bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Among Cisgender Women Who Exchange Sex in the Seattle, Washington Area
Authors: Barry Michael P. , Corcorran Maria A. , Tsui Judith I. , Moreno Courtney , Buskin Susan E. , Guthrie Brandon L. , Glick Sara N.
Published: December 2023

Background:

Injection drug use (IDU) is a risk factor for hepatitis C virus (HCV) acquisition and occurs disproportionately among women who exchange sex (WES). However, little is known about HCV epidemiology in this population. We estimated HCV seroprevalence, identified correlates of HCV seropositivity, and characterized social networks by HCV serostatus and IDU history among WES in the Seattle, Washington, area.

Methods:

This was a secondary analysis of data from the 2016 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance survey in the Seattle, Washington area, a cross-sectional survey that used respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to enroll WES for money or drugs (N = 291). All participants were offered rapid HCV-antibody testing. We estimated HCV seropositivity and used log regression methods to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) for correlates of HCV seropositivity among WES. Using RDS recruitment chain data, we computed homophily indices to estimate the extent to which participants were likely to recruit another participant with the same HCV serostatus and IDU history.

Results:

In the study sample of WES in the Seattle, Washington area, 79% reported lifetime IDU and 60% were HCV seropositive. HCV seropositivity was strongly associated with ever injecting drugs (PRadj: 7.7 [3.3, 18.0]). The RDS homophily scores for HCV seropositivity (0.07) and ever injecting drugs (0.02) suggested that participants did not tend to recruit others with the same characteristics beyond what would be expected by chance.

Conclusion:

Among this sample of WES in Seattle, Washington area, HCV seroprevalence was high and strongly associated with a history of IDU. The high burden of HCV among WES suggests this marginalized group would benefit from additional harm reduction services and targeted HCV treatment campaigns to reduce forward transmission. We saw little evidence of preferential recruitment among WES who were HCV seropositive or reported a history of IDU, suggesting the potential futility of peer-based referrals for HCV treatment.
Kidney Function in Patients With Adrenal Adenomas: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Rahimi Leili , Kittithaworn Annop , Gregg Garcia Raul , Saini Jasmine , Dogra Prerna , Atkinson Elizabeth J , Achenbach Sara J , Kattah Andrea , Bancos Irina
Published: December 2023

Context

Patients with nonfunctioning adrenal adenomas (NFA) and mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) demonstrate an increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, factors associated with CKD are unknown.

Objective

We aimed to identify the factors associated with CKD and assess the effect of adrenalectomy on kidney function in patients with NFA or MACS.

Methods

A single-center cohort study of patients with NFA and MACS, 1999 to 2020, was conducted. MACS was diagnosed based on post dexamethasone suppression test (DST) cortisol greater than or equal to 1.8 mcg/dL. Age, sex, dysglycemia, hypertension, therapy with statin, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, or angiotensin II receptor blocker were included in the multivariable analysis. Outcomes included estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at the time of diagnosis with MACS or NFA and postadrenalectomy delta eGFR.

Results

Of 972 patients, 429 (44%) had MACS and 543 (56%) had NFA. At the time of diagnosis, patients with MACS had lower eGFR (median 79.6 vs 83.8 mL/min/1.73 m2; P < .001) than patients with NFA. In a multivariable analysis, factors associated with lower eGFR were older age, hypertension, and higher DST. In 204 patients (MACS: 155, 76% and NFA: 49, 24%) treated with adrenalectomy, postadrenalectomy eGFR improved in both groups starting at 18 months up to 3.5 years of follow-up. Factors associated with increased eGFR were younger age, lower preadrenalectomy eGFR, and longer follow-up period.

Conclusion

DST cortisol is an independent risk factor for lower eGFR in patients with adrenal adenomas. Patients with both MACS and NFA demonstrate an increase in eGFR post adrenalectomy, especially younger patients with lower eGFR pre adrenalectomy.
Reproductive Profile of Neuronal Androgen Receptor Knockout Female Mice With a Low Dose of DHT
Authors: Ubba Vaibhave , Joseph Serene , Awe Olubusayo , Jones Dustin , Dsilva Milan K , Feng Mingxiao , Wang Junjiang , Fu Xiaomin , Akbar Razeen J , Bodnar Brittany H , Hu Wenhui , Wang Hong , Yang Xiaofeng , Yang Ling , Yang Peixin , Taib Bouchra , Ahima Rexford , Divall Sara , Wu Sheng
Published: December 2023

Hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovarian syndrome result from the imbalance or increase of androgen levels in females. Androgen receptor (AR) mediates the effects of androgens, and this study examines whether neuronal AR plays a role in reproduction under normal and increased androgen conditions in female mice. The neuron-specific AR knockout (KO) mouse (SynARKO) was generated from a female mouse (synapsin promoter driven Cre) and a male mouse (Ar fl/y). Puberty onset and the levels of reproductive hormones such as LH, FSH, testosterone, and estradiol were comparable between the control and the SynARKO mice. There were no differences in cyclicity and fertility between the control and SynARKO mice, with similar impairment in both groups on DHT treatment. Neuronal AR KO, as in this SynARKO mouse model, did not alleviate the infertility associated with DHT treatment. These studies suggest that neuronal AR KO neither altered reproductive function under physiological androgen levels, nor restored fertility under hyperandrogenic conditions.
Visual Hybrids and Nonconceptual Aesthetic Perception
Authors: Gal Michalle
Published: December 2023

This essay characterizes the perception of the visual hybrid as nonconceptual, introducing the terminology of nonconceptual content theory to aesthetics. The visual hybrid possesses a radical but nonetheless exemplary aesthetic composition and is well established in culture, art, and even design. The essay supplies a philosophical analysis of the results of cross-cultural experiments, showing that while categorization or conceptual hierarchization kicks in when the visual hybrids are juxtaposed with linguistic descriptions, no conceptual scheme takes effect when participants are presented with mere visual hybrids. In isolation, the hybrids do not lend themselves to classification.

I draw four conclusions from these experimental outcomes: The perception of visual hybrids follows the structure of a nonconceptual mental content, because the original categories or concepts of the hybrids’ components are not combined into one, and their properties are not applied to one another, therefore none of the components reconstructs the other such that it is introduced to a new category.Language freezes the hybridity of the visual hybrid into conceptuality.Given that language has a freezing effect in the case of an extreme visual phenomenon such as the hybrid, it is all the more restraining in moderate artistic compositions, such as visual metaphors, in which properties of one component (the source) are applied to the other (the target). In those, nonconceptuality emerges from relatively organized compositions, forms, and relations, and from the dependence of objects and their properties on perceptual context.Thus, the nonconceptualist terminology is suitable for the analysis of aesthetic perception in general and aesthetic perception's relation to language.
Genome-wide kinetic profiling of pre-mRNA 3′ end cleavage
Authors: Torres-Ulloa Leslie , Calvo-Roitberg Ezequiel , Pai Athma A.
Published: December 2023

Cleavage and polyadenylation is necessary for the formation of mature mRNA molecules. The rate at which this process occurs can determine the temporal availability of mRNA for subsequent function throughout the cell and is likely tightly regulated. Despite advances in high-throughput approaches for global kinetic profiling of RNA maturation, genome-wide 3′ end cleavage rates have never been measured. Here, we describe a novel approach to estimate the rates of cleavage, using metabolic labeling of nascent RNA, high-throughput sequencing, and mathematical modeling. Using in silico simulations of nascent RNA-seq data, we show that our approach can accurately and precisely estimate cleavage half-lives for both constitutive and alternative sites. We find that 3′ end cleavage is fast on average, with half-lives under a minute, but highly variable across individual sites. Rapid cleavage is promoted by the presence of canonical sequence elements and an increased density of polyadenylation signals near a cleavage site. Finally, we find that cleavage rates are associated with the localization of RNA polymerase II at the end of a gene, and faster cleavage leads to quicker degradation of downstream readthrough RNA. Our findings shed light on the features important for efficient 3′ end cleavage and the regulation of transcription termination.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae for abdominal pain and discomfort in irritable bowel syndrome patients
Authors: Siyal Mehreen , Abbas Zaigham , Amir Muhammad Rafay , Qadeer Muhammad Ali
Published: December 2023

Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) leads to significant impairment of health-related quality of life, for the alleviation of which, the efficacy of available therapies is modest. Limited data is available on the role of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in treating patients with IBS.

Methods: Thirty patients with IBS as per Rome-IV criteria, visiting our outpatient department from March 2021 to October 2021, were given capsule Saccharomyces cerevisiae 500 mg twice daily for four weeks. Evaluation for abdominal pain symptoms was done every week and the patient’s compliance was assessed. IBS Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaires were filled at baseline and after four weeks of treatment. The QOL and pain scales were adjusted to 0-100 for statistical analysis.

Results: Seventeen patients (56.7%) were males. The age range was 21-72 years (mean ± SD: 39. 63 ± 14.32), out of which 18(60%) patients were 20-40 years old. Body Mass Index (BMI) ranged from 18-33 (25.33 ± 4.09), and 17 (56.67%) were overweight or obese. Sixteen patients had constipation predominant (53.3%), nine had diarrhea-predominant (30%), and five had mixed-type (16.7%) IBS. There was an improvement in the pain score from 63.81 at week 0 (W0) to 20.48 at the end of week 4 (W4) (p<0.001). An improvement was noted in all the eight categories of IBS QOL questionnaire, i.e., dysphoria (p<0.001), interference with activity (p<0.001), body image (p<0.001), health worry (p<0.001), food avoidance (p<0.001), social reaction (p<0.001), sexual function (p<0.001) and relationships (p<0.001). There was an overall improvement in QOL score from a mean of 24.68 at baseline to 58.09 at the end of the study duration (p<0.001). The improvement in the pain score showed a positive correlation with the improvement in quality of life (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Treatment with Saccharomyces cerevisiae improved the pain and quality of life in patients with IBS and it appears to be a promising option for alleviating symptoms in these patients.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.3.8349

