bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Data from Single-Cell Evolutionary Analysis Reveals Drivers of Plasticity and Mediators of Chemoresistance in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Wollenzien Hannah , Tecleab Yohannes Afeworki A. , Szczepaniak-Sloane Robert , Restaino Anthony , Kareta Michael S.
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is often a heterogeneous tumor, where dynamic regulation of key transcription factors can drive multiple populations of phenotypically different cells which contribute differentially to tumor dynamics. This tumor is characterized by a very low 2-year survival rate, high rates of metastasis, and rapid acquisition of chemoresistance. The heterogeneous nature of this tumor makes it difficult to study and to treat, as it is not clear how or when this heterogeneity arises. Here we describe temporal, single-cell analysis of SCLC to investigate tumor initiation and chemoresistance in both SCLC xenografts and an autochthonous SCLC model. We identify an early population of tumor cells with high expression of AP-1 network genes that are critical for tumor growth. Furthermore, we have identified and validated the cancer testis antigens (CTAs) PAGE5 and GAGE2A as mediators of chemoresistance in human SCLC. CTAs have successfully been targeted in other tumor types and may be a promising avenue for targeted therapy in SCLC.

Implications: Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of SCLC can shed light on key mechanisms such as cellular plasticity, heterogeneity, and chemoresistance.
The Implementation of Prepopulated Value Added Tax-In on E-Invoice 3.0 at Crediting of Value Added Tax-In at PT. XYZ
Authors: Supriadi Didi Adi , Risa Nurma , Mundianah  , Syahfebriano Bogar
Published: June 2023

This study aims to determine the implementation of prepopulated value added tax/VAT-in on e-invoice 3.0 on crediting input of VAT-in at PT XYZ and besides that this study also aims to determine the effectiveness of using prepopulated input vat-in on e-invoice 3.0 at PT.XYZ. The conclusions from the researches of the implementation of the prepopulated menu. The object of this research is PT XYZ, a company engaged in the field of expedition by carrying out and completing works such as land preparation, cut & fill, infrastructure, red soil warehouses and road construction. The research data used in this study is secondary data. In meeting the needs of secondary data, researchers collected data by interviews, summation and observation. The results of this study indicate that the prepopulated implementation menu at PT XYZ is less effective.
Impact of cover crops on population density of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne chitwoodi
Authors: Taning Lirette M. , Tafes Eleni K. , Fleerakkers Sander , Lippens Louis , Formesyn Ellen , Tirry Luc , Wesemael Wim M.L.
Published: June 2023

Management strategies applied to reduce Meloidogyne chitwoodi populations below economic damage threshold depend strongly on measures taken during the intercrop period. Therefore, this study evaluated the reproductive potentials of M. chitwoodi on different cultivars of cover crops. Twenty-two different cultivars were evaluated against M. chitwoodi at low and high initial inoculum density in a pot experiment under controlled conditions. Fallow was used as control. Based on the reproductive factor, the cover crops were classified under five different categories: Non-host, Poor host, Maintenance host, Good host and Excellent host. In this study, at both low (10 second-stage juveniles (J2) 100 cm−3 soil) and high (100 J2 100 cm−3 soil) initial inoculum density of M. chitwoodi, fodder radish ‘Maximus’, ‘Contra’, ‘Dacapo’ and ‘Defender’, Italian ryegrass ‘Meroa’, rye ‘Matador’ and bird’s foot trefoil ‘Barguay’, ‘Franco’ and ‘Lotar’ were considered poor hosts reducing the M. chitwoodi population in the pot test based on reproductive factor (RF) values. Field experiments were carried out that confirmed most of our results in the pot experiments. However, the field experiments showed that the rotations in which the cover crops are implemented are influenced by weather conditions, previous crop grown, their growing period and initial population densities. Based on our findings, selected non- and poor-host cover crops could be recommended for integrated management of M. chitwoodi.
On the Orientalism of Dana Logan’s Awkward Rituals
Authors: Geslani Marko
Published: June 2023

This article assesses the merits of Dana Logan’s Awkward Rituals as a notable anthropological intervention in the study of American religions, one that opens significant converse with Asian ritual traditions, as mediated by colonial history. It suggests that the book presents a genealogically measured theoretical advance to the tradition of ritual studies.
Urartian Stelae in Late Antique and Early Medieval Armenia
Authors: Rojas Felipe
Published: June 2023

This article concerns how Armenian communities throughout the 1st millennium A.D. reinterpreted and redeployed cuneiform inscriptions originally carved in the Iron Age as meaningful traces of the local past. It focuses on the deliberate re-use by early Armenian Christians of Iron-Age stelae bearing Urartian cuneiform inscriptions in the region around Lake Van. Scholars have noted such re-use in passing since the 19th century A.D., but there has been no concerted effort to collect or interpret relevant evidence holistically. The article distinguishes several distinct trends in Armenian engagements with cuneiform (and hieroglyphic) inscriptions in their native territories over the course of the 1st millennium A.D. Combining literary and archaeological evidence, it contextualizes cases of re-use as clashes of historical consciousness, expressed via material culture, in dynamic situations of colonial contact and religious conversion.
Traditionalism and Demodernisation
Authors: Andreyev Sergei
Published: June 2023

