h resulted in 14.7% of participants meeting 24hrG. Classification for DAYS-24 h resulted in 63.5% meeting 24hrG on 10% of measured days with < 1% meeting 24hrG on 100% of days. Classification for RAND-24 h resulted in 15.9% of participants meeting 24hrG. Across 10 iterations, 63.6% of participants never met 24hrG regardless of the days sampled, 3.4% always met 24hrG, with the remaining 33.0% classified as meeting 24hrG for at least one of the 10 random iterations of days. Using AVG-24 h as a strategy, meeting all three guidelines associated with lower odds of having overweight obesity (OR = 0.38, 95%CI: 0.21–0.70, p < 0.05). The RAND-24 h strategy produced a range of odds from 0.27 to 0.56. Using the criteria of needing to meet 24hrG on 100% of days, meeting all three guidelines associated with the lowest odds of having overweight and obesity as well (OR = 0.04, 95%CI: 0.01–0.18, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Varying estimates of meeting the 24hrG and the odds of overweight and obesity results from different data handling strategies and days sampled.
Detection of microseismic events in continuous DAS data using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Boitz N. , Shapiro S.
Published: January 2024

Detection and localization of microseismicity is an inevitable task in monitoring fluid injections into subsurface rocks during hydraulic stimulations. Traditionally, downhole geophones placed into boreholes or large surface geophone networks have been used for this, but in recent years, the use of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) via fiber-optic cables placed into boreholes has become a common technique. However, DAS registrations still have lower signal-to-noise ratios than geophones; i.e., they cannot detect small-magnitude events. In this work, we develop and train a convolutional neural network capable of detecting microseismic events in continuous DAS recordings incorporating arrival-time information from geophones. The network is trained on DAS and geophone data from the Utah FORGE enhanced geothermal system project for which we are able to significantly shift the detection threshold toward smaller magnitude events. Although the number of microseismic events (approximately 150) used for training is small, the tested network performance is high and provides a complete event catalog down to magnitude MW = −1.6, a notable improvement over previous studies. Using a short recording period of several hours for training, such a network might be used for long-term, real-time monitoring of geothermal sites. Although the network is explicitly trained for the geometry of the data set used, the philosophy and network architecture can be adapted for similar case studies where long-term seismic monitoring is required (e.g., CO2 sequestration).
Real-time passive seismic monitoring using DAS — Today's solutions and remaining challenges
Authors: Mizuno Takashi , Le Calvez Joël
Published: January 2024

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has been widely studied, and it has been applied in several areas of seismology. Passive seismic monitoring is one of the areas in which the application of DAS is considered. Common challenges of DAS in geophysics include its unique response, redundant but relatively low signal-to-noise ratio measurement, and high throughput of data from the acquisition system. Here, we introduce our recent attempts to address these challenges in the implementation of real-time DAS passive seismic monitoring. Survey design is a critical step in evaluating the capability and limitation of the sensor network, and it is the same in DAS. The survey design algorithm is updated considering DAS response, and we observe the unique nature of a DAS network compared to a geophone network. Considering real-time monitoring, the large volume of DAS data creates a bottleneck if we simply apply an existing real-time processing model. To accomplish real-time processing, we distributed computation between a well site and processing center. At the well site, the traditional signal enhancement, as well as deep learning-aided signature detection, are performed. The number of traces is reduced, while information is enhanced. Then, the processing result is transmitted to the processing center to complete event-location and magnitude computations. We review the technology and discuss remaining challenges in passive seismic monitoring while leveraging DAS-acquired data.
Reviews
Authors: Aitken Julie
Published: January 2024