How to cite this: Siyal M, Abbas Z, Amir MR, Qadeer MA. Saccharomyces cerevisiae for abdominal pain and discomfort in irritable bowel syndrome patients. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(3):492-498. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.3.8349

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The genome sequence of a solitary sea squirt, Ascidia mentula (Müller, 1776)
Authors: Bishop John , Wood Christine ,   Marine Biological Association Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: December 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual Ascidia mentula (the (a solitary sea squirt); Chordata; Ascidiacea; Phlebobranchia; Ascidiidae). The genome sequence is 197.0 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 9 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 19.46 kilobases in length.
About Philosophy, Language, Communication and More...
Authors: Goncharova Lyubov
Published: December 2023

The Word of the Editor-in-Chief reflects the main trends and directions of communication research.
THE PHENOMENJLOGY OF DISCOURSE AND THE FORMATION OF THE DISCURCIVE COMPETENCE AT NON-LINGUISTIC UNIVERSITIES
Authors: Ivanova L. , Lukomskaya E.
Published: December 2023

The article deals with the phenomenon of discourse and discursive competence. The notion of discourse is defined, the interdisciplinary nature of the communicative phenomenon involved is emphasized. Various interpretations of discourse in modern humanities based on the purpose and the subject of each science as well as with regard to the ontological features of the phenomenon concerned are presented. Much attention is given to the analysis of substantial characteristics of discourse. Summarizing the research of scientists the authors make an attempt to solve the problem of the discourse typology and propose their own classification, with the basic principle being different aspects. The article features the essence and the structure of the foreign language discursive competence as an integral component of the communicative competence. Various definitions of the discursive competence are given. The article provides a nomenclature of approaches to master the foreign language discursive competence. A structural analysis of the foreign language discursive competence is conducted, its main components are identified. Ilt is found that the professional model to form the foreign language discursive competence is built in terms of system-forming didactic principles. The stages of training a professionally orientied foreign language within the framework of the discursive paradigm are considered. The article concludes that special psychological and pedagogical conditions contribute to the effective implementation of the process of the formation of the foreign language discursive competence.
Italici an Itali?
Authors: Członkowska-Naumiuk Małgorzata
Published: December 2023

During the Social War, certain linguistic choices must have had particular importance for the rebel Italian allies who fought against Rome. This article aims to demonstrate why the insurgents were likely to have rejected the term Italici and adopted the name Itali as their self-designation. A thorough analysis of the meanings and connotations of Greek and Latin terms used for the inhabitants of Italy clearly indicates that during the war the ethnonym Itali allowed the rebel Italians to radically dissociate themselves from the Romans and strengthen their own common identity.
Faces of Loneliness in Propertius 1.18
Authors: Bobrowski Antoni
Published: December 2023

In Propertius’ Elegy 1.18, the speaker arrives at an empty, desolate grove so that he may complain loud about being an abandoned lover in solitude. The work is positioned in the mainstream of the Augustan love elegy, but apart from elegiac concepts, it contains numerous topoi and intertextual references to the tradition of bucolic poetry. This article discusses the functioning of the motif of loneliness, which in 1.18 combines various elements that make up the image of the depicted world and enables the selection and modification of interpretative clues.
The Authorial Subject as a Metapoetic Figure in Ode I 9, Vides ut alta, and Ode II 19, Bacchum in remotis
Authors: Kopek Wojciech
Published: December 2023

This paper analyses the relation between the authorial and textual subject of Ode I 9, Vides ut alta, and Ode II 19, Bacchum in remotis, as a means of transition from a figurative represented world to an author’s experience of the creative process, understood as Horace’s attempt to capture the creator’s natural need to transform this key experience into an act of poetic communication. As a starting point for analysis, the construction of the subject-bard (vates) and the topics of poetic frenzy (ingenium, insania, mania) shaping the poet’s image as a medium between the divine sphere of inspiration and the poetic communication turned towards the sender were adopted.
Analysis and Formal and Substantive Evaluation of the Proposal of the European Regulation Authorizing the Marketing of Construction Products in the Harmonized Area
Authors: Marta Iwańska  , Ewa Sobór  , Michał Chmiel
Published: December 2023