With the beginning of a partial modernisation in Afghanistan in the late 19th century there emerged a pattern of opposition to this process. Often described as traditionalism it aimed not only at the maintaining of the status quo but had a demodernising twist seeking the establishment of an alternative socio-political order pursuing demodernisation dressed in traditionalist Islamic or tribal rhetoric but undermining the traditional modus vivendi by introducing political tools and institutions specifically promoting demodernisation. There are three parallel tracks in the development of actors opposing modernisation, viz., the traditionalist ones (tribes and Islamic clerics), conscious demodernisers (Bachah-ye Saqao Emirate in 1929 and the Taliban), and forces of political Islam that fit the modernisation paradigm but deliver on the demodernisation agenda (Islamist political parties cum armed movements of the 1970–1980s). The background of these three modernisation-opposing forces and the time and place specific circumstances of their operational environment explain the particular ideological and political track they were taking. Their alternating use of opposing tribal and Islamic institutions in promoting their agendas adds to the understanding of their peculiarities. Counter-modernisation activities may derive from different premises, where deliberate demodernisation and that as a by-product of modernised political endeavours are of theoretical interest.
Muḥammad in Zion
Authors: Hussein Mostafa
Published: June 2023

This article discusses the ways in which Hebrew writers in late Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine interacted with the history of early Islam and the relations between Muslims and Jews of the Arabian Peninsula and the political, cultural, and social functions their reconstruction fulfilled in the critical junctures of Hebrew culture in the East. The article argues that these Hebrew works reflected the development of Hebrew culture in Palestine and masqueraded the advancement of Zionist tenants among Jewish settlers on the land. Those Zionist ideals encompassed: the revival of Hebrew, the physical and cultural return to the Orient, the demonstration of the cultural and material profits Zionists might bring to the indigenous population of Palestine through underscoring a Jewish influence on Islam, and finally, to promote aspects of Jewish heroism and sacrifice by focusing on the early confrontation between Jews and Muslims.
Anurocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae): two new species, systematics and immature stages
Authors: ORLANDIN ELTON , LAURENT RYAN A. ST , PIOVESAN MÔNICA , HALLWACHS WINNIE , CHACÓN ISIDRO , JANZEN DANIEL , CARNEIRO EDUARDO
Published: June 2023

Notodontidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea) comprise over 4,000 described species distributed worldwide, among which nearly half are restricted to the Neotropics. Morphology of adults and immatures of Notodontidae have been broadly investigated and many larval, pupal, and adult characters were found to be synapomorphies of subfamilies and tribes. Despite this, the current classification of Notodontidae remains unsettled as most recent classification systems are contradictory due to reliance on incomplete global sampling and, many taxa, especially in the Neotropics, are still informally classified as incertae sedis. Anurocampa Herrich-Shäffer was recently treated as an incertae sedis genus, and immature and adult characters may provide further evidence for its systematic position among the Notodontidae. With this goal in mind, the present study describes the immature stages of Anurocampa mingens Herrich-Shäffer from Brazil and describes two new species in the genus from Costa Rica based on morphology and mitochondrial DNA: Anurocampa markhastingsi Chacón and St Laurent sp. nov. and Anurocampa abelardochaconi Chacón and St Laurent sp. nov. and discusses the systematic position of Anurocampa.
Mystus misrai Anuradha, 1986, a valid species from the Orontes drainage (Teleostei: Bagridae)
Authors: FREYHOF JÖRG , YOĞURTÇUOĞLU BARAN
Published: June 2023

Mystus misrai from the northern Orontes drainage (Mediterranean Sea basin) is re-examined and recognised as a valid species. It is distinguished from M. pelusius from the Gulf basin by the lack of stripes on the flank, shorter fins, the eye situated below the dorsal head profile, and a K2P distance of 7.3% in its COI barcoding gene. Mystus misrai is likely Critically Endangered: only a single, spring-fed lake in Türkiye is known as its habitat. The biogeographic connection between the Orontes and the Gulf is discussed based on molecular data of 27 species native to the region.
Redescription of Lestidiops distans (Ege, 1953) and comments on Lestidiops cadenati (Maul, 1962) from the eastern Atlantic Ocean (Teleostei: Aulopiformes)
Authors: HO HSUAN-CHING , TSAI SUNG-YU
Published: June 2023