NASA's Voyager Missions — Exploring the Outer Solar System and Beyond, second edition, by Ben Evans, 2022.
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's SPARK: A Cloud-Based Patient Health Data and Analytics Platform for Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Abdilleh Kawther , Khalid Omar , Ladnier Dennis , Wan Wenshuai , Seepo Sara , Rupp Garrett , Corelj Valentin , Worman Zelia F. , Sain Divya , DiGiovanna Jack , Press Bruce , Chandrashekhar Satty , Collisson Eric , Cui Karen Y. , Maitra Anirban , Rejto Paul A. , White Kevin P. , Matrisian Lynn , Doss Sudheer
Published: January 2024

PURPOSE

Pancreatic cancer currently holds the position of third deadliest cancer in the United States and the 5-year survival rate is among the lowest for major cancers at just 12%. Thus, continued research efforts to better understand the clinical and molecular underpinnings of pancreatic cancer are critical to developing both early detection methodologies as well as improved therapeutic options. This study introduces Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's (PanCAN's) SPARK, a cloud-based data and analytics platform that integrates patient health data from the PanCAN's research initiatives and aims to accelerate pancreatic cancer research by making real-world patient health data and analysis tools easier to access and use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The SPARK platform integrates clinical, molecular, multiomic, imaging, and patient-reported data generated from PanCAN's research initiatives. The platform is built on a cloud-based infrastructure powered by Velsera. Cohort exploration and browser capabilities are built using Velsera ARIA, a specialized product for leveraging clinicogenomic data to build cohorts, query variant information, and drive downstream association analyses. Data science and analytic capabilities are also built into the platform allowing researchers to perform simple to complex analysis.

RESULTS

Version 1 of the SPARK platform was released to pilot users, who represented diverse end users, including molecular biologists, clinicians, and bioinformaticians. Included in the pilot release of SPARK are deidentified clinical (including treatment and outcomes data), molecular, multiomic, and whole-slide pathology images for over 600 patients enrolled in PanCAN's Know Your Tumor molecular profiling service.

CONCLUSION

The pilot release of the SPARK platform introduces qualified researchers to PanCAN real-world patient health data and analytical resources in a centralized location.
Symmetry transformations and novel solutions for the graphene thermophoretic motion equation with variable heat transmission using Lie group analysis
Authors: Gaballah Mahmoud , El-Shiekh Rehab M.
Published: January 2024

The single-layer graphene flake is an amazing tool in recent industry, it has many uses in biosensors, photonics and water filtration because of its outstanding electronic, thermal, and mechanical properties. In this letter, we have studied the graphene variable heat transmission thermophoretic motion (vcGT) equation using the symmetry group method. As a result, a Lie group of four vector fields is yielded. By using a linear combination of those vector fields the vcGT equation becomes a nonlinear ordinary differential equation, and by using the F-expansion technique then different types of solitary waves like periodic Jacobi elliptic waves, soliton, kink soliton and trigonometric waves were found which cover other solutions in the literature such as solitons and have additional new solutions like the periodic Jaocbi waves. Finally, we have discussed the effect of the variable heat transmission on the wave propagation for three different wave structures: Jacobi periodic wave, bright soliton and the trigonometric sec wave. It was found that in the real physical situation corresponding to the variable heat transmission the waves take a parabolic shape.
Hyperglycemia Suppresses Lactate Clearance During Exercise in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Romeres Davide , Yadav Yogesh , Ruchi F N U , Carter Rickey , Cobelli Claudio , Basu Rita , Basu Ananda
Published: January 2024

Context

Circulating lactate concentration is an important determinant of exercise tolerance.

Objective

This work aimed to determine the role of hyperglycemia on lactate metabolism during exercise in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods

The protocol at the University of Virginia compared 7 T1D participants and 7 participants without diabetes (ND) at euglycemia (5.5 mM) or hyperglycemia (9.2 mM) in random order in T1D and at euglycemia in ND. Intervention included [1-13C] lactate infusion, exercise at 65% maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), euglycemia, and hyperglycemia visits. The main outcome measure was lactate turnover before, during, and after 60 minutes of exercise at 65% VO2max.