Aim: The aim of the article is to discuss issues related to the functioning of the current Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) No. 305/2011 establishing harmonized conditions for the marketing of construction products and the problems identified in this regard, as well as to discuss the assumptions of the proposal of the European regulation for construction products in the harmonized area. This article analyses and indicates the links of the proposal in question to the “European Green Deal” manifested in its inclusion of the assessment and communication of information on the environmental performance of construction products and the promotion of the circulation of construction products. Introduction: The area of conformity assessment of construction products in the EU is currently regulated by the Regulation 305/2011. Its main objective was to improve the functioning of the single market and improve the free movement of construction products in the EU by establishing harmonized conditions for their marketing. In practice, this meant allowing construction products to be legally marketed in one member state. However, the European Commission, after its analysis, identified some shortcomings in its implementation, which required further analysis and discussion. As a consequence, a draft of a new regulation establishing harmonized conditions for the marketing of construction products, amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repealing Regulation (EU) 305/2011 was developed to address a significant number of issues related to standardization, simplification for micro-enterprises, market surveillance and the enforcement of regulations. Methodology: The article uses theoretical research methods, including an analysis of the EC’s report on the ongoing analyses of Regulation 305/2011 and reports from entities directly involved in the opinion of the proposed regulation. The publication also includes the authors’ own formal and substantive interpretation of selected passages of the proposed regulation, which establishes harmonized conditions for the marketing of construction products. Conclusions: The proposal of the new regulation has both strengths and opportunities from the revision, as well as weaknesses and threats, or poses new challenges. Identifying the problems hindering the functioning of the single market for construction products, the EC pointed to two general goals of the CPR revision, i.e. to create a smoothly functioning single market for construction products and to contribute to the goals of green and digital transformation. The implementation of measures resulting from the entry into force of the new regulation will only show in practice whether the changes introduced have had the intended effect. Keywords: construction products, standardization, harmonized area, European Green Deal, sustainable environment, CPR
La competencia digital docente en los maestros en formación: autoconstrucción de materiales digitales
Authors: Delgado Álvarez Rubén , Bobo-Pinilla Javier , De León Perera Cristo José
Published: December 2023

INTRODUCCIÓN. El desarrollo de la competencia digital y de la competencia digital docente son aspectos necesarios en los maestros en formación. Los avances tecnológicos hacen que surjan una serie de estrategias e iniciativas nacionales e internacionales dirigidas al desarrollo de las competencias digitales de la ciudadanía. En este propósito son fundamentales los procesos formativos y los docentes involucrados en ellos, así como los docentes en formación que se encargarán de los estudiantes del futuro. El adecuado desarrollo de la competencia digital docente repercutirá de forma positiva en el desarrollo de la competencia digital de sus estudiantes y, por ello, en la consecución de ciudadanos con habilidades digitales para poder desenvolverse en la sociedad actual notablemente tecnologizada. MÉTODO. Se ha desarrollado un estudio con enfoque cuantitativo y un diseño cuasiexperimental con medidas pretest y postest con el que se han evaluado las variaciones en los conocimientos sobre el espacio geográfico en el Grado en Maestro en Educación Infantil antes y después del desarrollo de la estrategia pedagógica diseñada. La muestra ha estado integrada por 45 docentes en formación que han sido repartidos en un grupo experimental y en un grupo control. RESULTADOS. Tras la intervención educativa se constata un incremento en el aprendizaje en el grupo experimental significativamente mayor que el incremento contabilizado en el grupo control. DISCUSIÓN. El desarrollo de la actividad llevada a cabo presenta resultados positivos que confirman que el programa formativo ha contribuido a la mejora del aprendizaje de las cuestiones teóricas y al aumento de las competencias digitales docentes. Son frecuentes los estudios que determinan que existe un incremento en el aprendizaje cuando en el proceso se utilizan medios digitales. Del mismo modo, la utilización de este tipo de propuestas incide de forma positiva en las actitudes de los estudiantes para trabajar la temática.
Integrated photonic circuits for contextuality tests via sequential measurements in three-level quantum systems
Authors: Lima Patrick , Cardoso Wilder , Pádua Sebastião
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we present a protocol to obtain photonic circuits that can be used in the implementation of contextuality tests on qutrit systems. The use of photonic integrated circuits offers several advantages for performing this type of task. These include scalability, accuracy, robustness, high-speed and efficient quantum measurements, precise control over the phase properties of photons by using electrically driven heaters to induce a thermo-optic phase shift and resistance to noise. We relate the average values that appear in the inequalities with the probability of photon counting in the circuit outputs and present a realizable configuration for the desired device, taking into account state-dependent and state-independent contextuality tests.
Exploring the structural color of micro-nano composite gratings with FDTD simulation and experimental validation
Authors: Lou Zaizhen , Yan Yongda , Wang Jiqiang , Zhang Aoxiang , Cui Hailong , Li Chen , Geng Yanquan
Published: December 2023