The paralepidid species Lestidiops distans (Ege, 1953) is redescribed on the basis of adult specimens collected from the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Observations on the holotype, a detailed description, and full data of the adults are provided. The complete lateral line running to the caudal fin base found in L. distans is a rare condition, with only some species in the family possessing this character. The distribution range of L. distans, from Senegal (14°N) to Namibia (22°S) along the coastline of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, is revised accordingly. Comments on a congener, Lestidiops cadenati (Maul, 1962), that co-occurs in the western Atlantic are provided.
Competing Forecast Verification: Using the Power-Divergence Statistic for Testing the Frequency of “Better”
Authors: Gilleland Eric , Muñoz-Esparza Domingo , Turner David D.
Published: June 2023

When testing hypotheses about which of two competing models is better, say A and B, the difference is often not significant. An alternative, complementary approach, is to measure how often model A is better than model B regardless of how slight or large the difference. The hypothesis concerns whether or not the percentage of time that model A is better than model B is larger than 50%. One generalized test statistic that can be used is the power-divergence test, which encompasses many familiar goodness-of-fit test statistics, such as the loglikelihood-ratio and Pearson X2 tests. Theoretical results justify using the distribution for the entire family of test statistics, where k is the number of categories. However, these results assume that the underlying data are independent and identically distributed, which is often violated. Empirical results demonstrate that the reduction to two categories (i.e., model A is better than model B versus model B is better than A) results in a test that is reasonably robust to even severe departures from temporal independence, as well as contemporaneous correlation. The test is demonstrated on two different example verification sets: 6-h forecasts of eddy dissipation rate (m2/3 s−1) from two versions of the Graphical Turbulence Guidance model and for 12-h forecasts of 2-m temperature (°C) and 10-m wind speed (m s−1) from two versions of the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model. The novelty of this paper is in demonstrating the utility of the power-divergence statistic in the face of temporally dependent data, as well as the emphasis on testing for the “frequency-of-better” alongside more traditional measures.
Perceived Supervisor Remorse and Turnover Intentions: The Role of Organization Based Self-Esteem and Affective Commitment
Authors: Jahanzeb Sadia , Bouckenooghe Dave
Published: June 2023

Leadership behavior is essential for retaining employees. Using positive actions, leaders engage and motivate followers to allow little or no provision for turnover intentions. Even in case of adverse conduct, supervisors may correct their wrongful behavior by apologizing for their misdeeds, which helps to retain followers. Utilizing self-consistency theory, we explore how organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) is a pivotal mechanism that explains the relationship between employees’ perception of supervisor remorse and their turnover intentions, alongside the moderating role of affective commitment. Our analysis of three-wave data collected from employees from Pakistani organizations revealed that perceptions of supervisor remorse decrease turnover intention through strengthening OBSE. Employees’ psychological bonding accentuates the mediating role of OBSE with their organization. In general, our research demonstrates a crucial mechanism, employees’ self-confidence about their organizational position, through which the effect of perceived supervisor remorse on turnover intention is explained. Also, the findings show how employees’ affective commitment acts as a boundary condition invigorating this indirect effect.
Violence and Children’s Education: Evidence From Administrative Data
Authors: Duque Valentina
Published: June 2023

This paper exploits the sharp escalation of violence in Colombia in the 1980s associated with the emergence of drug cartels to provide novel evidence on the long-run effects of violence exposure throughout the life-course, on children’s educational attainment and academic achievement using administrative data. I find that, a higher homicide rate in early-childhood is associated with a higher probability of school dropout and conditional on completing high school, lower scores on a national end-of-high school exam. Results are robust to several falsification tests, and analyses of potential sources of selection bias. I provide supportive evidence that changes in fetal, child, and adolescent health outcomes are important potential mechanisms.
Where Two or Three Are Gathered
Authors: Acosta Lealani Mae Y.
Published: June 2023

Remembering Christ's words of His presence when two or three are gathered, a physician and a patient's wife join in prayer, knowing that Christ shares our wounds as much as He heals them.
Fatal Atractylis gummifera L. poisoning: A case report of an autopsy
Authors: Khanfri Leila , Madi Aya , Hajji Hafsa , Naji Salma , E El Kettani Salma , Boughima Fadila A
Published: June 2023

Atractylis gummifera L. is a wild poisonous plant found in rural areas around the Mediterranean. It is also available from herbalists. This plant has a liver tropism which can be fatal whether taken orally or transcutaneously.