Results

A 2-compartment model with loss only from the peripheral compartment described lactate kinetics. Volume of distribution of the accessible compartment was similar between T1D and ND individuals (P = .76) and concordant with plasma volume (∼40 mL/kg). Circulating lactate concentrations were higher (P < .001) in T1D participants during exercise at hyperglycemia than euglycemia. Exercise-induced lactate appearance did not differ (P = .13) between hyperglycemia and euglycemia. However, lactate clearance (CL) was lower (P = .03) during hyperglycemia than euglycemia in T1D participants. There were no differences in any of the aforementioned parameters between T1D and ND participants during euglycemia.

Conclusion

Hyperglycemia modulates lactate metabolism during exercise by lowering CL, leading to higher circulating lactate concentrations in T1D individuals. This novel observation implies that exercise during hyperglycemia can lead to higher circulating lactate concentrations thus increasing the likelihood of reaching the lactate threshold sooner in T1D, and has high translational relevance both for providers and recreationally active people with T1D.
The Glucocorticoid Resistance Syndrome. Two Cases of a Novel Pathogenic Variant in the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene
Authors: Mauri Sílvia , Nieto-Moragas Javier , Obón María , Oriola Josep
Published: January 2024

Glucocorticoid resistance syndrome is a rare genetic condition characterized by generalized or partial target-tissue insensitivity to glucocorticoids and a consequent hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Clinical manifestations may include mineralocorticoid and/or androgen excess without manifestations of Cushing syndrome. At a cellular level, glucocorticoid actions are mediated by the nuclear glucocorticoid receptor encoded by the NR3C1 gene. To date, only 33 glucocorticoid receptor loss-of-function pathogenic variants have been associated with glucocorticoid resistance syndrome. The NR3C1 gene has 2 known disease-causing mechanisms: haploinsufficiency and negative dominance. We describe a mother and her son with a mild hyperandrogenic phenotype and a novel genetic variant of the NR3C1 gene predicting a truncated protein and causing glucocorticoid resistance syndrome. To date, no accurate genotype-phenotype correlation has been found.
Incidental Diagnosis of Williams Syndrome in an Adult With Recurrent Hypercalcemia
Authors: Tersteeg Seth , Bakhutashvili Vladimer , Crook Margaret , Ferris Heather A
Published: January 2024

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder with multisystem involvement associated with hypercalcemia. The cause of this hypercalcemia is poorly understood and while primarily associated with WS children, it is also observed in adults. A 51-year-old woman with intellectual disability, renal insufficiency, recurrent pancreatitis, and intermittent hypercalcemia despite partial parathyroidectomy presented with hypercalcemia to 14 mg/dL (3.49 mmol/L; normal 8.6-10.5 mg/dL [2.12-2.62 mmol/L]) at routine follow-up. Laboratory testing was notable for acute-on-chronic renal failure with unremarkable vitamin D, urine calcium, and parathyroid hormone. She presented to the emergency department and was admitted. Treatment with bisphosphonates, calcitonin, and intravenous fluids decreased calcium to 9.4 mg/dL (2.35 mmol/L) and improved kidney function. She was discharged with recommendations for increased oral hydration, a low-calcium diet, and outpatient follow-up. Her phenotype was suspicious for WS, later confirmed with genetic testing. This case exemplifies both the increased risk of hypercalcemia in WS adults and the need to consider WS in hypercalcemic adults with intellectual disability. It also serves to illustrate the importance of recognizing WS features in potentially undiagnosed adults and reviews guidelines for hypercalcemia surveillance and management in WS adults.
Understanding Islet Autoantibodies in Prediction of Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Jia Xiaofan , Yu Liping
Published: January 2024