The significance of micro-nano composite gratings (MNCGs) resides in their applications, including optical devices, sensors, and diffractive elements, which drive research interest in their diffraction characteristics. This study investigates both the diffraction characteristics of MNCGs and the factors that influence them by employing both Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) methods and experimental validation. The initial focus lies in deciphering the differences in diffraction characteristics between micro-gratings (MGs) and MNCGs by analyzing the coupling effects, diffraction order, color distribution, and intensity variation. Additionally, this research emphatically investigates five aspects to discover the influencing factors of MNCG's diffraction characteristics, such as the height, groove angle of MGs and the period, blaze angle, and height of nano-gratings (NGs). Results show that the structural coloration and saturation of MNCG surpass that of MG. NG plays the actual spectral role, and a reduction in the period of NG leads to enhanced splitting light capability of the white light. The optical detection tests validated the simulation results. The present study reveals the diffractive properties of MNCGs, providing technical insights for the design and processing of optically variable devices.
Multi-object distance determination by analysis of CoC variation for dynamic structured light
Authors: Chen Hai-Chuan , Hung Ying-Kai , Chen Huang-Ming Philip
Published: December 2023

A multi-object distance determination method can be achieved by 932 nm structured light with one camera as the data receiver. The structured light generated by a liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulator (LCoS-SLM) facilitates dynamic image projection on targets. A series of moving light strip images were captured and collected for data analysis. This method lifted the limitation of single-object distance determination and the limitation of the angle requirement between the camera and the light source in the triangulation method. The average error of this method was approximately 3% in the range of 700 mm to 1900 mm away from LCoS-SLM without further optimization. It provides a potential compact design for indoor multi-object distance determination in the future.
Measuring dielectric and electro-optic responses of thin films using plasmonic devices
Authors: Winiger Joel , Keller Killian , Gjini Patrik , Moor David , Baumann Michael , Chelladurai Daniel , Kohli Manuel , Schwanninger Raphael , Fedoryshyn Yuriy , Tommaso Costanzo , Koch Ueli , Caruntu Gabriel , Leuthold Juerg
Published: December 2023

This paper introduces a simple method for the measurement of the relative permittivity and the Pockels coefficient of electro-optic (EO) materials in a waveguide up to sub-THz frequencies. By miniaturizing the device and making use of plasmonics, the complexities of traditional methods are mitigated. This work elaborates the fabrication tolerance and simplicity of the method, and highlights its applicability to various materials, substrates and configurations. The method is showcased using drop-casted perovskite barium titanate (BaTiO3, BTO) nano-particle thin-films and it has previously been used to measure epitaxial thin film BTO. In this work we show the effective relative permittivity of drop casted BTO to be εeff ∼ 30 at 200 MHz, dropping to ∼ 18 at 67 GHz and similarly, the effective Pockels coefficient was found to be reff ∼ 16 at 350 MHz and ∼ 8 at 70 GHz. These values are a factor > 50 below the values found for thin film BTO. Yet, the fact that the method can be applied to such different samples and Pockels strengths gives testimony to its versatility and sensitivity.
mDia formins form hetero-oligomers and cooperatively maintain murine hematopoiesis
Authors: Li Zhaofeng , Su Meng , Xie Xinshu , Wang Pan , Bi Honghao , Li Ermin , Ren Kehan , Dong Lili , Lv Zhiyi , Ma Xuezhen , Liu Yijie , Zhao Baobing , Peng Yuanliang , Liu Jing , Liu Lu , Yang Jing , Ji Peng , Mei Yang
Published: December 2023

mDia formin proteins regulate the dynamics and organization of the cytoskeleton through their linear actin nucleation and polymerization activities. We previously showed that mDia1 deficiency leads to aberrant innate immune activation and induces myelodysplasia in a mouse model, and mDia2 regulates enucleation and cytokinesis of erythroblasts and the engraftment of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). However, whether and how mDia formins interplay and regulate hematopoiesis under physiological and stress conditions remains unknown. Here, we found that both mDia1 and mDia2 are required for HSPC regeneration under stress, such as serial plating, aging, and reconstitution after myeloid ablation. We showed that mDia1 and mDia2 form hetero-oligomers through the interactions between mDia1 GBD-DID and mDia2 DAD domains. Double knockout of mDia1 and mDia2 in hematopoietic cells synergistically impaired the filamentous actin network and serum response factor-involved transcriptional signaling, which led to declined HSPCs, severe anemia, and significant mortality in neonates and newborn mice. Our data demonstrate the potential roles of mDia hetero-oligomerization and their non-rodent functions in the regulation of HSPCs activity and orchestration of hematopoiesis.
Integration of extreme risk protection orders into the clinical workflow: Qualitative comparison of clinician perspectives
Authors: Conrick Kelsey M. , Porter Sarah F. , Gause Emma , Prater Laura , Rowhani-Rahbar Ali , Rivara Frederick P. , Moore Megan
Published: December 2023