In this case report, we report and discuss the clinical, biological and autopsy data of one case of poisoning of a small child in Morocco with a view to raising awareness of this dangerous poisonous glue thistle especially when used transcutaneously.
Fabric defect detection using cartoon–texture image decomposition model and visual saliency method
Authors: Zhu Runhu , Xin Binjie , Deng Na , Fan Mingzhu
Published: June 2023

Fabric defect detection is of great importance in the modern textile industry. In actual production, subjective factors usually affect manual detection, which is prone to problems such as false and missed detection. With the development of computer vision, a large number of fabric defect automatic detection algorithms have been proposed. Traditional algorithms rely too heavily on setting parameters manually, while deep learning algorithms have expensive training and computing costs. Given these limitations, a new fabric defect detection method based on the latest cartoon texture image decomposition model, visual saliency algorithm, and mathematical morphology, is proposed in this article. A digital image acquisition system is also designed and constructed. Therefore, the self-made dataset used in the experiment is composed of self-collected images and network public images. To further evaluate the performance of the proposed method, this study conducted fabric defect detection experiments and comparison experiments based on the self-made dataset. The results show that this method can successfully detect fabric defects, having high detection accuracy and efficiency. Combining subjective vision and objective evaluation, comparison experiments prove that this method is superior to other common fabric defect detection methods and has the highest value of accuracy and F1-score. This research provides a new method and technical support for fabric defect detection and other fields.
Classification of female body shape based on two-dimensional image and computer vision technology
Authors: Yao Tong , Min Yuening , Wang Jun , Sun Jianmei , Pan Li
Published: June 2023

Traditional body classification methods are usually based on three-dimensional human body data. With the development of computer vision technology, two-dimensional (2D) anthropometry technology has garnered a great deal of research attention in the field of anthropometry. This paper presents a body shape classification and discrimination method using 2D images based on computer vision technology. The research included three main parts. (1) Index extraction of body shape classification based on computer vision. The orthogonal 2D human body image information of 362 young female samples was extracted. After normalizing the body height, three body shape classification indexes were separated: the body height pixel value ( H), the feature of the projected unit area ( ρ), and the feature of the projected area ratio of the front and side of the human body ( F). (2) Two-dimensional human body shape classification based on the two-step cluster model. The optimal classification number was determined, and the characteristics of each type of body shape were analyzed. (3) Automatic discrimination of the 2D human body shape based on the Bayesian algorithm. The correct rate of recognition was 94.8%. The results indicate that the body shape classification method based on computer vision technology and the selection of the proposed classification indexes are effective, and the accuracy of body shape recognition is high. In this paper, the classification of human body shape based on 2D digital images was realized, and this method can be applied to 2D anthropometry and other related fields.
Light transmission of weft-knitted fabrics for seamless garments
Authors: Zhang Jingwen , Ge Dengteng , Liu Yanping
Published: June 2023

Knitted seamless sportswear offers ‘body-mapped’ comfort and support, but there is a risk of exposing the human body in public due to the low density and large fabric deformation of the sportswear when wearing it. This paper presents an experimental study on the light transmission behavior of different weft-knitted fabrics for seamless sportswear in different stretching modes to understand the light transmission principle. Three plain knit fabrics for seamless sportswear made from three yarn combinations were compared: a polyamide 6 (PA6) yarn, a combination of spandex and PA6 yarns, and a combination of spandex, PA6, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarns. Three modes of stretching were performed on the three fabrics, namely uniaxially, uniaxially with transverse restraint, and biaxially, to simulate wear deformation. The stretched fabrics are analyzed in terms of cover factor, thickness, and light transmission. The results showed that light transmission increases with increasing tensile strain. The presence of restraint further increases the light transmission, and biaxially stretched fabrics have the greatest light transmission. The thinnest PA6 fabric has the lowest cover factor and the highest light transmission, while plating a spandex/PA6 covered yarn on a PA6 yarn shrinks and tightens the fabric, and therefore reduces the light transmission. Adding an additional PET yarn reduces shrinkage and thickness, increasing light transmission. Light passing through the fibers and loop meshes of a fabric accounts for total light transmission. Plating a coarser elastomeric yarn into weft-knitted fabrics for seamless sportswear is an effective way to increase the spaces in yarns and shrink the loop meshes, thereby reducing the light transmission.
Planting the Seeds of Culturally Responsive, Equity-Centered, and Trauma-Informed Attitudes Among Urban Educators
Authors: Haynes Jasmine D. , Marsh L. Trenton S. , Anderson Kim M.
Published: June 2023

This qualitative study explored the influence of implementing a virtual culturally responsive and equity-centered trauma-informed professional development series with seven urban educators in the U.S. The study's findings suggest that a culturally responsive, equity-centered trauma-informed professional development series can enrich educators’ knowledge and awareness regarding racial trauma. Furthermore, the series has the potential to improve interpersonal interactions between teachers and students and increase student engagement. Lastly, the professional development series can help prepare educators to become confident and assertive social change agents advocating for racial equity in schools. Implications are provided for practice, research, and policy.
Electrocardiographic frontal QRS-T angle is independently associated with panic disorder
Authors: Yılmaz Mücahid , Yılmaz Seda
Published: June 2023

Objective

Panic disorder (PD) may cause serious cardiac arrhythmias by causing electrical abnormalities. Abnormal P-wave axis (aPwa), presence of fragmented QRS (fQRS), wide frontal QRS-T angle (fQRSTa), QRS duration corrected (QRSdc) and log/ logQRS duration/RR interval (log/logQRS/RR) have been correlated with increased risk of serious supraventricular and ventricular cardiac arrhythmias in a general population. The purpose of this study was to compare these newly explored atrial and ventricular arrhythmia indicators in patients with PD and in healthy subjects.