As screening studies and preventive interventions for type 1 diabetes (T1D) advance rapidly, the utility of islet autoantibodies (IAbs) in T1D prediction comes with challenges for early and accurate disease progression prediction. Refining features of IAbs can provide more accurate risk assessment. The advances in islet autoantibodies assay techniques help to screen out islet autoantibodies with high efficiency and high disease specificity. Exploring new islet autoantibodies to neoepitopes/neoantigens remains a hot research field for improving prediction and disease pathogenesis. We will review the recent research progresses of islet autoantibodies to better understand the utility of islet autoantibodies in prediction of T1D.
Enabling neighbour labelling: using synthetic biology to explore how cells influence their neighbours
Authors: Malaguti Mattias , Lebek Tamina , Blin Guillaume , Lowell Sally
Published: January 2024

Cell-cell interactions are central to development, but exploring how a change in any given cell relates to changes in the neighbour of that cell can be technically challenging. Here, we review recent developments in synthetic biology and image analysis that are helping overcome this problem. We highlight the opportunities presented by these advances and discuss opportunities and limitations in applying them to developmental model systems.
Making science public: a review of journalists’ use of Open Access research
Authors: Fleerackers Alice , Chtena Natascha , Pinfield Stephen , Alperin Juan Pablo , Barata Germana , Oliveira Monique , Peters Isabella
Published: January 2024

Science journalists are uniquely positioned to increase the societal impact of open research outputs by contextualizing and communicating findings in ways that highlight their relevance and implications for non-specialist audiences. Yet, it is unclear to what degree journalists use open research outputs, such as open access publications or preprints, in their reporting; what factors motivate or constrain this use; and how the recent surge in openly available research seen during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected this. This article examines these questions through a review of relevant literature published from 2018 onwards—particularly literature relating to the COVID-19 pandemic—as well as seminal articles outside the search dates. We find that research that explicitly examines journalists’ engagement with open access publications or preprints is scarce, with existing literature mostly addressing the topic tangentially or as a secondary concern, rather than a primary focus. Still, the limited body of evidence points to several factors that may hamper journalists’ use of these outputs and thus warrant further exploration. These include an overreliance on traditional criteria for evaluating scientific quality; concerns about the trustworthiness of open research outputs; and challenges using and verifying the findings. We also find that, while the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged journalists to explore open research outputs such as preprints, the extent to which these explorations will become established journalistic practices remains unclear. Furthermore, we note that current research is overwhelmingly authored and focused on the Global North, and the United States specifically. We conclude with recommendations for future research that attend to issues of equity and diversity, and more explicitly examine the intersections of open access and science journalism.
Problems of financing urban mobility resilience in Poland
Authors: Mercik Anna
Published: January 2024

Motivation: The efficient functioning of transportation systems is subject to various types of disruptions and risks. Transportation systems are strongly affected by all kinds of local, regional, national, or global crises. The European Union’s transport policy indicates the need to build sustainable, intelligent, and resilient urban mobility systems based on public mass transit. The paradigm of resilience has gained particular importance in the context of the global crises of the last five years. Resilient urban mobility systems are intended to provide the ability to respond quickly to disruptions that occur, allowing urban organisms to achieve operational stability.Aim: The purpose of the study is to identify the main problems with financing the resilience of public mass transit systems in Polish cities. The specific aims are the identification of the factors determining the resilience of urban mobility systems and tools supporting it, measures of resilience and ways of financing it. The study sought to verify whether the mobility systems of Polish regional cities can be considered resilient from a financial point of view.Results: Financing urban public mass transport in Poland is based on two key sources of income: fees from ticket sales and payments (compensations) made by local governments. The economic and energy crisis contributed to a significant increase in the operating costs of public mass transportation providers. In this context, the key to building resilient public mass transport systems in urban areas is to make changes to existing models to ensure a stable PTA financing system.
ETA catódica: terrorismo en la ficción televisiva
Authors: Acevedo Nieto Javier
Published: January 2024