Extreme risk protection orders (ERPO) seek to temporarily reduce access to firearms for individuals at imminent risk of harming themselves and/or others. Clinicians, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and social workers regularly assess circumstances related to patients’ risk of firearm-related harm in the context of providing routine and acute clinical care. While clinicians cannot independently file ERPOs in most states, they can counsel patients or contact law enforcement about filing ERPOs. This study sought to understand clinicians’ perspectives about integrating ERPO counseling and contacting law enforcement about ERPOs into their clinical workflow. We analyzed responses to open-ended questions from an online survey distributed May-July of 2021 to all licensed physicians (n = 23,051), nurse practitioners (n = 8,049), and social workers (n = 6,910) in Washington state. Of the 4,242 survey participants, 1,126 (26.5%) responded to at least one of ten open-ended questions. Two coders conducted content analysis. Clinicians identified barriers and facilitators to integrating ERPOs into the clinical workflow; these influenced their preferences on who should counsel or contact law enforcement about ERPOs. Barriers included perceptions of professional scope, knowledge gaps, institutional barriers, perceived ERPO effectiveness and constitutionality, concern for safety (clinician and patient), and potential for damaging provider-patient therapeutic relationship. Facilitators to address these barriers included trainings and resources, dedicated time for counseling and remuneration for time spent counseling, education on voluntary removal options, and ability to refer patients to another clinician. Participants who were hesitant to be the primary clinician to counsel patients or contact law enforcement about ERPOs requested the ability to refer patients to a specialist, such as social workers or a designated ERPO specialist. Results highlight the complex perspectives across clinician types regarding the integration of ERPO counseling into the clinical workflow. We highlight areas to be addressed for clinicians to engage with ERPOs.
Heterogenous circulating miRNA changes in ME/CFS converge on a unified cluster of target genes: A computational analysis
Authors: Kaczmarek Mateusz Piotr
Published: December 2023

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a debilitating, multisystem disease of unknown mechanism, with a currently ongoing search for its endocrine mediators. Circulating microRNAs (miRNA) are a promising candidate for such a mediator and have been reported as significantly different in the patient population versus healthy controls by multiple studies. None of these studies, however, agree with each other on which specific miRNA are under- or over-expressed. This discrepancy is the subject of the computational study presented here, in which a deep dive into the predicted gene targets and their functional interactions is conducted, revealing that the aberrant circulating miRNAs in ME/CFS, although different between patients, seem to mainly target the same specific set of genes (p ≈ 0.0018), which are very functionally related to each other (p ≲ 0.0001). Further analysis of these functional relations, based on directional pathway information, points to impairments in exercise hyperemia, angiogenic adaptations to hypoxia, antioxidant defenses, and TGF-β signaling, as well as a shift towards mitochondrial fission, corroborating and explaining previous direct observations in ME/CFS. Many transcription factors and epigenetic modulators are implicated as well, with currently uncertain downstream combinatory effects. As the results show significant similarity to previous research on latent herpesvirus involvement in ME/CFS, the possibility of a herpesvirus origin of these miRNA changes is also explored through further computational analysis and literature review, showing that 8 out of the 10 most central miRNAs analyzed are known to be upregulated by various herpesviruses. In total, the results establish an appreciable and possibly central role for circulating microRNAs in ME/CFS etiology that merits further experimental research.
Pilot study of fractal dimension analysis of osteogenesis for bone substitute materials of Bio-Oss in lateral sinus augmentation
Authors: Wen Cai , Zhang Qing
Published: December 2023

Background

Fractal dimension (FD) analysis has been proposed and validated in osseointegration-related research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of FD analysis in the osteogenesis detection of bone substitute materials (BSMs) of Bio-Oss in maxillary lateral sinus augmentation.

Methods

Patients who received lateral maxillary sinus augmentation and underwent grafting with BSMs (Bio-Oss) were included in the study. The cross sections of the BSMs under cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) at mesial, distal, and sagittal directions were obtained immediately after the graft (T0) and 6 months later (T1), and the obtained images were cropped to include only the BSMs. The FD analysis was performed, and the FD value was obtained by the method of box-counting. Paired t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used, and p-values <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Twelve participants with 22 implants, which were inserted simultaneously after sinus augmentation, were included in this study. A total of 22 mesial, 22 distal, and 14 sagittal images were obtained after FD analysis. The mean FD value and standard deviation at T0 was 1.2860 ± 0.0896, while at T1, it was 1.2508±0.1023; thus, significant differences were detected (p = 0.022). However, the increasing or decreasing trend of FD value was not stable, and no significant difference was detected for FD values of mesial, distal, and sagittal images between T0 and T1. ANOVA indicated that no significant difference was detected among the FD values of mesial, distal, and sagittal images at any timepoint. Differences in FD values between the sexes were not significant either.

Conclusions

Since the FD analysis for the osteogenesis detection of BSMs in maxillary sinus augmentation indicated unstable trends of change, its feasibility is not reliable. The initially rough surface, self-degradation, and volume change of the BSMs during osteogenesis may be the reason for the variation in FD values.
Screening for the risk of canine impaction, what are the presumptive signs and how does it affect orthodontics? A cross-sectional study in France
Authors: Brézulier Damien , Carnet Steeven , Marie-Cousin Alexia , Sixou Jean-Louis
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The treatment of impacted canines is a challenge for orthodontists. The availability of suggestive clinical signs has become crucial for treatment before the potential for evolution ceases. The main objective was to evaluate the prevalence of the suspected displaced canine (SDC) and to highlight factors easily identifiable from the oral examination.