Method

A total of 169 newly diagnosed PD patients and 128 healthy subjects were included in the study. The Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS) was administered, and 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) measurements were obtained. Electrocardiographic parameters including aPwa, fQRSTa, presence of fQRS, QRS duration corrected (QRSdc), and log/logQRS duration/RR distance (log/logQRS/RR) were compared between the two groups.

Results

aPwa and fQRS, in addition to fQRSTa, QRSdc, and log/ logQRS/RR ratio values, were significantly increased in the PD group compared to healthy controls. Correlation analyses revealed that wider fQRSTa, number of fQRS derivation, number of total fQRS, wider QRSdc, and log/logQRS/RR ratio significantly correlated with PAS score. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that fQRSTa and the number of total fQRS were independently associated with PD.

Conclusion

PD is associated with wider fQRSTa, QRSdc, and log/logQRS/RR in addition to the increased abnormal aPwa and presence of fQRS. These findings suggest that untreated PD patients may be susceptible to supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmia, indicating that ECG should be routinely obtained in the management of PD patients.
Urban Morphology and Functional Hierarchy of the Jewish Quarter of Zaragoza (Spain) at the End of the Fifteenth Century
Authors: Motis-Dolader Miguel Ángel , Ruiz-Varona Ana , Pérez-López Lourdes
Published: June 2023

This article analyzes the morphology and functionality of the Jewish quarter of Zaragoza at the end of the fifteenth century, shortly before the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, from a multidisciplinary perspective. It deals with the specific nature and understanding of one of the most important Jewish neighborhoods in Sepharad on the internal levels of Hebrew law and the confessional community, where urbanism is traced out from the privacy of the home and not from the public space and where the neighborhood is linked to the synagogues. Over two thousand documents from the 1492 to 1500 period, from the Archive of the Crown of Aragon, notarial protocols, municipal sources, and inquisitorial trials, have been consulted. A method of vertical cartographic coordination based on geographic information systems is applied as a way of geo-referencing the oldest surviving plans to reconstruct the physical and experiential space of the city in the Late Middle Ages.
Blending Restorative Practices With Multitiered Support Systems in High Schools Before and During the COVID Pandemic: Successes, Challenges, and Adaptations
Authors: Vincent Claudia G. , Girvan Erik , Inglish John , McClure Heather , Ryzin Mark Van , Svanks Rita , Reiley Darren , Smith Scott
Published: June 2023

We present outcomes from a study testing the effect of professional development (PD) focused on integrating restorative practices (RP) into multitiered student support systems on how high school staff, students, and parents perceive their school's discipline practices. A total of 16 high schools enrolled in the 2-year study during which COVID-related school closures and a switch to distance learning occurred. Eight schools assigned to the intervention condition received the PD and coaching during the first year and periodic booster trainings delivered remotely during the second year. Eight schools assigned to the control condition received the PD and coaching remotely during the second year. While results did not reach statistical significance, they were in the desired direction and suggested changes in staff perceptions favoring restorative discipline practices. Quantitative findings were supported by coaches’ fieldnotes which described facilitators and barriers to implementing RP during in-person as well as remote instruction. We offer recommendations for providing support to high school personnel and students as they move toward a nonpunitive approach to discipline that favors community-building over rule compliance in real and virtual learning environments.
Is UK Animal Research Governance Facing a ‘New Normal’? Considering the Risks and Benefits of ‘Going Online’
Authors: Salter Kathleen
Published: June 2023

Since a return to in-office working after the extensive disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated challenges, many conversations are still being had with regard to what the ‘new normal’ might look like in professional spaces and networks, and what lessons can be learnt from long periods of remote working. The regulation of animal research practice in the UK is no exception here and, like many other systems, it has been transformed by the increasingly recognised value of streamlining procedures through the use of virtual online spaces. In early October 2022, the author attended an AWERB-UK meeting in Birmingham (convened by the RSPCA, LAVA, LASA and IAT), which focused on the induction, training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) members. This comment article reflects on this meeting and raises some interesting questions surrounding animal research governance in an evolving online era, specifically the associated ethical and welfare dimensions.
Red blood cell distribution width predicts mortality of adult patients receiving veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Lu Shu Y , Ortoleva Jamel , Colon Katia , Mueller Ariel , Laflam Andrew , Shelton Kenneth , Dalia Adam A
Published: June 2023

Background

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a numerical measure of the variation in the size of circulating red blood cells. Recently, there is increasing interest in the role of RDW as a biomarker for inflammatory states and as a prognostication tool for a wide range of clinical manifestations. The predictive power of RDW on mortality among patients receiving mechanical circulatory support remains largely unknown.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 281 VA-ECMO patients at a tertiary referral academic hospital from 2009 to 2019 was performed. RDW was dichotomized with RDW-Low <14.5% and RDW-High ≥14.5%. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 30 days and 1 year. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between RDW and the clinical outcomes after adjusting for additional confounders.