Cómo representar el pasado y, concretamente, entender la manera en la que la pantalla ejerce una presión en los modos de visualización de la historia, es un tema recurrente en los actuales estudios sobre cultura visual. Eta catódica: terrorismo en la ficción televisiva se suma a los estudios que intentan desentrañar los mecanismos narrativos, éticos y artísticos que, de manera acumulativa, han configurado una determinada memoria estética del terrorismo en España
Patrocinar con cabeza
Authors: Cabezuelo-Lorenzo Francisco
Published: January 2024

Reseña del libro Patrocinar con cabeza, de Pedro P. Casado (2018).
Biyokültürel bakış açısıyla popüler müzikte üretilen ve seçilen benzer örüntülerin temel dayanakları1
Authors: Artıktay Güncel Gürsel
Published: January 2024

Bu makale, popüler müziğin biyokültürel analizine odaklanarak, müzik biliminin disiplinlerarası bir yaklaşımını sunar. Müziğin biyoloji, psikoloji, sinirbilim ve karmaşıklık bilimi gibi alanlarla bütünleşmesini sağlayarak, müzikal tercihlerin ardındaki sosyal ve biyolojik süreçleri inceler. Makale, müziği yalnızca bir kültürel fenomen olmaktan öte, biyolojik boyutlarıyla ele alır ve biyokültürel yaklaşımı kullanarak, biyolojik ve kültürel etmenlerin karşılıklı etkileşiminin altını çizer. Bu çerçevede, popüler müzikteki benzerliklerin ve tekrar eden motiflerin üretim ve seçim süreçlerindeki etkileri, bireylerin müzikteki tanıdık unsurlara olan yatkınlıkları ile ilişkilendirilir ve bu bağlamda önemli hipotezler geliştirilir. Araştırmanın metodolojisi, nitel ve nicel veri analizlerinin birleşimini içerir, bilişsel ve biyolojik süreçlerin müzik tercihleriyle olan etkileşimini derinlemesine inceler. Ayrıca, benzerliklerin müzik endüstrisindeki stratejik kullanımını ve ekonomik verileri, endüstrinin dinamiklerini anlamak amacıyla değerlendirir. Bulgular, popüler müzik eserleri arasındaki benzerliklerin ve tekrar eden motiflerin, eserlerin yapısını ve dinleyiciler üzerindeki etkisini belirleyen kritik unsurlar olduğunu ortaya koyar. Bu bulgular, biyokültürel hipotezler ile desteklenir ve bilimsel araştırmalara dayanarak, zaman içinde ve farklı müzik türleri arasında bu benzerliklerin nasıl etkileşime girdiği analiz edilir. Çalışma, müzikal eserlerin tasarımı ve pazarlamasında dinleyici kitlesinin bilgi ve beklentilerinin önemini vurgular ve bu bilgilerin stratejik kullanımının müzik endüstrisinin başarısında kritik bir rol oynadığını gösterir. Sonuç olarak, makale, müzikolojinin geleneksel yaklaşımlarının ötesine geçerek, müziğin biyolojik, ekolojik ve sosyal yönlerinin entegrasyonunun önemini vurgular. Araştırma, besteleme, düzenleme, yayımlama, tüketme ve popüler müzik eserlerini pazarlama süreçlerine yenilikçi bir bakış açısı getirmeyi hedefler. Bu karmaşık sistem temelinde yükselen bilimler arası kapsamlı bakış açısı, gelecekteki müzikoloji çalışmalarında ve müzik endüstrisinin çeşitli alanlarında uygulanabilecek stratejilerin geliştirilmesine katkıda bulunacak, müzikal eserlerin daha geniş bir kitleye ulaşmasını sağlayacak yenilikçi yaklaşımlar sunar. Bu çalışma, müzik biliminin ve endüstrisinin geleceğine yönelik önemli bir adım olarak hem akademik hem de uygulamalı alanlarda yeni araştırmalar için temel oluşturur.
Learners’ Motivation and Modular-Distance Learning Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Policy Implications from Narratives and Sentiments Towards Effective Learning Delivery
Authors:   Jordan National High School, Division of Guimaras, Department of Education, Philippines, Sacramento Romana E. , Sacramento Noe John Joseph E. ,   College of Social Sciences, University of the Philippines Cebu, Philippines
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an abrupt shift in how basic education was delivered. In the Philippines, most of the education sector implemented modular-distance learning, in consideration of the on-the-ground realities of students and their families. This article is an example of action research investigating Philippine students’ motivations to learn and the modular-distance learning setup amid the pandemic. A self-administered questionnaire, with qualitative and quantitative items, was answered by senior high school students in a secondary school in Jordan, Guimaras province, the Philippines. This study analyzed the survey data to understand how the qualities of a module may influence learners’ motivation. At the same time, it attends to how gaps and opportunities in the learning method may help improve learning outcomes. The way the modules were organized, structured, and delivered is found to be highly associated with and relevant to learners’ motivation to undertake the module work. Student narratives affirmed that if the module is judged to be good, it can help them to get through the lessons. The article also provides insights on how government policies can further develop the implementation of this learning setup. Keywords: Learners, Modular-distance learning, Motivation, Narratives, Pandemic.
How Employee Productivity Mediates the Effect of Organizational Justice on Work Engagement in Türkiye
Authors:   Department of Health Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Türkiye, Uysal H.Tezcan , Ak Murat ,   Department of International Trade and Business, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University, Türkiye, Karataş Akif ,   Ministry of Justice Branch Manager, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Justice, Ankara
Published: January 2024