Methods

SDC was assessed on panoramic X-rays, on the basis of the angle with the median sagittal plane and the degree of overlap with the permanent lateral incisor. Its association with mesio-distal tooth and palate widths was assessed by univariate analysis. Next, the association of SDC with temporary tooth extraction, expansion and/or premolar extraction was considered using the same modality.

Results

In this retrospective study, the records of 292 patients aged 7 to 13 years were reviewed. SDC was detected in 39% of patients i.e., 28,8% of observed canines. Reduced coronal mesio-distal diameters of permanent maxillary central incisors, 8.7 ± 0.6 mm versus 8.8 ± 0.7 mm (p < .05), and first permanent molars, 10.0 ± 0.7 mm versus 10.2 ± 0.7 mm (p < .001), as well as reduced inter-molar width, 38.7 ± 2.7 mm versus 39.4 ± 2.9 mm (p < .01), were predictive factors. SDC led orthodontists to indicate extraction of maxillary primary canines, OR = 3,32 (p < .001) or even extraction of premolars, OR = 1,66 (p < .05).

Conclusion

This study confirmed the interest of panoramic X-rays in detected canines at risk of SDC. Dental factors can be combined to make screening more reliable and predict impaction that makes orthodontics complex.

Trial registration number

Opinion n°21.131, dated 09.21.2021, retrospectively registered.
The octopamine receptor OAα1 influences oogenesis and reproductive performance in Rhodnius prolixus
Authors: Finetti Luca , Orchard Ian , Lange Angela B.
Published: December 2023

The control of reproductive processes in Rhodnius prolixus involves a variety of neuroactive chemicals. Among these, several studies have suggested that the biogenic amine octopamine (OA), might play an active role in these processes. Here, we investigate the molecular profile of the R. prolixus α adrenergic-like OA receptor 1 (RpOAα1-R) and its role in egg production. Comparative molecular analyses confirm that the RpOAα1-R gene codes for a true OAα1 receptor. The RpOAα1-R transcript is highly expressed in tissues associated with egg production, and after a blood meal, which is the stimulus for full egg production in R. prolixus, the RpOAα1-R transcript is upregulated in the ovaries and spermatheca. After RNAi-mediated RpOAα1-R knockdown, an ovarian phenotype characterized by slow egg development is observed. Furthermore, an altered egg phenotype has been characterized with eggs that are deformed. Interestingly, there is no evidence of disruption in vitellogenin (Vg) synthesis by the fat body or uptake by the oocytes. On the other hand, RpOAα1-R downregulation is correlated with defective choriogenesis in the eggs. These results provide critical information concerning the role of OAα1-R in oogenesis in R. prolixus.
Working with a quarterly wheel: Modern music making in short-term classes
Authors: Horldt Anna
Published: December 2023

This article details a route of using digital music in a wheel setting for students in secondary school (ages 11 and up). Students worked on song writing, group compositions, presentation skills, creating album artwork, autobiographies and more in a short, seven-week-long class setting. Using digital music in the wheel helped to ensure that music making was accessible, the experience was interactive and inclusive, and gave students an outlet they were excited to come to class for. This wheel was part of the school’s ‘applied academics’, which allowed students to rotate through different classes and electives. Digital music was a small part of applied academics, but had one of the biggest impacts on the students.
Enduring Legacies of Agriculture: Long-term Vegetation Impacts of Ancestral Menominee Agriculture, Wisconsin, USA
Authors: McLeester Madeleine , Anastasio Alison E. , Grignon Jeff
Published: December 2023

Agriculture significantly reshapes soils and ecology, often with lasting ecological impacts. For over a millennium, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin have practiced maize agriculture in the upper Great Lakes. Though the vast majority of ancestral Indigenous agricultural sites have been destroyed in the American Midwest, the Menominee have documented numerous archaeological, raised garden bed sites at their Reservation, enabling an investigation into the lasting vegetation impacts of ancestral Menominee agricultural practices. Here, we report findings from our pilot vegetation surveys of three ancestral raised garden bed sites. Results show that all sites surveyed are high quality ecosystems. We observed differences in species richness between agricultural and non-agricultural places, although findings varied based on location. Overall, our surveys illustrate the complexity of these anthropogenic, biologically diverse landscapes shaped by past and contemporary Menominee land use and illustrate how today’s ecology is in part an enduring legacy of past practices.
Livro didático de língua portuguesa
Authors: Maris Mariana , Vieira Francisco Eduardo
Published: December 2023