Results

281 patients were included in the analysis. There were 121 patients (43%) in the RDW-Low group and 160 patients (57%) in the RDW-High group. Survival to ECMO decannulation [RDW-H: 58% versus RDW-L: 67%, p = 0.07] were similar between the two groups. Patients in RDW-H group had higher 30-days mortality (RDW-H: 67.5% vs RDW-L: 39.7%, p < 0.001) and 1 year mortality (RDW-H: 79.4% vs RDW-L: 52.9%, p < 0.001) compared to patients in the RDW-L group. After adjusting for confounders, Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that patients with high RDW had increased odds of mortality at 30 days (hazard ratio 1.9, 95% CI 1.2–3.0, p < 0.01) and 1 year (hazard ratio 1.9, 95% CI 1.3–2.8, p < 0.01) compared to patients with low RDW.

Conclusions

Among patients receiving mechanical circulatory support with VA-ECMO, a higher RDW was independently associated with increased 30-days and 1-year mortality. RDW may serve as a simple biomarker that can be quickly obtained to help provide risk stratification and predict survival for patients receiving VA-ECMO.
Asymptotically optimal inspection planning via efficient near-optimal search on sampled roadmaps
Authors: Fu Mengyu , Kuntz Alan , Salzman Oren , Alterovitz Ron
Published: June 2023

Inspection planning, the task of planning motions for a robot that enable it to inspect a set of points of interest, has applications in domains such as industrial, field, and medical robotics. Inspection planning can be computationally challenging, as the search space over motion plans grows exponentially with the number of points of interest to inspect. We propose a novel method, Incremental Random Inspection-roadmap Search (IRIS), that computes inspection plans whose length and set of successfully inspected points asymptotically converge to those of an optimal inspection plan. IRIS incrementally densifies a motion-planning roadmap using a sampling-based algorithm and performs efficient near-optimal graph search over the resulting roadmap as it is generated. We prove the resulting algorithm is asymptotically optimal under very general assumptions about the robot and the environment. We demonstrate IRIS’s efficacy on a simulated inspection task with a planar five DOF manipulator, on a simulated bridge inspection task with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and on a medical endoscopic inspection task for a continuum parallel surgical robot in cluttered human anatomy. In all these systems IRIS computes higher-quality inspection plans orders of magnitudes faster than a prior state-of-the-art method.
CT and PET/CT findings of primary pulmonary malignant melanoma: a case report and literature review
Authors: Chen Yanling , Zhou Jiahui , Zhang Fangbiao , Zeng Qinghui , Zhang Xiangyan , Wu Yan
Published: June 2023

Primary malignant melanoma of the lung (PMML) is an extremely rare and refractory tumor, and its diagnosis is a significant challenge. The current study presents the case of a 62-year-old man who presented to the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Lishui Municipal Central Hospital, Lishui, China) with chest tightness and fatigue for 3 months. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a 1.5- × 1.9-cm mass with irregular borders and heterogenous density located in the right lower lung lobe. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed slight enhancement of the mass, but there was no clear evidence of malignancy. Positron emission tomography (PET)/CT revealed a defined-margin mass, with slightly high uptake (standardized uptake value [SUV]: 3.6). The patient underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and the final diagnosis was PMML on the basis of the results of the pathological examination. The patient received four courses of immunotherapy after the operation, and eventually declined further immunotherapy owing to the high cost. The patient was followed-up for 1 year without metastasis or recurrence.
Pulmonary comorbidities in psoriasis are associated with a high risk of respiratory failure
Authors: Tanimura Kazuya , Nouraie Seyed Mehdi , Chandra Divay , Nyunoya Toru
Published: June 2023

Objectives

To identify respiratory comorbidities associated with a high risk of developing respiratory failure in subjects with psoriasis.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from subjects enrolled in the UK Biobank cohort. All diagnoses were self-reported. The risk of each respiratory comorbidity was compared by logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, weight, diabetes mellitus, and smoking history; the risk of comorbid respiratory failure for each pulmonary comorbidity was also compared.

Results

Of the 472,782 Caucasian subjects in the database, 3,285 self-reported a diagnosis of psoriasis. More men and smokers reported psoriasis and were older, had higher weight and body mass index, and lower pulmonary function than non-psoriatic subjects. Those with psoriasis were at significantly higher risk for multiple pulmonary comorbidities compared to those without psoriasis. Furthermore, those with psoriasis had a higher risk for respiratory failure accompanied by asthma and airflow limitation than non-psoriatic subjects.