This article explores whether organizational justice has a significant effect on work engagement, and if so, whether employee productivity has a mediating role on this effect. It studies the case of Turkish information technology employees, with an online survey method used for data generation, with data analyzed by SmartPLS and structural equation modeling with the least squares method. Cronbach’s Alpha and Compound Reliability values were used to test the reliability of the generated model. Average variance and factor loads were calculated to test convergent validity. Cross-factor loads were taken into account with the Fornell-Larcker criterion to assess differential validity. In this way, the study finds that organizational justice had a significant effect on work engagement and that productivity had a partial mediating role on this effect. Keywords: Work engagement, Organizational justice, Employee productivity
‘Will I Find a Job?’ - Understanding the Employability Confidence of Students in Pakistan’s Labor Market
Authors:   Department of Education and Learning Sciences, Iqra University, Pakistan, Qazi Wasim , Ahsan Noman ,   DG Sindh Higher Education Commission, Karachi, Pakistan, Qazi Zubaida ,   President of Pink Pakistan Trust, Karachi, Pakistan, Khan Komal Akram ,   Department of Business Administration, Iqra University, Pakistan
Published: January 2024

In an increasingly competitive Pakistan job market, many students haveinsecurities about potential employability. The education rate in metropolitan cities is rising at the same time that demand for workers is decreasing, affecting students’ opinions about finding or changing jobs. This article studies the impact of skills on the employability confidence of Pakistan university students, alongside the moderating effect of the labor market, using the partial least squares method and structural equation modeling. This research is important because it allows for an examination of employability issues in Pakistan, providing insights into the employability challenges faced by students in a country with distinct socioeconomic conditions. Our findings reveal that personal qualities, professional skills and transferable social skills have a positive and significant relationship with employability confidence, whereas corporate work-related skills and transferable individual skills have a positive but insignificant relationship with employability confidence. Job-seeking skills have a negative and insignificant association. The labor market moderates the relationship between personal qualities and employability confidence, and corporate work-related skills and employability confidence. No moderating effect was found between other relationships. This research is novel in its incorporation of the labor market as a moderator in the relationship between skills and employability confidence. Keywords: Employability, Labor market, Skills, Students, Higher education, Smart PLS.
Consumer Involvement in Augmented Reality Applications in the Context of Phygital Marketing Communications
Authors:   Department of Logistics Management, Academy of Applied Sciences, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Türkiye, Çakirkaya Murat ,   Department of Logistics Management, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Türkiye, Koçyiğit Murat ,   Department of Recreation Management, Tourism Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Türkiye
Published: January 2024