Este artigo investiga a abordagem dos conhecimentos gramaticais num livro didático de Língua Portuguesa destinado ao ensino médio e produzido em consonância com as orientações teórico-metodológicas da Base Nacional Comum Curricular. Para tanto, o estudo, situado no campo da Linguística Aplicada, indica haver aproximações e distanciamentos da proposta didática do material com, de um lado, as diretrizes epistemológicas da gramática tradicional (cf. Vieira, 2020) e, de outro, os princípios pedagógicos da tradição sociodiscursiva (cf. Gueiros, 2019). Compõem o corpus do trabalho a apresentação da obra ao aluno e o manual do professor, seções de caráter expositivo-argumentativo em que os autores, além de sintetizarem a organização curricular proposta, explicitam as motivações e as concepções teóricas que a embasam. A pesquisa evidenciou um apagamento da gramática tradicional nos objetos de ensino que constam na obra investigada. O tratamento dos poucos fenômenos morfossintáticos mencionados pelos autores parece estar sempre subordinado à análise da macroestrutura textual e discursiva da língua, o que resulta num conjunto assistemático de conteúdos, epistemologicamente deslocados da rede conceitual e categorial que encadeia os conhecimentos da tradição gramatical.
Response to Intervention in Reading
Authors: Hurlbut Amanda R. , Young Jemimah , Boggs Catherine , Young Jamaal
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study was to review the existing literature on the use of Response to Intervention (RTI) in reading to critically analyze the methodologies, instruments, and findings within the context of the surrounding literature. RTI remains a key process in special education research and practice. Hence, studies range from intervention effectiveness, implementation fidelity, and methods for determining responsiveness to intervention. There are numerous RTI related research studies indicating that tiered or scripted intervention programs may help students identified as at-risk make academic progress on pre-and posttest measures. However, many of these same studies also indicate that students identified as at-risk do not receive the instructional support necessary to close opportunity gaps in reading. To address this concern, we conducted a systematic review of the RTI reading literature. The results indicate that a wide variety of screening and progress monitoring tools were utilized in reading research, which may account for the vast variation in efficacy across studies. Moreover, researchers cite validity, reliability, and replicability as main concerns in determining true responsiveness to an intervention when such a plethora of resources are available. We conclude that consensus is needed in the literature to determine the best screening and progress monitoring instruments to identify true responsiveness and distinguish the best methods for designing, studying, and replicating intervention programs that sustain academic performance by at-risk learners through an RTI based tiered intervention model.
Language Teacher Identity in TESOL, Teacher Education and Practice as Identity Work
Authors: Dimitrieska Vesna
Published: December 2023

Although identity is something that every language teacher has, language teacher identity (LTI) has been established and researched as a concept recently, in the past two decades. Language teacher identity has a critical role in language teachers’ professional and personal lives as it portrays how they position themselves and how others (i.e., colleagues, students, and other professionals) perceive them within the field and the work they do. Thus, LTI has the potential to drive the language teachers’ transformation into the teaching professional they want to become. Language Teacher Identity in TESOL, Teacher Education and Practice as Identity Work, edited by Bedrettin Yazan, Associate Professor of Educational Linguistics at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Kristen Lindahl, Associate Professor of TESOL/Applied Linguistics at the University of Texas at San Antonio, USA, is a much-needed book that showcases ways of using language teacher identity to inform language teacher education practices.
Two decades of transdisciplinarity in Switzerland: Past, present, future
Authors: Paulsen Theres , Kueffer Christoph
Published: December 2023

Switzerland has been a stronghold of transdisciplinarity in the past decades, thanks in particular to saguf and td-net. td-net’s 20 years anniversary is an opportunity to recall the past and look ahead.
Wege zu nachhaltiger Mobilität: Fördernde und hemmende Faktoren für den Ausbau des gemeindeübergreifenden Radwegenetzes im Darmstädter Umland
Authors: Albers Vivien Katharina , Bugow Karin
Published: December 2023

Der Ausbau fahrradfreundlicher Infrastruktur zwischen Stadt und Umland geht meist nur zögerlich voran. Herausforderungen überkommunaler Radverkehrsförderung sind die Koordination zwischen den Gemeinden, ungünstige politische Prioritätensetzung und wenig unterstützende
gesetzliche Rahmenbedingungen. Wenn Gemeinden sich vernetzen, können sie effizienter arbeiten und kreative Lösungen entwickeln. Auch zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement kann zu Veränderungen beitragen.Commuting by bike can be a key element in the transition to more sustainable
mobility. To change the mode of transportation, many commuters demand a more bicycle-friendly infrastructure. In a transdisciplinary process, stakeholders from universities, public administration, and civil society organizations collaborated to analyze the implementation backlog in bike-friendly
infrastructure in the area surrounding the city of Darmstadt. A document analysis, 23 interviews, and three transdisciplinary workshops were conducted to structure the problem and jointly develop potential solutions. Three key barriers were identified: 1. communication and coordination deficits
in inter-municipal cooperation, 2. a lack of political prioritization, and 3. an insufficient legal framework. Networking between municipalities was identified and tested as a possible solution in the transdisciplinary workshop series. Networking can increase the municipalities’ ability
to develop creative solutions, despite limited financial and human resources. Still, changes at the supra-municipal level are essential to enhance the status of cycling, as is civil society action in the municipalities.