Conclusions

Subjects with psoriasis and pulmonary comorbidities, such as asthma and airflow limitation, are at increased risk for respiratory failure. Common immunopathological links implicating a ‘skin-lung axis’ may underlie psoriasis and pulmonary comorbidities.
Prevalence and predictors of opioid use before orthopaedic surgery in an Australian setting: A multicentre, cross-sectional, observational study
Authors: Liu Shania , Stevens Jennifer A , Collins Ashleigh E , Duff Jed , Sutherland Joanna R , Oddie Morgan D , Naylor Justine M , Patanwala Asad E , Suckling Benita M , Penm Jonathan
Published: June 2023

Opioid analgesics are commonly used by patients awaiting orthopaedic surgery, and preoperative opioid use is associated with a greater burden of postoperative pain, suboptimal surgical outcomes and higher healthcare costs. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of total opioid use before elective orthopaedic surgery with a focus on regional and rural hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. This was a cross-sectional, observational study of patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery conducted between April 2017 and November 2019 across five hospitals that included a mix of metropolitan, regional, rural, private and public settings. Preoperative patient demographics, pain scores and analgesic use were collected during pre-admission clinic visits, held between two and six weeks before surgery. Of the 430 patients included, 229 (53.3%) were women and the mean age was 67.5 (standard deviation 10.1) years. The overall prevalence of total preoperative opioid use was 37.7% (162/430). Rates of preoperative opioid use ranged from 20.6% (13/63) at a metropolitan hospital to 48.8% (21/43) at an inner regional hospital. Multivariable logistic regression showed that the inner regional setting was a significant predictor of opioid use before orthopaedic surgery (adjusted odds ratio 2.6; 95% confidence interval 1.0 to 6.7) after adjusting for covariates. Opioid use prior to orthopaedic surgery is common and appears to vary by geographical location.
Perioperative pain management in thoracic surgery: A survey of practices in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Busser Michael J , Kunju Shakeel M , Gurunathan Usha
Published: June 2023

There are few data on current trends in pain management for thoracic surgery in Australia and New Zealand. Several new regional analgesia techniques have been introduced for these operations in the past few years. Our survey aimed to assess current practice and perceptions towards various modalities of pain management for thoracic surgery among anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand. A 22-question electronic survey was developed and distributed in 2020 with the assistance of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Cardiac Thoracic Vascular and Perfusion Special Interest Group. The survey focused on four key domains—demographics, general pain management, operative technique, and postoperative approach. Of the 696 invitations, 165 complete responses were obtained, for a response rate of 24%. Most respondents reported a trend away from the historical standard of thoracic epidural analgesia, with a preference towards non-neuraxial regional analgesia techniques. If representative of anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand more widely, this trend may result in less exposure of junior anaesthetists to the insertion and management of thoracic epidurals, potentially resulting in reduced familiarity and confidence in the technique. Furthermore, it demonstrates a notable reliance on surgically or intraoperatively placed paravertebral catheters as the primary analgesic modality, and suggests the need for future studies assessing the optimal method of catheter insertion and perioperative management. It also gives some insight into the current opinion and practice of the respondents with regard to formalised enhanced recovery after surgery pathways, acute pain services, opioid-free anaesthesia, and current medication selection.
All Aboard: Gender Diversity and Safety Culture on the Track
Authors: Leone Julia , Lacey Samantha , Barnes-Farrell Janet
Published: June 2023

Women have been historically underrepresented in both craft and management positions in the U.S. rail industry. Identified as one of the industry’s top workforce challenges, the present study provides a more detailed view of gender diversity in rail transportation, and how factors such as gender and management status interact to affect perceptions of safety culture in a sample of U.S. short line and regional railroads (Nrailroads = 23, Nrailroaders = 1,239). The results suggested that women tended to be older than men, have more education, and were more likely to be employed at larger organizations. Despite being employed in the railroad industry for fewer years than men, women in our sample were also more likely to be managers. With regard to safety culture, managers had more positive perceptions than craft employees, and female craft employees had more positive perceptions than male craft employees. Implications for the industry and avenues for future research and implementation are discussed.
Risk consciousness and public perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine passports
Authors: Ajana Btihaj , Engstler Elena , Ismail Anas , Kousta Marina
Published: June 2023

In response to the global outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, many countries around the world have rushed to develop and implement various mechanisms, including vaccination passports, to contain the spread of the virus and manage its significant impact on heath and society. COVID-19 passports have been promoted as a way of speeding society’s return to ‘normal’ life while protecting public health and safety. These passports, however, are not without controversy. Various concerns have been raised with regard to their social and ethical implications. Framing the discussion within the ‘risk society’ thesis and drawing on an interview-based study with members of the UK public as well as the relevant literature, this article examines perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine passports. The findings of the study indicate that participants’ attitudes toward vaccine passports are primarily driven by factors relating to perceptions of risk. While some considered vaccine passports as a positive strategy to encourage vaccine uptake and facilitate travel and daily activities, others saw this mechanism as a coercive step that might alienate further those who are already vaccine hesitant. Issues of fairness, equity, discrimination, trust, and data security were major themes in participants’ narratives and their subjective assessment of vaccine passports.
Nutritional Status Predicts Injurious Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Does Sex Matter?
Authors: Chen Tuo-Yu , Rajan S Irudaya , Saito Yasuhiko
Published: June 2023