Augmented reality (AR) refers to the integration of the real world with digital information. This article studies the relationship between consumer involvement in AR applications, in the context of phygital marketing communications, and consumer purchasing decision involvement. Online surveys were conducted with 420 retail customers using the purposeful sampling method, a non-probability sampling type. In the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed using a statistical package program. We found that there is a moderate and significant relationship between the “perception towards the brand” independent variable, which is a sub-dimension of consumer involvement in AR applications, and the purchasing decision involvement dependent variable (r = 0.538; P = 0). On the other hand, we found no significant relationship between the “hedonic value” independent variable, also a sub-dimension of consumer involvement in AR applications, and the purchasing decision involvement dependent variable (P > 0.05). Keywords: Phygital marketing, Augmented reality, Consumer involvement, Purchasing decision involvement
Gentrification in a World Heritage Site: The Strategy for Preserving the Hue Citadel in Vietnam
Authors:   Doctor of Philosophy Program in Social Science (International Program), Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Thailand, Hung Pham Manh ,   Faculty of Architecture, University of Sciences, Hue University, Vietnam
Published: January 2024

This article describes gentrification around the Hue citadel in central Vietnam, which is now designated as World Heritage. Gentrification occurs across almost all urban areas and is taking place in Hue through the relocation of residents from the heritage area by the government in order to preserve cultural heritage against the pressures of urbanization. Based on qualitative methods with in-depth interviews and document analysis, this research article examines the initiation and evolution of the gentrification process in Hue, where the state takes the lead and follows four stages: (1) compensation, (2) resettlement, (3) displacement, and (4) renovation. Gentrification of the area brings positive outcomes for the urban façade and provides benefits for the city; on the other hand, it impacts neighborhoods and residents in many ways. Gentrification not only depends on the activities and directions of the state, but also requires and influences the consent of the people. Hence, gentrification is a complicated and endless process which causes many social conflicts. However, it is a Western concept, so it is necessary to investigate and develop it appropriately in the context of Vietnam, an Asian country. Keywords: Gentrification, World Heritage site, Strategy, Preservation, Hue citadel, Vietnam.
Antifungal Effect and Durability of Chitosan Oligosaccharide Coating on Heat-cured Polymethylmethacrylate Surface
Authors:   Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Buanpech Pattaraporn , Chaijareenont Pisaisit ,   Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Wanachantararak Phenphichar ,   Dental Research Center, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Silthampitag Patcharawan ,   Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Published: January 2024

This study aimed to investigate the antifungal effect against Candida albicans (ATCC® 10231) and the durability of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) coated on heat-polymerized polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The various concentrations of COS solution, 0.5, 1 and 2-fold of minimum fungicidal concentration (0.5, 1 and 2 MFC) were prepared and applied to PMMA specimens treated with sandblasting (SB), application of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), and a combination of both procedures (SB&APS). The toothbrush abrasion test was done to evaluate the remaining COS (n=10). The antifungal effect was determined through the colony count method (n=3). The number of fungal colonies was recorded at 16 and 48 hours. Data were analyzed using two-way and one-way ANOVA at the 95% confidence level. The result of the toothbrush abrasion test revealed that COS concentration and surface treatment affected coating durability. APS and SB&APS groups showed a high percentage of COS and significantly differed from SB groups (P = 0.00). For the antifungal effect, coatings with 1 MFC and 2 MFC demonstrated no difference, but coating with 0.5 MFC differed from others (P = 0.00). At 16 and 48 hours, PMMA coated with 1 MFC and 2 MFC by APS and SB&APS methods inhibited C.albicans. COS can be coated onto PMMA using APS and can inhibit C.albicans. With further development, this method could be applied to treat denture stomatitis alternatively to conventional antifungal drugs. Keywords: Candida albicans, Chitosan, Oligochitosan, Polymethylmethacrylate, Silanes