The association of poor nutritional status with falls-related injuries other than fractures is unclear. Although there are sex differences in poor nutritional status and the rate of falls-related injuries, whether the impacts of poor nutritional status on falls-related injuries differ by sex is unclear. We investigated whether baseline poor nutritional status predicted injurious falls, fall-related minor injuries, and fractures at 3-year follow-up and whether these relationships differed by sex among community-dwelling older adults ( N = 3257). We found that being at risk of malnutrition at baseline significantly predicted injurious falls but not minor injuries and fractures at follow-up. Compared to older males at risk of malnutrition at baseline, females at risk of malnutrition were significantly more likely to have injurious falls and minor injuries later. Being at risk of malnutrition predicted injurious falls, especially among older females. Regular nutritional screenings among older females should be implemented to provide prompt interventions against falls.
Stromal vascular fraction gel promoted wound healing and peripheral nerve repair in diabetic rats via TLRs/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: Xing Nan , Yang Jincun , Wang Haitao , Peng Lei , Liu Xiaowen , Chen Jiong , Liu Yan
Published: June 2023

Diabetes mellitus (DM) contributes to impaired wound healing. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of stromal vascular fraction (SVF) gel extracted from rats on diabetic ulcers wound healing and peripheral nerve repair. 60 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into 6 groups, including control, model, SVF-gel low dose (SVF-gel-L), SVF-gel high dose (SVF-gel-H), ST2825, and SVF-gel-H + CL075 groups. Wound closure rate was recorded. The histopathological changes and deposition change of collagen fibre were identified. The content of TNF-α, IL-1β, VEGF, and bFGF were detected. Immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence and western blot were employed to determine the protein expression. We identified SVF-gel could promoted wound healing, restored normal cutaneous structures of the wound, promoted collagen deposition, while diminished fibrosis and inflammation. In addition, SVF-gel promoted angiogenesis and peripheral nerve recovery, diminished the expression of TLRs/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. However, the protective effect of SVF-gel could be revised by CL075 co-treatment. Furthermore, ST2825 also promoted wound healing, but its effect was lower than that with SVF-gel-H treatment. SVF gel promotes the healing of diabetic skin ulcer tissue and regeneration of damaged peripheral nerve, diminished inflammatory factor infiltration. The mechanism maybe related to suppress the activation of TLRs/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Incorporating Virtual Reality in Public Health Campaigns: COVID-19 as the Context
Authors: Xu Zhan , Weser Veronica , Peng Lulu , Laffidy Mary
Published: June 2023

One of the greatest challenges for public health campaigns is communicating health risks due to the existence of psychological distance. Using COVID-19 as a context, this study designed and tested virtual reality (VR) campaigns based on construal level theory. It assessed the immediate and after-effects of VR on COVID-19 preventive intentions/behaviors and risk perceptions. A total of 120 participants were randomly assigned to see one of four messages: a VR message emphasizing self-interest, a VR message emphasizing other-interest, a print message emphasizing self-interest, or a print message emphasizing other-interest. Preventive intentions/behaviors were assessed at three different times: before, immediately after, and one week after the experimental treatment. Immediately following message exposure, participants exposed to the VR messages perceived a higher level of self-risk than those exposed to print messages. Disgust and fear mediated these effects. One week following message exposure, unvaccinated participants exposed to the VR messages had a higher intention to get vaccinated than those exposed to print messages. Recommendations on how to effectively utilize VR in health interventions are provided.
“Not that it makes you less of a mother, but…”: Navigating discourses of responsible motherhood in the context of VBAC
Authors: Hooberman Laura , Howell Frances M. , Keegan Rachel , Rubin Lisa R.
Published: June 2023

In the United States, pregnant people considering a vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC) face this decision in a highly contested environment where VBAC is simultaneously encouraged—situated within discourses promoting vaginal birth—and discouraged through discourses emphasizing reproductive risk. Woven through these competing discourses is a shared emphasis on maternal responsibility, reflective of a socially constructed belief that birth method is bound implicitly to one's “goodness” as a mother. This paper employs a discursive analytic lens to examine the experiences of 16 pregnant people in New York City seeking VBACs for their upcoming births. We examine how sociocultural discourses of “responsible” mothering shape participants’ experiences of considering VBAC and examine participants’ anxieties over VBAC and its attainability in light of their past birth experiences. Our analysis demonstrates that participants reproduce discourses privileging vaginal birth, and simultaneously challenge these discourses by invoking an “embodied knowledge” that enables them to assert themselves as responsible mothers in the context of past cesarean deliveries and uncertainty surrounding their upcoming births. Implications are discussed in the context of existing literature on birth and discourses of maternal responsibility.